He has managed to reprogram mouse connective-tissue cells so that they develop into cardiac muscle cells, and has tested them in the hearts of mice that have had heart attacks.

ECONOMIST: Stem cells and medicine: Repairing broken hearts | The

Engaging in new behaviors to enhance our health like regular exercise will lead to improved muscle tone, cardiac function, stronger bones, better respiratory function, more balanced emotions and calmer nerves, greater mental clarity and a better night's sleep.

CNN: Manage your brain -- it's your most important asset

Normally, orderly waves of electric activity pass through the cardiac tissue, causing the heart muscle to contract.

ECONOMIST: Better living through chaos

The long-term hope is to treat patients with some sort of stem cell that could turn into beating heart muscle and replace dead cardiac tissue with fully functioning new cells.

FORBES: Using Thigh Muscle To Fix The Heart

These cells can differentiate into many different cell lines, including cardiac, neuro, or even skeletal muscle.

CNN: Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Understanding stem cell research

They found that the stem cells produced growth factors that traveled to the heart, in addition to stimulating the muscle itself to make growth factors that also improved cardiac function.

CNN: Stem cells may offer promise for damaged hearts