Life As A Cardiologist: How A Doctor Keeps His Heart Healthy

When it comes to complex heart health-related questions, a cardiologist is a go-to medical expert. He or she not only provides guidance and tips to prevent cardiovascular problems, but they also recommend ways to manage heart diseases if they already exist. But the real question is do cardiologists themselves follow what they preach? 

On World Heart Day 2023, we at Onlymyhealth spoke to Dr Shailesh Singh, Associate Consultant, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla, New Delhi, to not only understand what his life as a cardiologist looks like but also unravelled what the doctor does to support his own heart health. 

Also Read: Are Cardiac Arrest Symptoms Different For Men And Women?

A Healthy Diet Is Key

Indulging in a heart-healthy diet is key to preventing chronic heart conditions. Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death worldwide, claiming 1 in every 3 lives, as per the World Health Organization (WHO). Apart from physical inactivity, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and obesity, unhealthy diet is also one of the biggest risk factors. Therefore, eating a heart-healthy diet is of utmost importance. 

For Dr Singh, a healthy diet comprises:

• Controlled portion sizes
• More of fruits and vegetables
• Least amount of saturated fat like ghee, butter or red meat and zero artificial trans fat - which usually comes from fried food and bakery products
• Limited added sugar, and limited consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (fruit drinks, regular cold drinks, sweetened tea)
• Healthy source of protein like lean poultry, fish, seafood, legumes, and nuts

Cardiovascular Fitness

Regular physical activity helps maintain cardiovascular fitness and improves overall health. 

Dr Singh tries to walk as much as possible during the day. With the help of his smartwatch, he keeps a track of his physical activity throughout the day. Even with a tight schedule, he makes time to go to the gym for at least 5-6 days a week.

He said, "Being in a gym environment can be motivating, as you're surrounded by other people working towards their fitness goals. I spend an hour there and I do a mix of both endurance training and resistance training." He also tries to incorporate outdoor running into his fitness routine. 

Coping With Sleep And Stress

According to the doctor, it is recommended to get at least 7-9 hrs of sleep every night.

However, given his profession as a cardiologist, he accepts that he doesn't get much sleep, but has come to terms with it, calling it "a part of life." 

In addition, he said, "Some professions have high levels of stress. In our profession too, cardiology is one of the most stressful specialties because of the nature of diseases we deal with. It is what makes it challenging and makes people like me fall in love with it too."

Also Read: Experts Share Diet Tips To Follow This Long Weekend For A Healthy Heart

Say ‘No’ To Smoking And Alcohol Consumption

There is no denying that smoking and drinking negatively affect cardiovascular health. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests smoking leads to the formation of plaque in blood vessels, which in turn blocks the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle, increasing one's risk of heart attack and stroke. Furthermore, the WHO recently said that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption and that the risks start from the first drop. 

Sadly, people continue to lack responsibility when it comes to their health, according to Dr Singh. 

He shared, "I work in a high volume centre and I see a lot of heart patients. It is surprising for me to see that people are so casual about smoking and heavy drinking. A vast majority of patients land up in our cath lab in their early life because of these habits especially smoking cigarettes; we treat them and counsel them to stop smoking. But, it is so unfortunate that most of them don't stop!"

"I wish governments realised that merely nudging the smokers to not buy cigarettes using horrifying graphics is not enough, if they want citizens to be healthy they should ban it completely," he concluded.