Weight Loss As a Preventative Measure for Heart Health

Cardiologist Dr. A. Shekhar Pandey is worried about Canada’s hearts.

Dr. Pandey is the founder of Cambridge Cardiac Care in Cambridge, Ontario. While he lauds the fact that we’re living longer due to our better understanding of heart disease, he sees something concerning in the recent data. “In Canada, we’re not living as long as we did just 5 or 7 years ago,” he points out.

Dr. Pandey says some of that is due to the overall aging of the population. However, he adds, at least some is attributed to an increase in deaths from heart attack in Canada in the last few years. “There have also been changes in our health habits that explain some of that increase in heart disease,” Dr Pandey says. “We’re snacking more, exercising a lot less than we have previously — and we’ve gained weight.”

In fact, losing weight is a powerful way to prevent the onset of heart disease to begin with. That’s because some of the main risk factors for heart disease – high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, sleep disorders, and high cholesterol — can be affected by weight loss. That makes reaching a healthier weight a supercharged way to have a positive impact on your heart health.

Dr. Anil Maheshwari is the Medical Director of the Weight and Lifestyle Management Program at the Cleveland Clinic in Canada. He is all about helping patients harness this powerful preventive to head off heart problems later in life. “As you gain weight, heart health does suffer – for example, when you weigh more, there’s a bigger strain on your heart,” he explains. “The heart has to work harder.” Losing some weight actually gives your heart a big break.

“The longer of a period of time that you’re putting a strain on the heart… the more potential issues there will be with heart disease,” says Dr. Maheshwari. “So if you’re able to lose weight now and then save all that extra work that the heart [has] to do for years to decades, it’s going to make a huge impact.”

The saying goes that ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ And that’s the message loud and clear from heart specialists. But even if you’ve already been diagnosed with heart disease, it’s not too late. Cardiologist Dr. Grace Chua who practices in Ontario, says that weight loss is also key to preventing the progression of the disease. “’It’s never too late’ is the message I want to tell people,” Dr. Chua advises. “If you’ve already had an event, — (and by “event” she means a heart event like a heart attack or stroke) — then more so you need to lose that weight to prevent the next event.”

For people who’ve had trouble losing extra pounds, (and who among us hasn’t?) – that’s easier said than done. Cardiologist Dr. Tiffany Powell-Wiley gets it. She’s a researcher at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) who has studied the relationship between excess weight and cardiovascular disease. She tells her patients to start with small changes. Just beginning to move more has a positive impact on the metabolism and on the heart. “That could mean 10 minutes. Taking a break and walking around your house or walking around the block for 10 minutes,” says Dr. Powell-Wiley. “The ultimate goal is to really try and build up, if you can, to 150 minutes per week of activity.” But she’s realistic. “Any is better than none,” she says.

Even a five or ten percent drop in weight can affect cholesterol levels and blood pressure, both of which, if too high, increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Chua encourages her patients by telling them to get started with whatever works for them. “A good walk, a brisk walk, a treadmill,” she says. “It’s whatever you like to do. Swimming. Cycling. Stuff that gets your heart going – and not stop and go.” And of course, she says, check with your doctor and ask for some specific recommendations that apply to you personally, because everybody’s physiology is different, and it’s important to start gradually if you haven’t been particularly active.

Altering your diet even a little can have benefits, too. If you struggle with the chronic disease of obesity, find a doctor that specializes in weight management because there is a wealth of new research into how to bring your weight down with behavioral therapy, medication, surgery, or a combination of these methods. “Obesity is a disease that we can control and treat with effective diet, exercise, and for those that require it there are now medications that can help mitigate the risk of cardiovascular disease,” urges Dr. Pandey.

Dr. Pandey is telling us that we have the power of prevention on our side. Basically, he has seen the ally, and it is us. Reaching a healthier weight is a high-octane way to care for our hearts and live longer, healthier lives.
—