‘Tis the season for ‘holiday heart’

Whether you’re strong or weak, young or not-so-young, your heart will get a workout over the holidays.
The double-whammy of overeating and overdrinking can have serious consequences for anyone, whether it’s just one overindulgence or a combination of the two.

Doctors and emergency rooms all over the country expect to be treating cases of “holiday heart.”
In its mild form, it’s an abnormal heart rhythm that can be caused by even moderate amounts of alcohol. Fortunately, the symptoms are harmless and subside as the alcohol leaves the body.

The second type of arrhythmia is serious atrial fibrillation. It can be caused by having four or more drinks for several days in a row. During AF, the two upper chambers of the heart quiver instead of beating in rhythm. It’s especially dangerous if other heart disease is involved. A clot could form, which could migrate to the brain and cause a stroke.
Overeating can lead to serious heart problems, but during the holidays, overeating is common. One Mayo Clinic study found that within two hours of eating a huge meal, the risk of a heart attack increases fourfold.

It pays to plan your eating and drinking over the holidays. Decide, for example, that you will only have a before-dinner drink and an after-dinner drink. If someone is pouring drinks, be sure they use one shot of alcohol, not two or more in every drink.

At a big dinner, eat more vegetables than meat, avoid fatty foods, and just eat part of the dessert.

During the holidays, it pays to eat, drink and be wary.