(GoHealthier.com)
Getting sick doesn’t seem like a big deal when you’re young.
I remember going to a few college football practices with a head cold and playing better than ever.
But as we age, getting sick can go from a minor inconvenience to a life-threatening situation.
Now we have the research to prove it.
You see, not one – but two – studies show that having a certain common infection can UP your risk of heart attack six-fold!
And this is especially bad news for seniors.
I’m talking about the flu.
And if you’ve ever had it, you already know how miserable it can make you feel.
But the cough, fever, and aches are the least of your worries, according to research.
In one 2018 study, Canadian researchers analyzed the health records of more than 148,000 patients with an average age of 77, looking for a link between flu infection and heart attack.
At the end, they found that folks who had the flu were SIX TIMES more likely to have a heart attack in the week after being diagnosed with the virus!
Six times?! That’s terrifying.
But it gets worse…
In April of this year, scientists in Denmark replicated the study to see if the data was still accurate… and their findings matched!
In fact, they even found a small increase in risk from the Canadian study, taking it from 6.05 times more likely to have a heart attack to 6.15 times the risk.
YIKES!
These results mean that your risk of heart attack shoots through the ROOF anytime you get the flu!
Researchers believe influenza can increase heart attack risk because the virus increases blood clotting, a known driver of cardiac issues.
Fortunately, there’s a way to fight the flu… and protect your heart at the same time.
Research shows that zinc – a mineral found in oysters, red meat, beans, and nuts – can help folks fight infections like the flu… and lower their risk of a heart attack.
The only problem? Most seniors have a zinc deficiency.
But that’s easily remedied.
All you have to do is load up on the delicious foods mentioned above.
Or you can pick up a zinc supplement at your local pharmacy.
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