I was fortunate enough to interview Dr. Joel Kahn, an influential, US cardiologist and founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity.
About Dr. Joel Kahn
Joel Kahn, MD, FACC of Detroit, Michigan, is a practising cardiologist, and a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Known as "America’s Healthy Heart Doc", Dr. Kahn has triple board certification in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine and Interventional Cardiology. He was the first physician in the world to certify in Metabolic Cardiology with A4M/MMI and the University of South Florida. He founded the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity in Bingham Farms, MI.
Dr. Kahn has authored scores of publications and has five books including Your Whole Heart Solution, Dead Execs Don’t Get Bonuses and The Plant Based Solution. His 6th book, Lipoprotein(a): The Heart’s Silent Killer is about to be published. He has regular appearances on Dr. Phil, The Doctors Show, Dr. Oz, Larry King Now, Joe Rogan Experience, and with Bassem Yousef. Dr. Kahn can be found at www.drjoelkahn.com
Dr.Kahn, I’m very grateful for your time. Can we start with your top 5 tips for a healthy life?
My top 5 tips for a healthy life are:
Start as early in life as possible, never too late, but aging of the heart and risk for heart attacks and strokes takes years and decades to develop. Starting a plan at age 18 is going to have a lot more impact than age 68 but it is always the right time to start. If you are past 18, teach your kids this lesson.
Recognize that food is as much the fuel to your body as gasoline is to your car. You would not pour Coca-Cola or Red Bull in your car gas tank and you should not pour it inside of you. Within minutes of a meal your body is reacting to the healthy or harmful effects of the food. The body is not able to handle chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics and processed foods without recognizing the harm and release a wave of inflammation and damage.
Plants, particularly a range of rainbow-colored plants, are always for the win. They provide minerals, vitamins, fibre, water, and special chemicals found only in plants called phytonutrients, that are the fuel the body needs. Eat 90-100% of your meals totally of plants and your will lower your risk of chronic diseases by over 75%.
Get sleep. No-one has written an app or software to shortcut the restorative properties of sleep. It is when we repair the days damage. Make sleep a priority. If it is hard for you, read, get help, but get sleep.
Stand, walk, stretch, sweat and move. Sitting for long periods is accelerated aging. Pace back and forth in meetings and conferences rather than sit. Pick the back of the room, not the front, to be able to get up and move without disturbing the event. Make time, even if walking in a space while attending a webinar or watching an online show, to move and flex.
I have relatively high cholesterol (total 6.5) inherited from both of my parents. After discovering I had heart disease I experimented with a strict vegan diet (mainly veggies) for over six months & my cholesterol numbers didn’t move. Can hereditary cholesterol be reversed?
Cholesterol of any source, lifestyle or genetics, can be lowered with medications and supplements. Diet will lower some levels dramatically and others just a bit. There are some foods that are uniquely helpful to lower cholesterol on top of a whole food plant diet. Ground flaxseed, garlic, organic soy products like tempeh, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, oatmeal and oat bran all can be of value. I am a fan of some safe supplements from nature like bergamot capsules or alma powder than can be of value.
You’ve written about the idea that brushing your teeth and oral hygiene can reduce the risk of heart disease. How are they related?
The number one hidden source of infection in the body is in the teeth and gums, perhaps under a root canal or implant. The mouth is very vascular so infection there gets into the body easily. Mouth infection is related to heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, and erectile dysfunction. Brush, water floss, and get examinations.
You’ve spoken about the benefits of foods rich in quercetin. Which foods do you believe are the most powerful health busters on the planet?
Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant found in onions, garlic, apples, and cherries amongst other plant foods, not in meats. It may protect the heart and even may extend life in some animal studies. I like to teach patients GBOMBS, a term developed by my friend Joel Fuhrman, MD. It stands for Greens, Beans, Onions/Garlic, Mushrooms, Berries, and Seeds. I would add purple cabbage and fresh sprouts, which may actually be the two healthiest foods on the planet.
Many doctors talk about the benefits of seafood and fatty fish for heart disease patients, due to Omega 3’s. As a vegan Dr, what are your thoughts on this?
The problem with fish is the baggage they bring to the plate. Fish are "bioaccumulators" so they concentrate mercury, PCBs and other persistent organic pollutants, DDT and other toxins. I measure blood mercury levels in my patients that eat fish, sushi and other sources and the levels are often scary high. You can get omega-3 from leafy greens, walnuts, chlorella, ground flax seeds, hemp hearts, and chia seeds. They are much cleaner sources of that essential nutrient.
Do you believe in statin medication as part of a management program for high cholesterol? Or do you believe food can play the full role?
Statins can save lives in people with documented clogged arteries like after a heart attack or bypass surgery. They also may be necessary in some individuals with genetic cholesterol disorders and very high levels. Most people take them without side effects but they can cause a variety of problems. I almost always try diet and lifestyle first and use statins in low doses and often 3-4 times a week if possible. There are other Rx medications like ezetimibe, bempadoic acid, and others that can be combined with statins to keep the statin dose low.
Should everyone get tested (CT SCAN) for blocked arteries?
I would recommend the calcium CT screening scan to all at age 45 or so as heart disease is so common. About 30-40% of people will learn even at that age that their heart is not healthy and that intensive work needs to be done, the earlier the better. If one has higher risk, like erectile dysfunction, diabetes, or smoking, maybe the scan at age 40 is reasonable. If the risk is very low, then perhaps wait until age 50.
What technological breakthroughs are you expecting in the next ten years.
We need a lifestyle breakthrough to make fitness, plant diets, stress management, sleep therapy, and smoking cessation the most important goal of national health programs. Some kind of unique app-based monitoring tied to financial incentives at work or with health insurance need to be implemented. I am following research on aging and many breakthroughs are near. These may combine supplements, prescription medications, gene therapy, and stem cell plays.
How important do you believe a positive mindset plays in recovery?
Attitude is the little thing that makes a big difference. Tune out the negative, breath in the positive, use mind-expanding meditation, yoga, music, and programs like brain sculpting to love your brain so it will love you back.
Thank you kindly, Dr. Kahn, very interesting and informative.
Reports from 2019 indicate that one person dies every 37 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. That’s about 647,000 Americans who die from heart disease each year (1 in every 4 deaths). Your passion for reducing and reversing this disease is crucial and your answers offer a lot of food for thought (pun intended).
DISCLAIMER
Check with your GP before changing your diet. The opinions of interviewees are not necessarily the opinions of the site – we’re just on a mission to explore varying positive health opinions from a range of experts, with a range of beliefs.
Thanks for your feedback dpv513 - glad to hear you're on the road to making some positive changes.
Thank you Jason, Dr. Kahn is terrific. I learned so much from this interview. I had no idea that problems with the teeth and mouth could be so dangerous. I will take extra precautions from now on. 90% veggies on my plate is tough for me and probably many others. People in low income brackets are especially vulnerable and can't afford some of the foods sold that are good for you to eat. Now I need to start my diet and exercise program and get fit. Thanks again.