Depression is being realized as more than just a mental condition. Besides having numerous physical symptoms (including headaches, fatigue and problems with sleeping and digestion), it may contribute to heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.

The heart association cites a study that found men with depression had greater amounts of substances in the blood that can signify inflammation and lead to clogged arteries. The results were even greater among men who were otherwise healthy and had no other symptoms of heart disease.

However, the link is far from conclusive:

One surprise of the study was that depressive mood was more frequent in French men than Irish men even though the incidence of heart disease is higher in Ireland.

In America, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for men and women in all racial groups except Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. For them, it’s No. 2, behind cancer.

Besides depression, anxiety, particularly workplace stress, can also raise a person’s risk, as Julie Deardorff of the Chicago Tribune reports on her “Julie’s Health Club” blog.

“Stress appeared to upset the part of the nervous system which controls the heart, telling it how to work and controlling the variability of the heart rate,” the BBC News reported.

That’s not good for us Americans, who seem to thrive on stress and creating it for ourselves. We commute long distances, work long hours, spend too much money, eat too much (unhealthy) food, drink excessively, smoke, and don’t exercise or sleep enough.

Some of that is unavoidable, thanks to the demands of modern life. And many people face stress caused by poverty or other situations that are largely beyond their control.

But it’s probably no coincidence that many of the same things recommended to prevent heart disease are also good for people with depression and anxiety. In fact, they’re good for people in general.

We have yet to learn all the ways our minds and bodies are connected. Even though heart disease seems far away to my generation, we should still know our risks, take some control and start healthy habits now, before it’s too late.