Statistics have shown that globally, the holiday season and the period immediately after, show an increase in the incidence of fatal heart attacks and stroke, also known as, brain attack. What could be the culprit behind these? Is it really just the food we consume or are there any other contributing factors?

A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart get clogged with clots. If the blockage affects the blood vessels supplying oxygen to the brain, then it causes a stroke or brain attack. When there is no oxygen supply to the cells, they die causing a heart attack or stroke. The blockage is caused by cholesterol and fat deposits. It is also important to know that excess sugar can be converted into fat in the body. Clots do not form overnight. Blood vessels don’t get blocked overnight. Therefore, individuals who unfortunately suffered a stroke or heart attack already have prior signs and symptoms. Even if they are asymptomatic, their blood chemistry values may already have shown abnormalities that serve as warning signs.

But why do heart attacks and stroke incidents happen mostly during the Christmas season? If an individual already has a high blood cholesterol, triglycerides, or blood glucose level and also high blood pressure or hypertension, his or her condition could get worse over the holidays leading to a heart attack or stroke. Here’s why.

Exhaustion, stress, and poor sleep quality increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. We tend to work longer hours during the holidays to meet deadlines or make up for the days when we go on a holiday vacation. We stay up late at night to attend parties and other holiday-related activities. It can also be stressful planning for the holidays even if it’s as simple as shopping for Christmas presents. Financial issues can be burdensome too. Studies have shown that getting less than six hours of sleep per night increases the risk of heart attack by twenty percent.

When we are exhausted or stressed out, the body produces more stress hormones called cortisol. This hormone increases the inflammation in the body which leads to high blood pressure, increased heart rate, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Heart attack and stroke are caused by high blood pressure due to the blockage of arteries and death of cells in the heart or the brain.

The holidays call for menus that are calorie-laden from animal meat, saturated fat, and refined carbohydrates or sugar. There are cream-based salads, cakes and pastries, lechon, ham, morcon, and more. These are already aggravating factors to underlying heart conditions. However, there is another ingredient that can make your blood pressure skyrocket. It’s sodium—a component of salt. Sodium is naturally found in food. Even vegetables have sodium. It is also needed to maintain equilibrium in the body. Sodium is considered an electrolyte in the body. However, we consume a lot more than what we should be eating because salt and other sodium-containing products like soy sauce, ketchup, and powdered mixes are added to recipes to enhance flavor. To make matters worse, most ultra-processed food is found in cans and boxes, and dairy products like cheese and cured meats are high in sodium. Don’t we serve ham during Noche Buena? 

Did you know that when you eat fatty food like animal meat, and common Christmas recipe ingredients such as milk, cream, butter, and cheese, you cause lipotoxicity inside the body? The saturated fat from these ingredients causes the cells in the body to be resistant to the hormone insulin. Thus, rendering spikes in the blood sugar level. Increased blood sugar levels in the blood can cause triglycerides to increase and this can cause plaque formation in the arteries, causing an increase in blood pressure and so on. It is a domino effect.

Large meals, alcohol intake in addition to the consumption of dishes that are high in saturated fat, refined carbohydrates, animal protein, and salt during the festivities can cause a burden to the heart. It can make existing heart conditions worse in a matter of hours. You see, heart conditions don’t occur overnight. It could take months and years for the arteries to clog. However, it will only take one meal, a very bad choice of meal, to make your heart stop pumping and for your brain cells to die from lack of blood supply and oxygen. This is the reason why we see an increase in the incidence of heart attacks and strokes during the holiday season. Because it is also the time when we are more exhausted than usual and we abuse our bodies by overindulging in rich food during the season. It’s not as if we only get one night of feasting. Filipinos celebrate the Christmas season longer than the rest of the world.

To prevent your premature demise from conditions that are very much preventable, it is prudent to have your check-up done before the feasting. Get some blood work done. Check your blood pressure. Start eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes in every meal before the feasting. Avoid or have less meat, alcohol, dairy, and desserts. So when Noche Buena and New Year’s Eve come, you can have some treats but make sure you don’t overeat. 

As for other factors that cause sleep deprivation and prevent you from getting adequate rest, plan your activities carefully. Take time to rest. You don’t need to say yes to everyone all the time. Your health is more important than being seen at a party only to be seen in the hospital or worse in a casket after getting a stroke or heart attack.

Have a happy healthy holiday season!

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