Arlington, Va-Febrary is the month of the American heart. Celebrated for the first time in 1964, the month of the American heart is a moment to increase understanding of heart disease and how to prevent it, as well as to recognize the tireless efforts of clinicians and researchers to advance its treatment.
“For me, it means that it brings an awareness of our health and our diet in terms of what would be an ideal routine to prevent or try to alleviate risk factors for the development of heart disease, such as heart attacks Or heart failure, “said Aditi Bhagat, MD, cardiologist at Virginia Heart in Arlington.
For Dr. Baghat, it means meeting the pillars of a lifestyle in heart health, which understands eating healthy, being active, avoiding tobacco, watching cholesterol, maintaining healthy weight, monitoring blood pressure and sugar and having An adequate and quality sleep. In terms of eating well, the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization recommend Mediterranean regime, which takes more than one -based approach instead of an extra virgin olive oil, with a primary source of fat.
“It would incorporate vegetables and fruits – about two to three portions of fruit and probably about four portions of vegetables per day – whole grains, high sources of protein, fish, nuts and seafood legumes” said Dr. Baghat.
She also stressed the importance of understanding and demystifying myths surrounding a healthy diet for the heart. For example, Dr. Baghat noted that Himalayan salt is presented to be more nutritious than other types of salt, but this is not necessarily true because all salts contain sodium and chloride, which will cause blood pressure high. Whatever the type, the maximum amount of salt recommended is approximately three grams per day.
“We recommend using herbs and spices rather than additional salt,” she said.
Another myth is that frozen or canned foods are not good for you. In many cases, Dr. Baghat said they could be, but it is important to check the nutritional labels of sodium and sugar levels to determine their health benefit. She also said that the egg yolks on the whole had a “bad reputation” because they are rich in cholesterol. Although having many eggs on a weekly basis is not something it would recommend, Dr. Baghat said: “This has no significant effect on cholesterol if you have an egg yolk per day or two egg whites per day. ”
For the exercise, the American Heart Association Recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity. Ideally, this was spread throughout the week, like five training sessions of 30 minutes or five minutes, respectively.
“In addition to the aerobic exercise, I would also recommend strength training, twice a week,” said the doctor. “I think little light is put on this subject, but especially for older patients, I recommend if you are a man or a woman, that the accent is put on this on a very regular basis.”
A burning subject in medicine these days is the advantages of Peptide-1 drugs of the glucagon type (GLP-1), which include Ozempic and Wegovy. These therapies reduce appetite by imitating the effects of the Natural Hormone GLP-1 and are used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. If an individual is prescribed by a GLP-1 drug, Dr. Baghat stressed that he could not replace a healthy lifestyle for the heart.
“I think these drugs are perfect for various reasons, and there is still a lot of research to do, but they must certainly be used in combination with exercise and lifestyle changes. This cannot be a medicine alone, “she said.
By heading for a healthy lifestyle for the heart, Dr. Baghat said: “It is best to start somewhere”. With the exercise, it would be difficult for someone who does not work at all to start doing it vigorously five days a week, so putting a foundation is essential.
“Perhaps starting with walking at a rate greater than 2.5 miles per hour, which would be considered a moderate exercise,” said Dr. Baghat.
With food, she also recommends starting small with a food change approach for healthier options. Virgin olive oil can replace butter, water can do the same with sugary drinks, whole grain bread can replace white bread and fish and chicken can be consumed instead of red meats.
“All this takes time and energy and a lot of planning too, especially with regard to the preparation of food. Try to prepare food on weekends or each time you have free time and also preparation for loose food, “she said.
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