Dear Dr. Garner,
I recently read a study from England that showed that people who work longer days (nine-12 hours) have an increased risk of heart attacks, high blood pressure and diabetes.
This is all well and good, but what is my husband to do? He has to work two jobs to keep paying the bills. What can we do about it?
Stressed over two jobs in Sunset Park

Dear Stressed,
I think you raise a very valid point. It is all well and good to try to work an eight-hour day, but what are you supposed to do if you have no alternative? I was just talking about this topic with my dear friends, the Grisafis and Carneseccas, who certainly are no strangers to long hours of work.
I thought that rather than fretting over the consequences of long working hours, what might be useful are some tips to deal with the known increased health risks.
The following are geared to people working many hours, often without the time to eat well, exercise and relax.
One of the most important contributors to bad health is related to dietary habits. Caffeine, fatty foods, and lack of fruit and vegetables are big contributors to heart disease. This together with a tendency to eat sweets is a big problem. Studies have shown that people working two jobs put on weight, which is difficult to stop.
The solution: Take fresh vegetables and fruit in a large bag that you can eat throughout the day. Also carry a large bottle of water with you, as this will give the sensation of fullness to the stomach. Limit soft drink use to no more than one a day. A can of Coke has 10 teaspoons of sugar. Avoiding just one can avoid a weight gain of almost 15 pounds over the course of a year.
The more sugar one eats, the more one risks wrinkling of the skin, as the proteins in the blood combine with sugar to cause damage to collagen. It is important to eat the fruit and vegetables on a daily basis to get the most benefit from antioxidants.
A second major problem is the tendency for people putting in many hours to smoke. Most people know the dangers of smoking, but for those still doing it, think of your family and the hours you will miss being with them when you fall ill from smoking. Work with your doctor to start a program of counseling and medications, such as the patch or pills designed to curb your desire, such as Chantix.
Stress is a leading cause of heart disease. Sometimes it is difficult to avoid stress, but it is possible to modify your response to it.
As a solution, I recommend deep breathing exercises. The way to do it is as follows:
Exhale strongly through your mouth. Breathe in quietly through the nose while counting to five. Then hold your breath for a count of seven. Then exhale forcefully for a count of eight. Repeat this for three cycles.
It really helps to defuse stress and calm you down. This can be done several times throughout the day.
Exercise is very difficult to incorporate in your day, especially when working so many hours.
The good thing is that it is not necessary to perform formal exercise at a gym to get the full benefits. Instead, if you take five minutes out of every other hour to walk around the block, climb several flights of stairs, do push ups or free weights, you will get the benefits of exercise, reduce tension and help your body better utilize the food you eat.
People snacking on foods like Cheez Doodles tend to take in bad fats. Instead, carry a bag of nuts with you. This contains good fat that will help lower your cholesterol.
Try to eat several nuts an hour.
Keep socially active during the day. Set aside a few minutes to call a friend and make sure to discuss anything but your work. A recent study found that friendship is a key to staying healthy and young.
It is a better predictor of longevity than even close family ties. Friendship has been shown to protect against obesity, depression and heart disease.
Laughter is a great medicine for the overworked. Try to listen to funny shows at night or share a joke with a loved one. Even fake laughter has been shown to be beneficial to health.
Finally, think of romance. Romance has been shown to improve immune systems and lower cancer risk, stress and produce healthier hearts
A little romance can go a long way.
We need to be realistic in this day and age. Many people will work long hours and experience stress. By following the tips above, you will be better able to deal with this and cut down on the diseases that long hours can create.
Until next time, have a great week and be well.

* Reprinted with permission of The Tablet