Eating late in summer increases heart attack risk: Turkish cardiologist

Eating late during the summer can increase the risk of heart attack, a Turkish cardiologist warned Friday.

Servet Altay told Anadolu Agency that deaths related to heart disease increase during the summer.

He said hot weather, fluid loss and nutritional disorders increase the risk in cardiac patients, and those patients should be more attentive to their meals, especially in the summer.

"We recommend not to eat late. Our metabolism is not suitable for it. It is necessary to eat dinner at a suitable time and not to eat after 7 or 8 p.m.," he said.

When the evening meal is accompanied by alcohol, the cortisone level rises and heart attacks can occur in the morning, said Altay.

He advised consuming seasonal vegetables and fruits in the summer.

"We ask them to stay away from all fries. We especially consume fries by the pool and on the beaches, which is harmful. We should make our meals without salt and not eat smoked foods that are high in salt," he added.