Michael Jackson’s Cardiac Arrest-Can Stress Kill You?
ByI received the text from my friend Kristina: “Michael Jackson died….?” What? That is a joke, I am thinking. In the world of the Internet, I started to Google and called her. Nothing had been confirmed and it was 5:30 pm EST. As I Googled, the Internet blogs were updated. Nothing confirmed. Then blogs started to review his career. Then we knew. Michael Jackson died of a cardiac arrest.
What is cardiac arrest?
A cardiac arrest, also known as cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest, is the abrupt cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively during systole. A cardiac arrest is different then a heart attack, notes Douglas Zipes, MD, MACC, distinguished professor at Indiana University School of Medicine. During a heart attack, the blood flow to the still-working heart is interrupted. During a cardiac arrest, all parts of the body are oxygen-deprived and that can cause major damages.
What can cause cardiac arrest?
Being overweight has little to do with cardiac arrest. This fact is, cardiac arrest can affect the very obese as well as the very thin. During a heart attack, you may experience shortness of breath or chest pain as warning signs. But for cardiac arrest, there are no such forewarning signs.
The American Heart Association explains it best:
“The most common underlying reason for patients to die suddenly from cardiac arrest is coronary heart disease. Most cardiac arrests that lead to sudden death occur when the electrical impulses in the diseased heart become rapid (ventricular tachycardia) or chaotic (ventricular fibrillation) or both. This irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) causes the heart to suddenly stop beating. Some cardiac arrests are due to extreme slowing of the heart. This is called bradycardia.”
When it comes to heart diseases, prevention is your best strategy. Today we know (because numerous studies have confirmed it) that diet and exercise impacts our cardio respiratory health. (And of course, the health of our skeletal, muscular, digestive, and immune systems.) All these systems work together in unison to maintain a healthy, strong and resistant body.
Stress is one of the most underlooked areas in our health that can affect our blood pressure, and therefore our heart health. Managing your stress levels is a matter of recognizing when they get out of hand and then reducing your level with simple strategies such deep breathing, going for a walk, enjoying nature, laughing and having some “me time” without the ubiquitous cell phone, radio or TV. For additional stress management strategies, read “How Stress Erases Your exercise Gains.”
My advice to you:
- · Don’t let stress get to you.
- · Take care of your mental health.
- · And start today to find something that makes you laugh and have fun. Repeat often!
Make your body your business.
Stefan
Stefan Aschan is a leading expert on lifestyle, health and fitness who has helped more than 30,000 people get fit through advice on nutrition, fitness and lifestyle changes. For your free “How to live 100 years in perfect health” report and the must read “updates and solution” newsletter on how to have 10 times more success, stay on top of your goals, and accomplish the change of body and appearance, click here for your FREE supscrition.