Heart Health Focus in Honor of Lev BaOmer on JM in the AM

And this is America's one and only Jewish moments in the morning radio program heard on listeners sponsored digital radio around the world web.com on the single network and of course on the beloved NSN app. Dr. Mark Singer is with us live via telephone. For the last 30 years we refer to him as Dr. Mark. So those of you out there who uh have heard that reference and want to know who it is, it's Dr. Mark Singer, who is a top-notch A1 cardiologist. Much more importantly, though, and he'll agree with this, he's a top-notch, he'll agree, it's more important, top-notch A1 friend of the seagull family of JM and the Nome Seagull Network. And every year on La Ba, 32, LA, right? Leave 32 heart, we bring him on to smoo a bit about being heart healthy. Knowing this beloved audience, are his words always taken to heart? I don't know. I'm not going to start making observations or predictions. I'm just going to say that he has some worthwhile tips and worthwhile news in the category of being heart healthy that's worth exploring. Dr. Mark Singer, a happy lem to you and welcome back to JM in the AM. It is honor to be on. And let me wish you and your listeners or or because tonight tonight we're going to say log. I guess now it's less. So listener Jonathan on the app Dr. Mark writes as follows. Will your conversation with Dr. Mark be hearttoheart or heartwrenching? And I know that you're you're one who admires those who can put together a good pun or two. So I thought you'd enjoy that reference as you debate whether this is going to be a heart-to-heart or heart-wrenching conversation. >> Well, it is certainly in order to come back on again and keep the tradition going. far be for me to take a the a date and make it commercialized on May the 4th on Star Wars day. Now we have to explain that because the phrase that is so often quoted from Star Wars is may the force be with you. Today on May 4th they call it Star Wars day because of May the 4th be with you. You like that explanation Dr. Mark, >> you're very clear. >> Appreciate it. >> So, let me clear let me take that opportunity and use lab to clear up or at least give you my perspective on something that is in the news has come out written about in the New York Times and out of the American College of Physicians and it's dealing with the topic of cholesterol. >> Right. I really thought I'd be talking about atrial fibrillation, but cholesterol and cholesterol medications and the new guidelines have really taken over the cardiology news in the lay press. So there are three things that came out from the latest meetings uh all focused on cholesterol guidelines and they are earlier, longer and lower. We should be testing people's cholesterol at a younger age. Certainly as early as between pre-teen. >> Wow. >> As early as Yeah. to see if there's any propensity. We should be treating people longer beyond 75 or 80. And we should be aiming for lower cholesterol levels. There are we talk about the bad cholesterol of LDL level which has now been matched it down from 70 for high risk down to 55. Good cholesterol levels of HDL going for higher levels and measuring triglycerides as well. The other things you should be asking your doctor about when you do go see him or her is what about other cholesterol markers? should be looking at LP little a or apo protein things that have always been in the background but now we're coming to the four because they're now recognized as real risk factors I've always put it on the back burner because we never had a particular treatment for either of these but they're now coming out more and more that they're risk factors and the only thing we could do about those types of risk factors is aim for lower cholesterol the easiest. >> Go ahead. >> No, I was I was going to ask for the easiest, but that that word has got to be put in quotation marks. The easiest way for someone to maintain a low cholesterol or actually uh you get to the point where they have a low cholesterol uh what would that be? >> That's exactly what what my next point was going to be. All the articles that have come out have talked about the medications that are out there to lower cholesterol and all the guidelines are talking about how to treat and what to use and they're all talking about the statins. The statins have been around for about 30 or 40 years, >> right? >> Uh every stat that I can think about is now generic, so it's not very expensive. And for those who cannot take statins either because they have muscle pain uh they don't get along with medication uh they may have some liver damage or may interact with whatever they're taking. There are injectable medications uh most notably in the northeast it's lassa as an injectable medication and there are some other medications that are alternatives. Um, you had mentioned the best way to get down to a low cholesterol and that was going to be my second point that none of the articles were really talking about and what we call lifestyle modification diet and exercise. Uh, specifically they're recommending 30 minutes four to five times a week of really aerobic exercise, doing things that will increase your heart rate. going downstairs and using the treadmill, going outside for a walk, uh jumping, playing ball, anything that will increase your heart rate, get you to sweat, will help you lower cholesterol. And finally, trying to avoid all those bad foods that raise cholesterol will also help. No one will be a vegetarian, but the best exercise I tell people is pushing the plate away. >> Oh, Dr. Mark, very clever. What is the um what is the worst food one can eat on a regular basis if they're worried about their cholesterol level? >> Just off the top of my head, I think with elamitate as cha the bone marrow uh fat uh fat of red meat. >> I have a new I have a new reason not to eat cha. Fantastic. I love it. I always try to figure out a way to avoid it when I'm offered it. Now I can say it's a medical thing. >> Now for me, you and I will have to elbow the way all the other people away from the salad when we go for that. >> You know me, it's the first table I go to. Dr. Mark recommends everybody push away the plates, eat healthier, lower those cholesterol numbers, be in touch with your doctor, do some exercise, watch your diet. Boy oh boy, we're leaving this session with a whole list, Dr. Mark. And I hope we stick to it. >> Amen, brother. Let's hope. Let's hope. You look, you know the makeup. Look, you see a lot of patients. Uh obviously you uh are very familiar with people from our community and you probably know the uh the mo the profile of this audience or this type of audience. How many people, what percentage do you think do in fact take your words seriously and do in fact make the effort to um to get those numbers down, to eat properly, to exercise, to implement everything you've suggested in this conversation into their lives? >> I think if I can be successful with 50 to 60%, I'd be very happy. >> Agreed. I think if I also reach another 20% like the person I'm about to go see now from my community who's 71 looked like he was in great shape and surprised us all when he needed bypass surgery >> and I turned to him yesterday when I made rounds I said look we've gotten used to all of this now we have to talk about what we need to screen your family and I think earlier longer and lower are the best three things I can tell Good advice on this LA bom. Day 32 folks, a day that we spend talking a little bit about heart healthiness all these years because LA is 32 and today the day before Log Bulmer is La Bmer and I thank you Dr. Mark, wish you continued success in helping people through all these difficult situations or all these uh not not always difficult but challenging situations. Let's put it that way. And I thank you so much for joining us this morning. >> My pleasure. Have a good to >> Yum toe. He actually made it into a holiday, folks. Could you imagine? Oh boy. Oh boy. Every time Dr. Mark is on, especially when he speaks publicly. It's one thing when he says things to me privately, but when he says things publicly, I like, am I going to heed his advice? Am I going to try to implement the things that he's recommending? It's the best thing for all of us. So, let's Hope.