Forget Oil: Carbs Are the Real Culprits, Says Leading Cardiologist, Reveals Heart Health Tips
Forget Oil: Carbs Are the Real Culprits, Says Leading Cardiologist, Reveals Heart Health Tips
If you still think oil is the main reason for clogging arteries and harming your heart, you might want to reconsider that perspective.
Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, a leading cardiologist in the country, shared insights about maintaining heart health. He emphasized that an active lifestyle and healthy eating are crucial. “You are what you eat,” he stated, pointing out that instead of blaming oil, we should look at sweets, sugar, rice, chapati, and carbohydrates as the real culprits.
Shetty recommends tracking daily steps with a smartwatch and getting CT angiography for heart health screenings, especially given the high levels of air pollution we face today. However, he dismissed the idea that stress, Covid-19 vaccines, or other factors play a significant role in causing heart attacks in seemingly healthy individuals.
He noted, “Whenever a young or fit person suffers a heart attack, it becomes national news. They blame the job, the stress, and the Covid-19 vaccines, but all of this is rubbish… It has no rationality.”
He believes the main issue is that many people never got tested for heart disease. “If they had done a CT angiography ten years ago, their deaths could have been prevented or at least foreseen.”
Shetty, whose life and work are highlighted in the Netflix series The Surgeon’s Cut (Episode 4), recommended that every Indian over the age of 30 should incorporate yoga into their routine and aim to walk 10,000 steps daily. “If you truly want to stay fit and celebrate your 95th birthday by standing and cutting a cake with your great-grandchildren, you need to exercise, walk, and practice yoga.”
While the usual advice against tobacco and alcohol still applies, he stressed that “everyone should wear a smartwatch.”
“You should strive to walk 10,000 steps every day without exception, as there are numerous scientific studies in leading medical journals demonstrating the benefits of walking more than 10,000 steps over many years.”
People who walk regularly experience fewer heart issues and have better control over diabetes. “They also have lower rates of dementia, cancer, and generally perform better in terms of health compared to those who are less active,” he explained.
While it’s important to follow health recommendations, regularly checking body metrics through diagnostic tests and lipid profiles is crucial. The 71-year-old surgeon noted that in the past, when patients visited doctors with stomach pain, a laparotomy was performed to examine the abdomen. Today, he described the imaging technology as “virtually magical,” though he pointed out that many still lack confidence in these advancements.
He encouraged Indians to focus on their heart health and find innovative ways to reach their daily step goals, such as using headphones while talking on the phone. “In light of the environment we live in, including air pollution, maintaining cardiac health is essential.”
