Happy People Have Less Heart Attacks (Winter 2025 Update)!

Take a look at a post by Dr. Monique Tello from Harvard: ‘A Positive Mindset Can Help Your Heart’ by Dr. Monique Tello, MD MPH.

Keep a Positive Mindset to Prevent Heart Disease!

Here is a paraphrase from Dr. Tello’s Article: Can being positive protect against heart disease?

Yes!

There is a lot of evidence suggesting that having a positive outlook — like being optimistic, cheerful, having gratitude and purpose in life — can be heart-protective.

• ‘Positive Mindset’ people (optimistic) have a 30% lower risk of developing heart disease. • Other studies report similar findings: Happy people have a lower risk of death from heart attacks (38%) and strokes (39%). • In another study, people with positive mindsets had a significantly lower risks of having a heart attack, and these traits included optimism (38% lower risk), positive outlook (32%), and having a purpose in life (27%). • ‘Negative Mindset’ people have a 4 times higher incidence of MI or cardiac death.

Bottom line

• Stay Positive! Keep thinking positive thoughts!

• Avoid people who are always negative, cynical or skeptical.

• Avoid situations which bring out the worst in yourself. For example, stop watching so much CNN, FOX, or MSNBC. Stay away from 'Review Sites' such as YELP. In my opinion, the internet and cable news seem to perpetuate negativity.

• Minimize your stress! Stress can increase the likelihood for any form of heart disease by 64%!

• Look for the humor in even bleak situations!

  
  

Remember my saying:

'if you're the type of person who writes negative online reviews about your cardiologist...it's the reason you need one!'

Winter 2025 Update: With all of the stresses in the world, I tell my patients to do their best to avoid buying the newspaper, subscribing to local TV channels.

As I wrote years ago (above) don't watch CNN, FOX, MSNBC or read 'Apple News' unless you want to be entertained.

Don't follow instagram, facebook, TikTok, or youtube--unless you are looking for simple fun entertainment.

Avoid political banter.

Social media is about the clicks and views. Headlines and thumbnails that make you emotional--make them money.

Think about it.

• If there was a 'fair and balanced' news channel--no one would watch it.

• If there is a restaurant in your neighborhood that specialized in low cholesterol, low sodium, low sugar, organic healthy food--it would be bankrupt.

Develop a 'laugh it off' approach to day-to-day stresses. Don't let high-strung negative people into your life. Don't let such people bring you down.

Stay Positive! Stay Healthy!

Gregg Yamada MD FACC

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Disclaimer: I hope you find my medical blogs to be pertinent, interesting, thought provoking, and even humorous at times. The information provided is educational and should not be taken as medical advice. I am a doctor, but I am not your doctor. Please schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss these issues and to determine what is right for you.

© 2025. Gregg M. Yamada, MD FACC. All rights reserved.