Expert Q & A from Washington University

Cardiologist for Heart Month

By Nichole Richardson and Dr. Linda Peterson

• What are the best foods to eat to keep your heart healthy?

A healthy diet recommended by the American Heart Association consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans and lentils), low fat dairy products and skinless poultry and fish in place of red meats. Choosing healthy fats like nuts, seeds and small amounts of non-tropical oils like olive and canola oil are recommended. Opting for less processed foods, less sodium and saturated fat in your food choices can go a long way to reducing your risk factors for heart disease. Remember also to balance your physical activity with how much you eat to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. Remember – it’s not just what you eat but how much of it is important too. So portion control is important as well.

• What is the FIRST thing you recommend to start doing/do to improve your heart function/muscles etc?

This depends on whether a person has a history of heart disease or has been sedentary and what age the person is.
Generally, we want to maintain normal heart function and avoid heart problems (rather than improve heart function) with a healthy diet and regular exercise and healthy lifestyle. If someone is young with no risk factors for heart disease and is sedentary, increasing exercise is important.

• If you have already had heart problems, what can you do?

If someone has a weak heart that doesn’t pump well, the main thing to do is to have a cardiologist and to be sure to take medications that have been proven to improve heart function. Also, consider formal cardiac rehabilitation, in addition to eating healthy and exercising as tolerated and advised by a physician.

• How does one know if they have a heart problem? Signs?

There are many types of heart disease, so the symptoms can vary. Some of the signs/symptoms that physicians look for are chest pressure, which may or may not be associated with arm or neck pain; shortness of breath; associated nausea and vomiting. Chest pressure that happens with exercise may be a sign that the heart is not getting enough blood supply and should come to the attention of a physician. When in doubt as to whether a symptom could be due to heart disease, discuss with your physician.

• How much does ACTUAL exercise make a difference in heart functions?

There are many studies about the different effects of amount/type/frequency/intensity of exercise. These all affect the benefits of exercise. The most important thing is just to do it. Do something. The best exercise is one that you’ll do. And make it a habit, so that it’s auto-pilot, maybe at a certain time of day. Start with 5 minutes. Anyone can find 5 minutes a day. Then work up from there.

• What is the most common heart problem people present with?

According to the CDC, the most common heart problem statistically is coronary artery disease. The coronary arteries are the blood vessels that feed the heart oxygen and nutrients. If there is a blockage, typically due to cholesterol build-up, this can obstruct blood flow to the heart muscle and cause symptoms such as chest pressure. If the obstruction is complete (often due to a blood clot on top of a cholesterol blockage) this is often the cause of a heart attack.

• How much does heredity play a role in trouble?

So the best thing to do is prevent or treat other risk factors that can be modified, such as obesity and smoking in order to make a plan of how to minimize risk of heart disease and if/when to do additional testing.

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