Now that we have some concrete evidence on the medical studies of a broken heart, let’s focus on how you can we can relax, get our shit together, and come up with a game plan. After all, The Broken Heart Syndrome IS reversible.
Heart of Glass, the “little disco track that swept the world”, was written in a dingy and cramped New York apartment in 1974 by Debbie Harry and Chris Stein. Debbie Harry (aka – Blondie – aka – all around general Badass) was, incase your were unaware, writing about love when she wrote Heart of Glass. Debbie Harry sat down with Q Magazine to break down the lyrics for us –
“I was tired of hearing girl singers write or sing about being beaten by love. So I said, well listen, there are also a lot of girls who just walk away.”
She’s so punk rock.
I really could have used this song more to my advantage in my 20’s.
Love hurts. I’ve showed up that concert, got scuffed up in the mosh pit, and went home with the t-shirt more times than I would like to admit. Listen, when we have been beaten, bruised, or suffocated by love’s surprisingly complicated and sticky web, it can cause some SERIOUS biological and emotional stress to our heart. As much as I would like to give the younger generation some comforting words like “the older you get the easier it is to get over a broken heart”, I cannot honestly do so. Love can seriously suck and the level of sucking does’t diminish the older you get. But hopefully I explain how to make the heartache a little less “sucky”. Is that even a word?
It is now.
THE HEART STUDY
The Framingham Heart Study (FHS) began in 1948 in Framingham, Massachusetts with 5,209 adults and is on its third generation of participants. It is an ongoing and comprehensive study that monitors heart health patterns in individuals and focuses on factors such as diet, exercise, blood pressure, etc. According to Cardiologist and best selling author, Dr. Sandeep Jauhar – by only shining the spotlight on these particular factors, this is where the investigators of the FHS dropped the ball. In an interview with Science Friday, Dr. Jauhar explained the fractures in the FHS.
“They wanted to focus on things they can measure like high cholesterol or high blood pressure but didn’t look at the stress of marital, dysfunctional, or occupational stress.”
I’m with ya, Dr. Sandeep! Stress is a hurricane of emotions and trying to pump yourself up by pretending it will all be better is not an easy thing to do, especially when it comes to love. In fact, the physical impact on your heart due to a break up or the death of a loved one has been identified as Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy – aka The Broken Heart Syndrome. See, you’re not as crazy as all your friends say you are, this is a real thing! Here is your official green light to be as dramatic as you want to be when it comes to love. You’re welcome.
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy was first reported in Japan in 1990. In Japanese, the word ‘Takotsubo’ means ‘Octopus Pot’. You see, the left ventricle of the heart weakens, gets larger, and changes shape under intense emotional stress. The shape is similar to the pot that is used to trap octopi. As the left ventricle undergoes this transformation it doesn’t pump blood to the rest of the body as well as it should causing symptoms such as breathlessness and chest pains.
I wonder if Beyoncé knew this when she wrote the lyrics to Irreplaceable, “to the left, to the left, everything you own in a box to the left”. I’m sure she did, it’s Beyoncé – who am I kidding?
Now that we have some concrete evidence on the medical studies of a broken heart let’s focus on how you can we can relax, get our shit together, and come up with a game plan. After all, The Broken Heart Syndrome IS reversible.
Photo Credit : Getty Images
THE FIX
Now, I am not saying that wine is the cure for all things (*whispers in your ear “it secretly is”) but I will help you make some heart healthy choices when it comes to picking out a wine that is good for your “heart health”.
Even if you very seldom drink wine or have a wine drinker in your life, you have heard that a glass of red wine is good for your heart. But not just any grape from any place will do. We need to find grapes that are high in phytoalexins. These are an antibiotics that are produced by a plant when they are sending off canons to kill pathogens such as bacteria, or even more important, when it comes to wine, fungi and ultraviolet rays. Resveratrol is a phytoalexin that is produced naturally in grape vines. It has been linked to lower risks of cancer, stroke, heart disease, and the amount of time you spend thinking about your ex. That last one was all me but I’m going to be completely honest, after a few glasses I tend to think it works.
