Optimism may help keep women’s hearts healthy

For women, a positive outlook on life may lead to positive effects on the heart. A new study shows that optimistic women have a lower risk of developing heart disease and dying from heart complications than pessimistic women. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh studied 97,253 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79 who, at the start of the study, were free of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Optimistic women, compared to their negative counterparts, had a 9 percent lower risk of developing heart disease and a 14 percent lower risk of dying from any cause after more than eight years of follow-up. The findings are based on questionnaires given to women taking part in the Women’s Health Initiative study. Optimism was measured by asking people whether they agreed with statements such as, “In unclear times, I usually expect the best,” and “If something can go wrong for me, it will.” Levels of cynical hostility were measured in the same way, with statements such as” “It’s safer to trust nobody,” and “I have often had to take orders from someone who did not know as much as I did.” Women with a high level of cynical hostility, compared to those with a low level, were 16 percent more likely to die during eight years of study. Race also proved to be a factor: African-American women who had a positive outlook on life had a 33 percent lower risk of death eight years after the study, while optimistic white women had a 13 percent lower risk. Researchers also found that optimists were less likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol; smoke cigarettes; be sedentary; or have a high body mass index. However, the link between optimism and heart disease remained even after taking into account all of these factors. It seems as though your heart is healthier if the glass is half full!

High cholesterol could raise Alzheimer’s risk

What’s good for your heart may be good for your brain. A new study shows that even slightly elevated cholesterol levels in midlife significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia later in life. The study, conducted by researchers at Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in California and the University of Koupio in Finland, followed 9,844 men and women for four decades. By the end of the study nearly 600 people had developed either Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia, a group of dementia syndromes caused by conditions affecting blood supply to the brain, and the second most common form of dementia. Total cholesterol in the high range (240 mg/dL or higher) at the start of the study was associated with a 66 percent increase in Alzheimer’s risk, while having borderline high cholesterol (between 200 and 239) raised the risk of vascular dementia by 52 percent. By taking steps to prevent heart disease in midlife, such as controlling cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and weight, you can protect your brain as you age.

Heart-healthy diet can prevent kidney stones

The same diet that protects your heart may also protect you from kidney stones. Researchers at Maine Medical Center and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have found that you can prevent kidney stones, which are linked to high rates of hypertension, diabetes, increased body weight and other risk factors for heart disease, by loading up on fruits, vegetables, nuts, low-fat dairy products and whole grains, while cutting down on salt, red and processed meats and sweetened beverages. Researchers collected information from 240,000 people. Each was assigned a score based on eight components of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Those with higher DASH scores were eating foods higher in calcium, potassium, magnesium, oxalate and vitamin C and consuming less sodium, and those who had the highest DASH scores were between 40 and 45 percent less likely to develop kidney stones than people with the lowest scores. The bottom line? Never underestimate the power of a heart-healthy diet.

Chocolate makes the heart grow stronger

It’s true: Chocolate really can be good for you. A recent study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden shows that heart attack survivors who ate chocolate had lower blood pressure and were less likely to die of heart disease than those who didn’t eat chocolate. Researchers followed 1,169 nondiabetic patients with confirmed heart disease between 1992 and 1994. Patients reported their chocolate-eating habits over the previous year and then underwent a health examination three months after they were discharged. The researchers then followed the participants for eight years and discovered that those who ate chocolate at least twice a week cut their risk of dying from heart disease nearly threefold, as opposed to those who didn’t eat chocolate at all. Of course, moderation is key, as eating too much chocolate is never a healthy idea.