Are You at Risk of Having a Holiday Heart Attack?

The holidays are a time of joy, laughter, spending time with family, and friends. That is if we survive. Studies show that more un-hospitalized people die in the United States on Christmas day, from heart related problems then during any other time of year. According to research done on this subject the amount of people dying during the holidays are increasing yearly. The day after Christmas, December 26, is has the second highest number of heart related deaths. New Year's day came in third. Heart attacks aren't uncommon, but why is there such a dramatic increase in heart related deaths during the most happiest time of year?

There are several factors that can play a roll in having a holiday heart attack. The most obvious one is the changes we make in our diets. The average holiday meal has between 2,800 and 3,300 calories in it. Lets not forget about the Christmas cookies, holiday candies, and all the other goodies we splurge on. It's a known fact that we just eat to much in a short period of time, during the holiday season. Drinking too much Eggnog has also been linked to contributing to a heart attack. So should we avoid all the high fat holiday treats we love? Maybe, we don't need to avoid them completely, but we do need to limit how much we consume.

Stress is another large contributing factor to holiday heart attacks. After all, it just wouldn't be the holidays if we didn't have some stress. Even those who do not celebrate Christmas, are still at risk for developing major holiday stress. With lines in every store backed up, and traffic jams around every corner, everyone is subject to becoming a victim of stress. There is no avoiding it, but there is ways to control it. If you feel like the stress load is to much to handle, speak with your physician. There is medication available to help keep your stress levels down. There is also more natural ways to help you deal with stress such as hobbies, long walks, or a relaxing hot bath.