The Prevention I Recommend to Friends
When friends ask a cardiologist what they should actually do to stay well, the answer is less exotic than they expect, and far more effective.
When friends ask me what they should do to protect their heart, my answer is usually the same: know your numbers, move every day, do not smoke, sleep enough and keep up with the screening your doctor recommends. None of it is new, but after years in cardiology I am convinced that doing these basics consistently prevents more heart attacks than any supplement or gadget. This is general information, not personal advice; the right plan for any individual comes from their own physician.
Know your numbers
Most people know their weight. Far fewer know their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, which matter more. Under the 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guideline, blood pressure of 130/80 or higher is classed as hypertension, and many adults who meet that definition do not know it. LDL cholesterol, fasting glucose or hemoglobin A1c, and waist size complete the picture. I encourage friends to know these figures, track them over time and ask their doctor what their own targets should be.
Move every day
The U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, plus muscle-strengthening activity on two or more days. That is about thirty minutes on most days. It does not need a gym. A daily walk, taken reliably for years, is one of the most useful things a person can do for the heart.
Do not smoke, in any form
Stopping smoking is the single most effective change a smoker can make for heart health. I also advise friends not to treat vaping as harmless. Help with quitting, from a physician, counseling or medication, works better than willpower alone, and it is never too late to benefit.
Protect sleep
Adults generally need at least seven hours of sleep a night. Poor sleep is linked with high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risks, and untreated sleep apnea is common and often missed. Loud snoring with daytime sleepiness is worth raising with a doctor.
Eat like it matters, without a fad
The eating patterns with the strongest evidence are not complicated: mostly vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fish; less processed food, added sugar and salt; alcohol in moderation or not at all. A pattern a person can keep for decades is better than a strict diet abandoned in a month.
Know your family history
Heart disease in a parent or sibling at a young age changes the conversation. Friends with that history should tell their physician, who may suggest earlier or additional testing. For some adults, a coronary artery calcium scan can help a doctor decide how aggressively to treat cholesterol; whether it is useful is a decision for each person and their physician.
Keep up with screening
Prevention is not only the heart. Age-appropriate cancer screening, such as colorectal screening, which the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends starting at age 45 for adults at average risk, belongs on the same list. A regular visit with a physician who knows your history is what ties it all together, the idea behind continuity in concierge medicine and my work at Regenerative Health & Wellness.
Consistency beats intensity
The friends who do best are rarely the ones with the most elaborate routines. They are the ones who walk every day, know their numbers, take their medication if they need it and see their doctor each year. Prevention is a long game, and it rewards the people who simply keep playing it. More about my background is on my biography page.
This article is general health information, not medical advice. Please talk with your own physician about your personal risks, screening and treatment.
About the author. Irfan Siddiqui is a physician, entrepreneur and investor with more than twenty-five years in medicine. He founded Impero Capital Holdings, a single-family office, and is the physician behind Regenerative Health & Wellness (concierge medicine) and Expert Medical Advisors & Consultants (independent medical review). Read his full biography.