Straight from the heart: Dr. Devi Shetty

This was a chat arranged by IT major Wipro for its employees, with Dr. Devi Shetty, the famous heart specialist of Narayana Hrudayalaya. Dr Shetty talks about simple steps that can ensure good health, precautions against heart diseases, and some lifestyle tips. Excerpts are given below (Note: This was a forwarded mail, but the interview looks genuine. Also, remember that these suggestions are made to 'average' people, not athletes. Still, there is something in it for everyone -- Dev).

What are the five thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart?
Dr Devi Shetty:
1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil.
2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a long time.
3. Quit smoking.
4. Control weight.
5. Control blood pressure and sugar

Is eating non-veg food (fish) good for the heart?
No.

Considering the limitation of time available for exercise, does walking while doing daily chores at home or climbing the stairs in the house work as a substitute for exercise?
Certainly. Avoid sitting continuously for more than half an hour and even the act of getting out of the chair and going to another chair and
sitting helps a lot.

It's still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person gets a cardiac arrest. How do we understand it in perspective?

This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend
everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups.

Are heart diseases hereditary?
Yes.

What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do you suggest to de-stress?
Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for
perfection in everything in life.

Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart?
Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints

Which is the best and worst food for the heart?
Best food is fruit, worst is oil.

Do negative emotions like depression or anger always cause heart disease?
Not always. On the other hand, positive emotions help
recovery of the heart.

How would you define junk food?
Fried food like (that available at) KFC, McDonald's, samosas, and even
masala dosas.

You mentioned that Indians are three times more vulnerable. What is the reason for this, as Europeans and Americans also eat a lot of junk food?
Every race is vulnerable to some disease and unfortunately, Indians are vulnerable for the most expensive disease.

Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases?
Extremely rare.

Does cholesterol accumulates right from an early age (I'm currently only 22) or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age?
Cholesterol accumulates from childhood.

How do irregular eating habits affect the heart?
You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body's enzyme release for digestion gets confused.

Can a healthy person without a medical history have a heart attack due to stress?
Extremely rare.

How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines?
Control diet, walk and eat walnut.

Can yoga prevent heart ailments?
Yoga helps.

I have read about music therapy for the heart and the mind. What is your opinion on this?
Guess it helps.

Which oil is better - gingili, groundnut, sunflower, Saffola, olive?
All oils are bad; the so-called best oil company has the largest marketing budget.

What is the routine check-up one should go through? Is there any specific test?
Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is okay. Check BP, do the Treadmill test after an echo.

What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack?
Help the person into a sleeping position, put an aspirin tablet under the tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour.

How do you differentiate between pain caused by a heart attack and that caused due to gastric trouble?
Extremely difficult without ECG.

Can drinking less water lead to heart problems?
No. However, drinking plenty of water in normal people helps preserve good health.

What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters? I see people of about 30-40 having heart attacks and serious heart problems.
Increased awareness has increased incidents. Also, sedentary lifestyles, smoking, junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are
genetically three times more vulnerable for heart attacks than Europeans and Americans.

Many of us have an irregular daily routine and are frequently required to stay late at office. Does this affect our heart? What precautions would you recommend?
When you are young, nature protects you against all these irregularities. However, as you grow older, respect the biological clock.

Can we foresee the occurrence of a heart attack? Are there any indications that the body feels before getting a heart attack?
Usually, you get chest discomfort or shortness of breath, months or years before the heart attack. So, when in doubt, go for a heart checkup, which shouldn't take more than a couple of hours.

What are the chances of lean people developing heart complications? Are they at less risk?
Obese people are at a higher risk. Lean people also develop heart attacks, but primarily because of genetic pre-disposition.

How would you rate the health infrastructure currently available in India?
There are institutions which are as good or better than the ones in the US and Europe; however, they are exceptions. In general, the quality of health care available to the masses is poor.

Are emotions really controlled by the heart?
No. The heart is just a slave of the brain and it is the brain which controls the emotions.

Can a person help himself during a heart attack?
Yes. Lie down comfortably and put an aspirin tablet of any description under the tongue and ask someone to take you to the nearest coronary care unit without any delay and do not wait for the ambulance since most of the time, the ambulance does not turn up.

Is there a relation between heart problems and blood sugar?
Yes. A strong relationship since diabetics are more vulnerable to heart attacks than non-diabetics.

Are people working on night shifts more vulnerable to heart disease when compared to day shift workers?
No.

How can one keep the heart in a good condition?
Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, exercise everyday, do not smoke, and go for a health check-up if you are past 30, at least once in two years. And work very hard...