Protect Your Heart All Day Long

Give your morning repast a makeover

Does what we eat for breakfast, and how much, make a difference in the health of our arteries? Dr. Sotirios Tsalamandris, a cardiologist at the National and Kapodistrian University in Athens, Greece, conducted research to find out. He studied 2,000 older people and found that those who started their day with a lot of high-energy foods, such as milk, cheese, cereals and whole-grain bread, had significantly healthier arteries.

“A high-energy breakfast should be part of a healthy lifestyle,” Tsalamandris said. He also cautioned that skipping breakfast and then eating more later in the day is linked to poor arterial health, and recommended consuming at least 20% of our daily calories at breakfast.

Your noontime nap could offer a health boost

Another study presented at the conference found that taking a midday nap can help us lower our blood pressure. Dr. Manolis Kallistratos, a cardiologist at the Asklepieon General Hospital in Voula, Greece, reported that people who nap can lower their blood pressure enough to reduce their risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

“We obviously don’t want to encourage people to sleep for hours on end during the day, but on the other hand, they shouldn’t feel guilty if they can take a short nap, given the potential health benefits,” said Dr. Kallistratos. “Based on our findings, if someone has the luxury to take a nap during the day, it may have benefits for high blood pressure. Napping can be easily adopted and typically doesn’t cost anything.”

His team offered another interesting hypothesis: “Along with the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet endemic to this region, the cultural acceptance of midday napping may also play a role in the healthier profile seen in these populations.”

Spending the evening binge watching?

What do you do during your leisure hours? A second study by Dr. Tsalamandris compared the heart health of people with how much TV they watch. The study showed that people who watch more than 21 hours of TV per week were almost twice as likely to have unhealthy plaque buildup in their arteries. “These findings suggest a clear message to hit the ‘off’ button on your TV and abandon your sofa,” said Dr. Tsalamandris.

What should we do instead during the evening hours? “Even activities of low energy expenditure, such as socializing with friends or housekeeping activities, may have a substantial benefit to your health compared to time spent sitting and watching TV,” said Dr. Tsalamandris.

But what if you can’t bear to give up all your favorite TV programs? “Performing recreational activities, weightlifting, stretching bands or treadmill exercise while watching TV may be a healthy alternative,” Dr. Tsalamandris suggested.

So, take a cue from these Greek researchers. “The small lifestyle choices we make each day add up when it comes to heart health,” says the American College of Cardiology.

The information in this article is not intended to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Talk to your doctor about heart health lifestyle choices that are right for you.