By Mark Huffman — Researchers at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los
Angeles have found that heart attack deaths are 36 percent
higher during the winter months than in the summer. Just why is
not exactly clear. Researchers had always assumed the increase
in winter heart attacks was due to over-exertions during cold
weather activities, like shoveling snow. But this latest
research shows a similar death rate in warm climates as well as
cold. Your best defense is a healthy heart all year round and in
nearly every case, the power to improve heart health rests with
the individual. “When I tell people that almost 80 percent of
heart disease is preventable, they are surprised,” said Mayo
Clinic cardiologist Martha Grogan, M.D., medical editor-in-chief
of Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life. “Better yet, there are
daily things we all can do that can make a big difference in our
effort to keep our hearts healthy.” Grogan encourages people to
move 10 extra minutes each day. A sedentary lifestyle may
increase your risk of hea