The Heart-Mind Connection: How Your Mental and Emotional Health Shapes Your Heart’s Well-being

    February is heart month and what would be the point of looking at heart health if we didn't take into consideration the number one cause of heart health issues...Stress. According to Heart.org, "Depression and anxiety increase the risk of a major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke by 35%." When we struggle with mental and emotional well-being it takes its toll on our physical bodies as well.

Mental and emotional wellness needs to be much more of a focal point in all of our lives. When we store emotions such as anger, grief, and resentment in our bodies, they become the health issues of our future. Things like depression, anxiety, chronic stress, sleep disturbances, digestion issues and heart issues are all physical manifestations of these unprocessed emotions.

When your mental and emotional health is not in a good place you are more likely to be living in a heightened state of flight or fight. This releases the "stress hormone" in our body called cortisol and adrenaline. High levels of cortisol and adrenaline are known to raise blood pressure, blood sugar and heart rate. However, the opposite is also true. If your mental and emotional well-being is in a positive place you are less likely to suffer a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke.

Furthermore, depression and anxiety can also lead to an individual being less likely to eat healthy meals or exercise, which can also increase heart health issues. A person who struggles with mental and emotional health can also be more likely to be less socially active and feelings of loneliness and isolation are also linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular issues.

So, what is the best way to ensure you're doing everything you can to keep yourself and your heart healthy? Taking care of your mental and emotional health has the ability to not only reverse your heart health issues but can in fact make your chances of suffering from heart related issues even less.

Here are some helpful tips that you can incorporate into your life to help improve your mental and emotional health as well as your heart health.

• journal - journaling is an amazing resource to help get your emotions our of your body and onto a piece of paper so they are easier to work through and process.
• go for a walk - nature is like a giant reset button for our entire mind, body and emotions.
• be mindful of the food you eat
• make sure to move your body daily
• make Holistic Counselling a priority when it's needed, to help you feel, process and release your thoughts and emotions as they are coming up.

We are all responsible for the health and wellness of ourselves. It's never too late to begin making healthy changes for yourself and your loved ones. If you would like help with Holistic Counselling please reach out, I am here to support you:

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