Heart disease is often linked to high cholesterol, obesity, or lack of exercise. However, there is mounting evidence that suggests that mental health plays a crucial role in cardiovascular well-being. Stress, anxiety, and depression can silently strain the heart, increasing the risk of serious complications.

A recent study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, showed that loneliness has a significant impact on proteins present in a person's blood. For the study, researchers used data from more than 42,000 participants to explore whether the 9.3% who reported social isolation and 6.4% who reported loneliness had different levels of proteins in their blood compared with those who did not. The researchers then studied data that tracked the health of participants over an average 14-year period.

"We found around 90% of these proteins are linked to the risk of mortality," Dr Chun Shen, Fudan University in China, who is also the lead researcher said. "In addition, about 50% of the proteins were linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke," he added.

Dr Shrey Kumar Srivastav, senior consultant at Sharda Hospital, said that subtle symptoms of heart disease, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the lower legs, dizziness, and jaw pain, are often overlooked or attributed to stress and ageing. "Women, in particular, may experience atypical signs like extreme fatigue, indigestion, or upper abdominal pain instead of classic chest pain, leading to delayed diagnosis," he added.

Can Mental Health Issues Trigger Heart Diseases?

Chronic stress can trigger harmful cardiovascular effects, including elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, and inflammation—key contributors to heart disease. Anxiety and depression further impact heart health by disrupting sleep patterns, raising stress hormone levels, and encouraging unhealthy habits like poor diet and inactivity.

Mental health issues like depression and anxiety have a profound impact on the heart. They don’t just affect emotions but can increase inflammation and put extra strain on the cardiovascular system, warns Dr Srivastav.

Certain risk factors, such as obesity and diabetes, disproportionately affect women, making them more vulnerable to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, due to gender-specific symptom variations, heart disease in women often goes undiagnosed for longer.

Obesity is more prevalent in women than men and is a major risk factor for heart failure. Diabetes, too, has a greater impact on women’s heart health, yet diagnosis and treatment delays are common. Addressing this gap requires increasing awareness, training healthcare providers, and promoting early diagnostic tools,” explains Dr Srivastav.

How Can You Protect Your Heart?

A simple yet effective way to support heart health is by committing to a brisk 30-minute walk daily. Walking not only helps regulate blood pressure and manage weight but also improves circulation and reduces stress.

"Regular physical activity, paired with a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, significantly lowers cardiovascular risks," advises Dr Srivastav.

Heart disease can often go undetected until a major event occurs, making routine screenings essential.

- For women: Begin screenings around age 30 and continue with regular checkups.

- For men: Start screenings at age 35.

Health screenings, including blood pressure checks, cholesterol tests, and electrocardiograms (ECGs), are critical for early detection of silent heart conditions.

Toxic air persisted for months after the fatal 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, which killed more than 2,000 people, even as officials played down the health risks at Ground Zero in New York’s Manhattan, according to a trove of newly released files.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani today released more than 170,000 documents from government agencies related to post-9/11 air quality and health risks. He accused officials of lying to the public about the dangers of toxic air at Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center towers collapsed in 2001.

“People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air,” Mamdani said at a news conference with survivors.

“As the years pass and the human toll grows, we reckon with the cost of September 11th whenever another New Yorker is stolen from us too soon. Now, close to 25 years later, more people have died from 9/11-related illnesses than were killed on the day itself.

“The very least our city owes the families, survivors and first responders whose lives were forever changed by the September 11th attacks is transparency and accountability. That is why I am proud that our administration has launched the City’s first public records portal dedicated to the environmental and health impacts of 9/11 and reached a settlement in these lawsuits,” said Mayor Mamdani.

What Do the Documents Reveal?

The files, released Tuesday and made available through an online portal, include 68 boxes of documents that were discovered last year, the Harding Memo and records concerning World Trade Center 7.

The 68 boxes had not been located until 2025, despite multiple Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests.

One key document is the October 2001 “Harding Memo”, in which an aide warned former Deputy Mayor Robert Harding, who served under then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, that the city could face as many as 35,000 legal claims over its response to the attacks.

The memo states that the city could face lawsuits because health advisories had caused individuals “to return to the area too soon (causing toxic exposure or emotional harm).”

“There was poison in the air and on the ground and in the window sills and in your air conditioners and covering your pets and your clothes, and it stayed there for months. Everyone knew. And now it's very clear that the city knew as well,” said advocate Jon Stewart, CBS News reported.

Days after the attacks, city and federal officials, including the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), declared that the air near the Twin Towers was safe. Subsequent research, however, found that people had been exposed to toxic chemicals.

Christine Todd Whitman, who headed the EPA at the time, later apologized for the declaration, saying the agency “did the very best we could at the time with the knowledge we had,” BBC reported.

What Happened On 9/11?

In Lower Manhattan, the plane crashes and subsequent collapse of the Twin Towers created massive dust clouds that filled the air. Hundreds of highly populated city blocks were covered with ash, debris and harmful particles, including asbestos, silica, metals, concrete and glass.

According to the US CDC, fires within the debris pile and the collapse of 7 World Trade Center continued to burn through the end of December 2001, with flare-ups continuing into 2002. The fires released carcinogenic combustion by-products, while contaminants remained in Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn for an undetermined period after 9/11.

Responders, local workers, residents, students and others faced potential exposure in the early days and in the months that followed. They could have been exposed to residual materials indoors and outdoors, as well as toxic gases, smoke, vapozrs and combustion by-products from continuing fires.

