As more Americans rethink what it means to stay healthy, experts are emphasizing that caring for your heart goes beyond diet and exercise. A growing body of research shows that chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and even loneliness can directly affect cardiovascular health, raising blood pressure, increasing inflammation, and impacting recovery after cardiac events.

To talk about what’s known as the heart–mind connection, we’re joined this morning by Dr. Tara Chalakani, CEO of Preferred Behavioral Healthcare, an organization focused on integrating mental and physical wellness across communities.