Lifestyle Choices

If you have a history of depression in your family, statistically the chances are higher that you may be prone to periods of depression. How much of this correlation is hereditary and how much environmental cannot be answered quantitatively. Although there has been some dogmatic insistence on hereditary factors by geneticists, and on environmental factors by psychotherapists, most will at least agree that susceptibility to depression is affected by both heredity and by early environment, whatever the proportions. These influences weave a complicated and inextricable pattern: a depressed parent may pass on hereditary qualities of susceptibility to the children, but the children will also learn by copying the behaviour of their parent. Depression occurs much more frequently in certain types of personality, and personality is affected by hereditary factors, by copying parents and by reactions to the family environment. The family environment is affected by the general culture, which may be more or less depressive. (more…)

Heart disease is on the increase throughout the world, especially in developing countries. Although South Africa has always had a high incidence of ischaemic heart disease in certain population groups, the incidence has increased dramatically and it now affects everyone. (Ischaemic heart disease means blockages have occurred in coronary vessels which means less oxygen is getting to the heart.)

At the simplest level, the function of the heart is to pump blood. If the coronary arteries are in any way compromised, the heart muscle pump becomes inefficient, which in turn affects the whole body .

With a little knowledge about your heart and what is good or bad for it, you can significantly reduce your risk for heart disease.

As a woman your risk for a heart attack is minimal until you reach menopause when it becomes equal to that of a man. The hormone estrogen has a cardio-protective effect. Around menopause the production of this hormone diminishes and your heart is no longer protected. (more…)