Benefits of Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Extend to Whole Body, New Study Reveals

A comprehensive review conducted by researchers at Emory University highlights that maintaining optimal cardiovascular health can have wide-ranging positive effects on overall physical and mental well-being. The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed nearly 500 peer-reviewed studies and found that adopting heart-healthy habits benefits not only the heart but also enhances brain function, vision, hearing, and muscle strength while reducing the risk for chronic diseases such as cancer, dementia, and metabolic disorders.

Led by Dr. Liliana Aguayo, the research emphasizes that closely following the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 metrics — avoiding smoking, eating nutritiously, engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar — significantly improves health outcomes across various organ systems. The updated guidelines now include sleep as a crucial factor.

Individuals with heart-healthy lifestyles tend to preserve their cognitive, respiratory, visual, auditory, and musculoskeletal functions as they age. They also experience lower stress levels, reduced cortisol, and decreased incidence of illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, depression, and fatty liver disease. Additionally, these habits are linked to higher quality of life, lower healthcare costs, and decreased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, sleep disorders, and mobility impairments.

This research underscores that heart-healthy behaviors have far-reaching impacts beyond the cardiovascular system, promoting longevity and overall health. Promoting such habits could be a vital strategy in reducing healthcare burdens and improving life quality on a broad scale.

Source: Medical Xpress