“Look, I own a business. I work 65 to 80 hours a week and I’m barely making it. I race around constantly just to keep the customers I have.” “No, I don’t really have a social life anymore. I have one friend and he’s a great guy, but he’s not what I would call a [...]
We are frequently reminded that Americans are getting fatter and fatter. How many times have you seen television footage of headless people walking down the street with the camera focused on their excessive abdomens, thighs and buttocks? The surgeon general believes obesity is a greater threat than terrorism. Public health advocates want the government to [...]
The link between high cholesterol and heart disease has been well established. The cholesterol problem we hear about most often is high cholesterol and most people are working on lowering cholesterol levels with medication, exercise and healthy eating. But did you know that if cholesterol levels get too low, depression and anxiety are more likely [...]
“I hate exercise.“ This was the first thing a 78 year old woman said to me at our initial appointment when I was reviewing the reasons her cardiologist referred her to me. The doctor wanted her to increase her activity level and lose weight. The woman had some, but not much, interest in losing weight [...]
Behavioral medicine is a specialty area within the profession of psychology that focuses on treating patients with medical conditions. Many medical problems, including digestive disorders, chronic pain, asthma, diabetes, obesity and heart disease, are often linked with behavioral and psychological factors that affect the onset, course and recovery of these disorders. Cardiac psychology is a [...]
The way we live our lives has a lot to do with whether we develop heart disease. Knowing your risk factors for heart disease gives you the opportunity to make the long-term changes necessary to eliminate or reduce your chance of developing heart problems. By making lifestyle changes after a cardiac event occurs, it is [...]
There is substantial research evidence showing a strong connection between depression and heart disease. The notion that depression is typical in patients with heart disease, nothing to worry about and will go away on its own is inaccurate and dangerous. Many patients already have heart disease and depression and there appears to be an interaction [...]
Anxiety is an emotional reaction that occurs in response to a threat or to fear. Anxiety commonly results in feelings of nervousness, apprehension, restlessness and internal shakiness (the “butterflies”). Anxiety can cause worrying, poor concentration, tension, difficulty making decisions and sleep problems. Physical signs of anxiety include an uneasy stomach, diarrhea, frequent urination, headache and [...]
The following foods have been found to be health-promoting. This is not an exhaustive list, nor are these the only foods you should eat. It is important to maintain balanced eating that includes the three main nutrients we require everyday -- carbohydrate, protein and fat. This list is meant to be used as a guideline [...]
It has always been thought that heart disease is a man’s problem, but it kills a half million women every year and the number is growing. Heart disease kills more women than men and women are more likely to have a second heart attack within a year of their first one. Because women’s symptoms can [...]
