5 unexpected ways to protect your heart
Heart disease remains the #1 killer of both men and women. Yet, many put off thinking about it, assuming it’s a problem for "later in life." The truth? Heart disease can start in your 30s.
9:30 PM. I was about to put my phone on Do Not Disturb when I caught a preview of a message from a friend: “Heart attack.”
Wait—what?
Curious, I opened it.
“Vivian, John* just had a heart attack and is in the ER.”
I was stunned. Wondering if this was a bad dream. Trying to make sense of it all. John ate healthy, exercised, and by all accounts, didn’t ‘look’ like someone who would have a heart attack.
But heart disease doesn’t play by the rules.
🫀 1 in 20 adults has coronary artery disease1 (where arteries supplying blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked).
🚑 For most, the first sign of the disease is a heart attack. 😲 One person dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease.
John’s heart disease likely started in his early 30s. In fact, studies show heart disease can begin as early as childhood—meaning, it’s never too early to reduce your risk.
I won’t bore you with the usual advice (exercise, eat more veggies, quit smoking).
Instead, let’s talk about 5 things you may not have known were heart-healthy that could be important needle movers.
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5 Unexpected Ways to Protect Your Heart ❤️
P.S. If you’re curious while reading, you can always find the products I use in my home here. Oh, and Osea (my favorite clean skincare) just launched their President’s Sale today - with a new affiliate code “Platefulhealthfeb” that stacks for an extra 10% off their heavily discounted bundles, in case your skin is in need of a little extra TLC. (New code expires Feb 28th)
1️⃣ Sauna Sessions 🧖♀️🔥
Most people don’t hop into a sauna thinking about heart health—but maybe they should.
📊 A 15-year study followed 1,688 men and women. They adjusted for physical activity, socioeconomic status, and existing heart disease and found a dose-dependent reduction in heart disease risk (i.e., more sauna sessions = lower heart disease risk)2:
2–3 sauna sessions per week: 25% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (not statistically significant, meaning this could have been observed due to chance).
4–7 sauna sessions per week: 77% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (statistically significant, meaning the reduction is highly likely due to the sauna sessions).
2️⃣ Coffee Lovers, Rejoice ☕
Yes, your morning cup might actually be protecting your heart.
A large meta-analysis (the highest tier of scientific evidence) looked at the effect of coffee consumption on multiple health outcomes.3 They found that 3-4 cups of coffee per day were associated with a:
✅ 19% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality
✅ 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
✅ 18% risk of developing cancer, and if you zoom in just on liver cancer, the risk reduction is a whopping 35%. You don’t have to drink 3-4 cups to see a benefit either; ANY amount of coffee consumption was associated with a 13% lower risk of cancer.
☕ Worried about jitters? Coffee can increase anxiety and disrupt sleep in some people. If that’s you, try Swiss-water decaf, which still offers polyphenols and health benefits.
I've been enjoying Purity Coffee (Code: Platefulhealth30 valid until Feb 15) for six years because it checks all the boxes for quality and health benefits:
Regeneratively Grown – No pesticides, just nutrient-rich soil that enhances flavor and maximizes antioxidants.
Clean Roasting Process – Crafted to reduce harmful by-products like acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Pure Decaf – Swiss Water Processed, avoiding the harsh solvents used in most decaf options.
Purity Coffee Discount code PLATEFULHEALTH30 for 30% off until Feb 15th, to celebrate ❤️ month.
3️⃣ Resistance Training 💪🏋️♀️
Most people think cardio = heart health, but lifting weights plays a huge role too.
📊 This study found resistance training was associated with:
15% lower risk of all-cause mortality
17% lower risk of cardiovascular disease
💡 If you’re 40+, strength training isn’t just for your heart—it’s critical for bone, brain, and hormone health, better blood sugar control, not to mention preventing frailty.
If this is not a part of your exercise routine yet, introduce it gently and slowly, perhaps with body weight first, and then work your way up with a trainer.
I enhance my resistance training with this creatine powder (30% off via link) - the most effective I’ve tried so far, if you are unsure about creatine, don’t worry, I have a whole substack coming soon on this very topic.