Protect Your Heart: A Must-Read Series on Understanding & Preventing Heart Attacks ❤️


Feb 13, 2025

 by Stephen Conca
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February is heart health month so I have put together an eye-opening series for one of the major causes of heart attacks which is often overlooked, and that is chronic inflammation.  

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, but the good news is that most heart attacks are preventable with the right knowledge and lifestyle choices.

In our upcoming exclusive series, I will walk you through how to help your body eliminate chronic inflammation, highlight risk factors, and proven strategies to protect your heart health.

There's a lot to learn so I have broken up the content into a few emails so it's easier to digest. 

I know you will be smarter after reading the next few emails!

This series will empower you to take control of your well-being and help those who you care about.  💙

Session 1:  Is This You? 

Before we get right into heart attacks, let me help you frame up your mindset about the aging process.  

So you’re 43, 53, or maybe 60.

You have a decent care career, and your family's health is OK.

Maybe you're a little pudgy or out of shape. 

One night you wake up and realize, holy cow!  I’m going to be 50 or I’m going to be 60 and you can’t get back to sleep.

Retirement, health, family, where did the time go?

What’s going to become of me in the last third of my life? 

The next morning, you wake up, pull yourself together, and try to go to work, just as you have for the last twenty or thirty years. 

Reality is, you don’t know what’s ahead of you, you don’t know what life will have in store for you.

Maybe you have the images of your parents or grandparents in their slow decline in health and mobility over the last few decades.

Maybe that’s where you think you’re headed. 

Well, the good news is the rules of aging have changed. The prospects of how you’re going to live out the last half or third of your life are changing as well. 

I’m going to give you a revolutionary outline of how your body works and how you can do your part to reduce your chances of having a heart attack.

Let's start with a few facts: 

Most heart attacks in the United States occur in the early morning hours, typically between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. This is due to the body's natural circadian rhythms, which cause a spike in stress hormones like cortisol, increased blood pressure, and a higher likelihood of blood clot formation.

 

Gender Differences in Heart Attack Timing:

  • Men: More likely to experience heart attacks in the morning hours, aligning with the overall trend.
  • Women: While morning heart attacks are still common, women may also have a higher incidence of heart attacks in the late afternoon or evening, possibly due to differences in hormonal cycles and stress responses.

Regardless of timing, recognizing the early warning signs—such as chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and fatigue—can be life-saving. If you or someone you know experiences symptoms, seek emergency medical help immediately. 🚑❤️

 

At What Age Do Men and Women Typically Have Heart Attacks?

Heart attacks can occur at any age, but the risk increases with age due to factors like high blood pressure, cholesterol buildup, and lifestyle habits.

Men

  • Higher risk starting in their 40s and 50s.
  • The average age for a first heart attack in men is about 65.
  • However, some men experience heart attacks as early as their 30s or 40s, especially with risk factors like smoking, obesity, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease.

Women

  • Generally develop heart disease 7–10 years later than men, due to the protective effects of estrogen before menopause.
  • The average age for a first heart attack in women is around 72.
  • However, younger women (in their 40s and 50s) are increasingly at risk, especially if they have high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking habits, or stress-related conditions.

 

The good news is that 70% of what you feel as aging is optimal and you don’t have to go there.

There’s a new game in town and you have been invited to play, but you just have to know the rules.

In the next series, we will begin to educate you on the only two things your body is capable of, and one of them must be avoided or delayed at all costs.

Episode #2 is next - Understanding Growth and Decay in your body and how that can contribute to a heart attack. 

The concept of this post was formulated from the Book Younger Next Year, by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry S. Lodge.