Gossiping May Attack The Heart

Gossiping men and women are at a higher risk of heart attacks and diseases than others.

When a person gossips or criticises another person, negative thoughts run through his or her system. These thoughts become responsible for the release of neuropeptides. These substances then oxidise LDL, a component of cholesterol.

LDL is basically of two kinds - normal and sticky. The latter is considered more dangerous as it results in cholestrol deposition in the blood vessels and subsquent complications.

Oxidised LDL essentially is sticky cholesterol. So, gossip leads to narrowing of blood vessels due to the deposition of cholesterol. This may then trigger high blood pressure or even a heart attack.

While diet control and exercise are said to be essential to bring down the chances of a heart attack, doctors feel that negative thoughts go a long way in harming the heart.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospital cardiologist Dr. K. K. Aggarwal said, "We tell our heart patients to remain neutral or be positive when amidst a gathering. "

Negative impulses do not come into a persons's being only by action. Even thoughts can make a difference. Efforts should be made to remove negative thoughts.

Aggarwal said, "The way darkness is nothing but absence of light, negative thoughts signify the absence of positive thoughts."

Even if one is angry and upset about something, think of the positive sides of life, li9ke the people you love and the people who love you, he explained.

Chief cardiologist Batra Hospital Dr. Harbans S Wasir said, "When a person is angry adrenaline and noradrenaline, these chemicals are secreted into the blood. These increase the pulse rate and blood pressure and can cause damage to an already sick heart,."

On the other hands, positive thoughts and actionincluding exercise results in the release of nitric oxide in the blood. Nitric oxide has healing powers and ensures good health, he said.

Aggarwal has devised a questionnaire for people to find out whether they have a negative attitude inlife. He has listed eight questions and says if a person answers yes in more than three, he or she needs to make an effort to think positve.

The questions are : When you have a rask for whichothers need to chip in, do you suspect that others are not sharing the workload and you are doing most of it?: if you cannot find something in its place, doyou immediately suspect that someone has taken it?; Id somebody becomes rich in a short span of time, do you suspect that the wealth has been procured through unfair means?' when you are sitting in a movie theare and someone taller sits in front, do you feel irritated and wronged?; do you find yourself irritated when little things go wrong?; if someone criticises you, do you immediately point out the other person's faults and when you are frustrated, do you find yourself making a fist?