Cardiologists mean it when they tell us to live a life of wellness and vigilance. Our hearts are the most vital of organs, and it’s easy to take them for granted. No need to wait for something to go wrong, though — we can help protect our hearts with some surprisingly simple steps.
We caught up with Dr. Kaustubh Dabhadkar, a cardiologist at Novant Health Matthews Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. He gave us some pointers on maintaining our heart health, so get ready for five things that a heart doctor would never, ever do, based on years in the field.
1. I’d never apply too much moisturizer before a cardiologist visit.
Dabhadkar says that the slippery surface left by a too-thick application of moisturizer can “make it harder for us to get a good EKG.” An EKG, or electrocardiogram, is a recording of the heart’s electrical activity. Clinicians use it to identify risk factors for disease or diagnose an active heart condition.
This procedure intersects with skincare because EKGs require placing electrodes on the patient’s chest — the sticky circular ones with wires attached, like on TV. Good adhesion in the correct locations is necessary for getting accurate data, and slippery skin will impede the clinician’s work. So keep moisturizer or other oily products off the chest before an EKG.
2. I’d never be rude to the front desk or medical assistants.
Dabhadkar doesn’t downplay the role of all staff in a medical office: “We work as a team,” he says, “and my team members’ role in patient care can’t be overstated.”
Healthcare workers lead stressful lives, and Dabhadkar wants people to know that he’s not the only person in the room. “Patients are often nice to the physicians,” he says; in his view, they should also extend the courtesy to front desk team members and medical assistants.
3. I’d never insist on completing my round of golf while having a heart attack.
“I recently cared for a patient who finished his round of golf before coming to the hospital,” Dabhadkar says.
Signs of a heart attack always be treated with the greatest urgency. That means dropping the golf club or whatever activity is occupying you and heading straight to the ER. While some heart attacks can last hours, a matter of minutes can still save a life or prevent permanent damage.
They aren’t just the domain of the elderly, either. We’re all at risk of heart disease, and the margin of error for the heart is drastically lower than the rest of the body.
Dabhadkar’s story does have a happy ending: “We quickly set him up for a procedure to open his blocked artery, and he did quite well.” But just because this story turned out fine, that doesn’t mean we should lengthen our odds of survival to protect our golf handicap.
4. I’d never listen to healthcare advice on social media.
Social media can offer quick fixes or solutions to health issues, but beware of any extravagant promises, no matter how many buzzwords an influencer uses. “Some diets and lifestyles may work for some, but may not work for most,” Dabhadkar says.
Wellness fads and health advice often extrapolate big solutions from extremely limited scientific findings. Even changes that do materialize almost never last. If you’re really looking to make health and lifestyle changes, talk with your doctor about evidence-based steps you can take for realistic and sustainable results.
5. I would never do colonic cleansing.
Yes, there is a connection between colonic cleanses and cardiovascular health. “Colonic cleansing comes with the risk of electrolyte abnormalities,” Dabhadkar says, “which could induce life-threatening heart rhythms.”
Colon cleanses involve flushing out the colon with fluid solutions to dislodge waste. The process, whether performed at a facility or at home, can carry numerous risks, including trauma to the large intestine. In particular, disruptions to the body’s electrolyte balance can have knock-on effects all the way to the heart.
“All of this for something that we can’t even show off,” Dabhadkar says.