(Foreword: This is the continuation of our response to Lira of LMPI regarding her query on unexpected heart attack triggers.)
DEAR Lira of LMPI,
Now, we are on the last stretch of these unexpected heart attack triggers.
Alcohol
The truth is, alcohol can help protect your heart against diseases. You can do this daily. Yes, you can drink alcohol every day but this should be done moderately. The problem is that a lot of us don’t understand what is moderate drinking. So, how much alcohol should one drink?
For men, they can have at least 1-2 drinks a day; for women, it’s one drink a day. So, how much now is one drink? For beer, a drink is equal to 12 oz., for wine with 12.5 percent alcohol content, 150 ml and for 80 proof liquor, 45 ml.
The problem is, some men, if not most would consume more than this in a single night. Remember that you don’t compensate for those days that you didn’t drink for a day of drinking. Drinking is just like driving. Even if you didn’t drive for the whole month, the next time you drive, you should always abide with the speed limit. As a matter of fact, there was a study which showed that a single night of binge drinking can raise your risk of heart attack over the next week.
Caffeine
Who doesn’t love coffee? It can perk anyone’s day but it brings both good and bad things. Caffeine makes your blood pressure go up for a short time. The problem is when that happens, it can trigger a heart attack, especially if you don’t always drink it or if it is bad for you for some reasons.
Have you heard about the latest news where a guy from the United States gulped coffee, soda and energy drink at once for about two hours and suffered heart attack after? Unluckily, he didn’t survive, notwithstanding the fact that he doesn’t have any heart problem and is still young. So the moral lesson of the story is: Don’t overdo it, guys or else, something bad is waiting for you down the lane.
My final words: “Whatever you do, do it in moderation.” Good luck!
Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” She is also a faculty in a College of Pharmacy. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building, Jacinto St., Davao City, (former Department of Foreign Affairs office), across Ateneo de Davao University and beside Holy Child School of Davao, or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)
