Heartbeat: Everyday Tips for Heart Health
By: Megan Dobbs
Updated: May 11, 2010
Clock out of work on time today -- and tell your boss it's best for your health!
A large study from Europe finds working overtime can increase the risk for heart-related problems, like heart attacks and chest pain, by 60 percent.
"Overtime" in this study meant three or more hours longer than a seven hour day.
The 11 year study of more than 6,000 British civil servants doesn't prove long work hours cause heart disease, but researchers say they found them to be a clear risk factor. Stress is the likely link.
As long as there's no allergy -- incorporating nuts into your diet might help improve cholesterol.
A new review of research suggests eating about two and a half ounces of nuts a day may lower levels of triglycerides and L.D.L., or "bad" cholesterol. The effect was greatest among those with a lower body mass index and those who ate typical western diets.
Some of the studies in this review of research did have funding from nut industries.
Whether it's from heavy traffic or smoke stacks -- air pollution is strongly associated with heart disease and death, according to an updated scientific statement on pollution from the American Heart Association.
Experts there say the scientific evidence showing a link between air pollution and heart attacks, stroke and heart-related deaths has grown substantially since their last pollution statement in 2004.
The link is strongest for fine particulate matter -- from traffic, industry and power generation.
