Advice book "The Healthy Heart" published in time for World Heart Day on 29.9.2019

In his guidebook “The Healthy Heart” , which was published for the first time in German in time for World Heart Day 2019, the renowned US cardiologist Dr. Joel K. Kahn advocates a new culture of prevention: standard tests and emergency measures are not suitable for preventing heart disease – we need modern laboratory tests and lifestyle changes.

Dealing with heart disease for over 30 years

The list of CEOs, managing directors and leaders who have suddenly died of a heart attack is long. Dr. Joel K. Kahn, professor of medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine and one of the leading US cardiologists, has been studying the most common cause of death among managers and similarly stressed professional groups for over 30 years.

"Whenever the news of the tragic death of a highly productive person who died of a heart attack in the prime of his creative powers [...] is reported in the media, I am reminded that I cannot rest," he writes in his new book, "The Healthy Heart." The goal of his work is "that more people - especially those in stressful leadership positions - learn how to live a life without the risk of a heart attack." In this way, it is possible to detect heart disease at such an early stage that treatment can begin years before a heart attack occurs. And even diagnosed coronary heart disease and severely blocked coronary arteries can be treated with diet and other non-invasive measures, leading to a reversal of the vasoconstriction and an improvement in symptoms and outcomes.

The true causes of disease

In a 1993 article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers at the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) analyzed data from about 2,148,000 deaths in the United States, of which about 720,000 were attributed to heart disease. They found that the main causes were smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise - all factors that are modifiable. The data indicated that neither a new robotic technology nor a designer pill will ever improve health as much as lifestyle changes.

More recent studies also confirm these results and state that serious diseases can be prevented by not smoking, maintaining an optimal body weight, regular physical activity (on average 30 minutes per day) and a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains, but low in meat.

For Kahn, “lifestyle medicine” is therefore the most effective and proven method to counteract the leading cause of death among managers, and recommends that employers: “Ensure that your employees do not smoke; provide healthy meals in the canteen with plenty of whole foods, fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains; replace junk food vending machines with a range of healthy products; set up standing desks and organize walking work meetings as well as company-sponsored gym memberships.”

The deadly stress

But why do we smoke in the first place? Why do we neglect our exercise? Why do we reach for doughnuts and fries when we know they pave the way for disease? The answer for the heart specialist is "poor stress management." Estimates show that 75 percent of doctor visits are due to stress or the way we deal with stress. That percentage could be even higher for managers, due to over-packed schedules, constant travel and deadlines.

Stress cannot always be avoided, but it can be managed using proven techniques. For example, relaxation exercises and breathing techniques provide vitality and well-being. It does not take much imagination to conclude that strategies for reducing or managing stress are good for the heart. A good night's sleep, a healthy diet and regular exercise are all excellent ways to reduce the effects of stress. In addition, Dr. Kahn believes that people should learn at least one breathing technique, meditate or practice yoga - measures that help keep stress under control. For him, heart disease is not a fateful development, but rather "missed opportunities and downright negligent events that can seriously affect or cost the lives of great people in the prime of their lives."

Book tip:
Dr. med. Joel K. Kahn: The healthy heart. How to avoid heart disease despite occupational stress. Mankau Verlag, 1st edition Sept. 2019, paperback, 13.5 x 21.5 cm, 174 pages, 14.95 euros (D) / 15.40 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-86374-529-5.

Link recommendations:
More information about the book "The healthy heart. How to avoid heart disease despite occupational stress"
To the reading sample in PDF format
More about the author Dr. Joel K. Kahn
To the Internet forum with our authors and readers