Heart Attacks Are More Deadly for Women

Plus: Announcing a new health and wellness publication

Hey people I’m pretty excited. Just soft-launched a new Medium publication called Wise & Well, offering science-backed insights into smart and healthy behaviors to cultivate physical well-being, mental health, emotional resilience and, ultimately, happiness. Yes, it sounds a lot like what I do in this newsletter, but now I’ll be herding other writers to pursue the same mission with greater vigor.

A formal announcement will go out June 1. Meanwhile, thought I’d pre-announce it to you all, let you know we’re seeking writers, and share an early taste of the variety of articles we’ll be publishing. By the way, if you are not a Medium member, you can subscribe here. It’s a tremendous bargain that gives you access to more high-quality, compelling toilet reading than you’ll (hopefully) ever need. And it’s 100% ad-free.

OK then, here’s what’s already emerging from Wise & Well:

The Sadness We Can't Escape
Sometimes it's helpful to get outside our routine perspectives. In this heartfelt article, the writer ponders how we all suffer from society's "left-behinds"—older people, the out-of-work, and low-income folks—who aren't valued because supposedly they aren't productive. “Life's not fair,” she writes, “but does it have to be this unfair?” It's a quick, compelling read that won’t make you healthier, but might make you think deeper about the fundamental challenges of modern society.

The Surprising Joy of Turning 70
This is a story about a man who died at 64 after a lifetime fighting personal demons, and a woman who died at 95 after a lifetime of emotional pain yet boundless energy. Actually, it's about their son, reflecting on what it's like to be 70 and having spinal fusion and... finding joy in aging.

Plus my latest feature:

Women Get Worse Medical Help for Heart Disease and Heart Attacks

Let’s get straight to the facts I found, supported by much research:

• Women are more likely than men to never be diagnosed for their heart disease until it’s too late.

• When they have a heart attack, women are more likely than men to die from it.

• If they do survive a first heart attack, women are more likely than men to suffer a second one.

Why? Diagnostic tools for these cardiovascular conditions — and standard treatment approaches still in use — were originally created based on symptoms in men. 

What’s it mean? The need for self-care and heart-health awareness is greater among women than men. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and advocate for yourself,” one expert told me. 

Read the story to learn more about the findings of recent research, exactly how heart problems present differently in women, and symptoms to watch for. Really important stuff, folks.

BRIEFLY

Social Media May Harm Children and Adolescents
US surgeon general Vivek Murthy said that while social media can be beneficial to some users, “there are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents,” The New York Times reports. “Adolescents are not just smaller adults,” Murthy said. “They’re in a different phase of development, and they’re in a critical phase of brain development.” Good points. Already there are counter arguments floating around, and that’s healthy, too. Tough for a parent!

Smooch!
Kissing has apparently been around a lot longer than was thought. I'm talking millennia ago, in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Duh? But this new perspective in journal Science goes against the science of romance. The ultimate truth of smooching bears on the history of disease transmission. "Evidence indicates that kissing was a common practice in ancient times, potentially representing a constant influence on the spread of orally transmitted microbes," they write.

BIT OF WISDOM
“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.” — Glenn Close

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Until next week, wishing you health and happiness.
—Rob

If you find this newsletter useful, please forward it to someone who might benefit. You can find more of my health and wellness writing on Medium, plus I post health news briefs on Mastodon. And if you want to live a long, healthy, happy life, check out my book, Make Sleep Your Superpower.