Grapes that are high in Resveratrol include Malbec, Petite Sirah (not to be confused with Syrah or Shiraz), Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Barbera. Not only do we want to focus on these grapes to get the job done, we want to also make sure they are grown in a particular region.
In cool climate regions, fungal infections are more common so the grapes that are grown there have a higher concentration of Resveratrol. On the flip side wines that are grown closer to the equator also produce substantial levels of Resveratrol due to high levels of ultraviolet luminosity, (but not as much as cooler climate regions). Boom, just knowing that is going to make you sound super sexy on your next date – yeah, give love another chance…I guess.
Harvest the love back into your life.
Here are some simple guidelines for you to sneak at while you’re ordering your next glass of wine to ease your heart.
Malbec –
This is a pretty familiar grape to most of you. It is on pretty much any wine list you can find here in the city and, to be more specific, 90% of the time you will find that they are offering a Malbec from Argentina with some velvety red fruits. This is all well and good but have you tried a Malbec from Cahors, France? This is the motherland for Malbec.
Coming from a cooler climate, this Malbec is a bit grittier than the version we find in Argentina. You will find more pistol packing black fruit in the wine’s center with gripping tannins and a bit of a savory edge.
Petite Sirah –
Despite its name this grape packs a pretty good punch! This grape is a cross pollination between the Peloursin and Durif grape created by French botanist, Dr. François Durif in the late 19th century. They can range in price and quality but some common characteristics are, stay with me here, blueberries sautéed on a skillet with brown sugar! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Demanding your attention, Petite Sirah is high in tannins and acidity. It will stain your teeth and any residual love letters your ex wrote you. Still gaining popularity on wine lists here in Oklahoma, you might need to shop at your favorite local retailer to try one of these beauties from California.
Pinot Noir –
Not able to survive in a crazy hot climate anyways, (Pinot Noir is a little brat like that) this grape finds rockstar status in Burgundy, France. You will often, but not always, expect to pay a little more for a Burgundian French offering with a defined and structured backbone. But, as you very well may know, there ARE more affordable options. You can look to California and Oregon’s playgrounds to expand your horizon. Oregon will give you a more rustic personality with notes of earl gray tea and dried orange peel with a floral potpourri-ed expression. California, showing off a bit more sunshine in the glass, shows more of a fruity personality with notes of sassafras and cherry coke. Even though a California and Oregon Pinot Noir might be more affordable options you should not mind spending a little paper on the grape. These grapes are a pain in the ass to maintain and can tell you to fuck off at anytime during their lifespan on the vine. Prices should reflect the handwork they require to maintain.
Cabernet Sauvignon –
Known as “The King” of grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon gains the most street cred coming out of California. Here they have higher pigmentation and elevated levels of tannins due to high extractions and the use of oak. If you travel down to Chile you will find a more “green” character to the wine with higher mouth watering acidity and a fresher approach to the fruit condition. Australia offers riper black fruits with notes of eucalyptus and softer tannins. I encourage you to be more adventurous when drinking Cabernet Sauvignon, you might be surprised to find you are missing out on some pretty outstanding juice from an undiscovered region.
Barbera –
As the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy, you can find this vigorous grape being grown in the cool northwest region of Italy known as Piedmont. Barbara is packed with juicy strawberries, dark brooding cherries, and plums with aromas of vanilla essence, garlands of lavender, and incense. With softer tannins and high acidity, Barberas should be drank young.
They are crushable – they are affordable – they are dope. Get into it.
You won’t run into Barbera too often but almost every Italian joint here in Oklahoma City will have one to offer. If for some reason they don’t have a by the glass option available, splurging on a bottle shouldn’t put a dent in your wallet.
Good luck out there in the world of love, you got this.
Below are some sweet beats for your listening pleasure –