Manila is witnessing a sharp rise in leptospirosis cases, with infections now crossing the city’s epidemic threshold following widespread exposure to floodwaters in August.

Nearly 1,000 cases have been reported in Manila this year, with the number rising rapidly over the past two weeks, Manila City health officer Grace Padilla told ABS-CBN News.

Padilla said the city’s attack rate has reached three, signaling a high level of transmission in the affected population.

Health officials expect cases to continue rising as more residents who came into contact with floodwater in late August seek medical attention.

Hospitals Face Growing Pressure

The surge in cases has also put additional pressure on hospitals across Manila. The city is also providing post-exposure prophylaxis at 44 health centers to people considered at risk following exposure to potentially contaminated floodwater, the report said.

The situation extends beyond Manila. Metro Manila has recorded at least 1,961 cases, with Manila and Quezon City reporting the highest cumulative numbers, followed by Caloocan and Taguig.

Philippines Records Hundreds of Deaths

The outbreak is part of a wider national burden. From January 1 to August 29, the Philippines recorded 6,253 leptospirosis cases and 378 deaths, according to the health department’s epidemiology bureau.

Why Floodwater Raises Leptospirosis Risk

Leptospirosis is one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases worldwide, often linked to poor sanitation and agricultural practices that involve contact with animals or contaminated water.

The bacteria can survive in contaminated water or soil for weeks to months, primarily spreading through the urine of infected animals. Humans can contract the disease through direct contact with infected urine or through contaminated food, water, or soil.

Flooding can increase the risk of exposure by spreading contaminated water through homes, streets and communities.

What Are Symptoms Of Leptospirosis?

Symptoms typically develop 2 to 30 days after exposure and can range from mild to severe. Initial signs often include high-grade fever, red eyes (conjunctival suffusion), calf tenderness, headache, dry cough, nausea, and diarrhea.

In more serious cases, the infection can lead to complications such as jaundice, kidney or liver damage, meningitis, respiratory issues, and hemorrhages.

The health authorities in Manila shared that people who have recently been exposed to floodwater should watch for symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain and joint pain and seek medical attention if they develop them.

The infection can be treated with antibiotics, including doxycycline, when prescribed by a doctor.

What Precautions Should Be Taken?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is essential to avoid wading through dirty rainwater, especially during the rainy season, and to wear gumboots in such conditions.

Proper care of any injuries or cuts is crucial, and frequent handwashing, particularly after handling food or working in potentially contaminated environments, is highly recommended. Additionally, individuals should avoid contact with animals that appear sick or are known carriers of the bacteria.

Weight loss surgery may do more than help women living with obesity lose weight. A new study has found that metabolic bariatric surgery can improve menstrual cycles and several reproductive symptoms linked to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, now renamed as Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS).

Researchers from the University of Surrey followed 84 women aged 18 to 45 who underwent bariatric surgery, including 49 gastric bypass and 35 gastric sleeve procedures, for 24 months. Another 18 women with obesity who did not undergo surgery were included for comparison. The findings were published in Obesity Surgery.

Bariatric Surgery Improved PMOS Symptoms

Women who underwent surgery lost more than 30 kg on average at both 12 and 24 months after the procedure. But researchers also observed improvements in reproductive health. Women who had previously experienced irregular periods reported more regular menstrual cycles after surgery. The number of women with polycystic ovaries also fell significantly, with the condition persisting in only 10% of those affected after 24 months.

Another common PMOS symptom, hirsutism or excessive facial and body hair, had resolved in the women reporting the condition by 12 months.

Obesity and PMOS can team up in a way that worsens metabolic and reproductive problems. Insulin resistance and hormonal changes associated with excess weight can contribute to irregular ovulation, menstrual irregularity and difficulty conceiving.

Also read: PCOD vs PCOS vs PMOS: Why The Condition’s Name Has Changed Over Time

Weight Loss Could Improve PMOS Symptoms

The researchers suggest that reducing obesity may help correct some of the hormonal and metabolic disturbances affecting reproductive health.

Dr Kathryn Hart, co-author of the study and Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Surrey, said: “Dysregulated hormone levels, irregular periods and conditions such as polycystic ovaries are impacted by obesity. By reducing this, what we have seen is that it can lead to improvements without the need for medication,” she added.

Despite promising results, this does not mean bariatric surgery is a treatment that every obese woman with PMOS should undergo.

The procedure is generally considered for people with obesity who meet a certain clinical criteria. Also it carries its own risks and nutritional considerations that are important.

Also read: From Insulin Resistance to Fertility: Understanding the Metabolic Side of PCOS

Fertility May Return Quickly After Surgery

The researchers also highlighted an important finding for women who may be planning pregnancy. Seventeen women in the study had healthy pregnancies following surgery.

The researchers said reproductive counselling and preconception care should be incorporated into care after bariatric surgery, particularly because fertility can improve as menstrual cycles and ovulation become more regular.

Professor Martin Whyte, co-author and Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Surrey, said many people undergoing bariatric surgery are women of reproductive age who may be considering pregnancy.

“So much remains unknown about the impact of this type of surgery on women who are planning to have children,” he said, highlighting the need to understand when the ideal time to conceive may be after surgery.

Importance Of Combating PMOS-Related Obesity

The study adds to growing evidence that treating obesity can improve some reproductive symptoms of PMOS.

A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis also found that bariatric surgery was associated with reductions in menstrual irregularities, hirsutism and several reproductive hormone abnormalities.

But bariatric surgery is not a cure for PMOS. PMOS is a complex hormonal and metabolic health condition and its symptomscan vary considerably between women.