Have more sex, eat garlic and don't sleep too much: the new rules for heart health

It’s never too early to start thinking about your heart, as the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries starts at the age of 25 

Heart disease remains the UK’s biggest killer, but there is much to be optimistic about: deaths are plummeting as we get better at preventing, diagnosing and treating the problem. Heart attacks have fallen by 40 per cent since the introduction of the smoking ban in 2007, according to a major review published earlier this year.
Indeed, we’re learning more and more about how lifestyle can wreck - or protect - the health of the heart. Last week, American researchers reported that simply brushing your teeth thoroughly can dramatically reduce levels of inflammation in the body and help protect against heart attacks.

It’s never too early to start thinking about your heart and taking steps to care for it, says Johannes Hinrich von Borstel, prospective cardiologist and former paramedic, and author of a new book Heart: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Important Organ. After all, atherosclerosis - the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries that can lead to heart disease and stroke - starts at the age of 25.

“Atherosclerosis is the only disease that everyone in the world has from the age of 50,” says von Borstel. “One hundred per cent of people have it. It is something you cannot completely stop, but you can influence how fast it develops.”

Drawing on the latest research, and his own experience treating patients with a host of heart conditions, von Borstel reveals some of the surprising ways to keep your heart beating healthily, whatever your age - from having more sex to ditching the weekend lie-ins.

Have sex (with someone you love)

According to von Borstel, exerting yourself between the sheets is one of the most beneficial exercises you can do for your heart. “As well as an entire cardiac workout, before and during intercourse there is a big release of hormones that have a protective effect on our cardiovascular system,” he explains.
An orgasm can release 50 different chemical messengers. One substance, oxytocin, the so-called cuddle hormone, triggered by affectionate physical contact, is proven to lower blood pressure, promote the healing of wounds and reduce stress.
Having sex with someone you love, rather than a stranger, is far better for hearts because genuine affection causes the release of higher levels of oxytocin, says von Borstel.
This was borne out in a recent study of 2,200 people by Michigan State University, which found women over 50 who had regular sex tended to have lower blood pressure, and so a lower risk of heart problems - but the benefits were only seen in those who reported high levels of satisfaction and enjoyment from sex.

Having sex with someone you love, rather than with a stranger, will release hormones that have a beneficial effect on the heart. Endorphin is another useful hormone released during sex - this helps to lower heart rate and blood pressure to the heart muscle during exercise. Meanwhile, both oestrogen, which is anti-inflammatory, and testosterone, which lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, receive a boost through sex, too. High cholesterol causes fatty deposits in blood vessels to attach to artery walls, causing clogging and arteriosclerosis, says von Borstel, who recommends having “as much loving sex as possible”.Is sex safe if you have a heart condition? People suffering with angina - chest pain from narrowed arteries - or who have recently had a heart attack or heart surgery often feel anxious about sexual activity. But experts advise that it can be safely resumed as soon as a patient feels well enough after their treatment - normally four to six weeks.Last year, a study by Ulm University, which followed more than 500 heart attack survivors, found no relationship between how often they had sex and their risk of future heart problems. The authors said sex provided a good form of physical exercise for the heart, and patients should not give it up.