one house, two cardiologists

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More Q & A

Q. How much exercise do you do, and what is your cardio activity du jour?

Sharonne: It’s never enough! But as I tell my patients, when it comes to moving, anything is better than nothing, and more is always better! I’ve had to be creative to carve out time to stay fit, and through doing so, I feel I can help my busy patients figure out solutions, too. I used to play singles tennis regularly, which is a great workout and lots of fun, but I found I could no longer find the time to get to the tennis courts or gym regularly.

We now have a treadmill and a stationary bike at home and nice walking and biking routes nearby. I average 45 minutes three to five times a week on the bike or the treadmill using a built-in hill-climbing program. When I finish the cardio, I do some resistance training with light weights and some core strengthening. I try to make up for missed days with longer sessions on weekends. I make an effort to get an additional 30–40 minutes of moderate-intensity walking each day, even if it’s not all in one session. I periodically wear a pedometer to check my progress. I no longer use the elevator at work, taking the stairs instead. On a typical workday I go up and down 12–18 floors, and some days considerably more. During the summer I also bike with David and the kids.

David: For many years my exercise was mainly nonaerobic. Even though I’m not at all your stereotypical weight lifter, I did strength training on a regular basis. I did free weights and select machines. Increasing frequency of committee meetings and administrative duties eventually took up all of the time normally set aside for weight lifting. It had become something I enjoyed, and even though I wasn’t doing a lot of cardio, I was in the best shape I’d even been in.

More recently I’ve gotten into biking. It’s not hard-core long-distance biking, but enough of a ride that I get my heart rate up and keep it up. It’s definitely improved my cardio fitness. We both hope that having a dedicated space for both aerobic exercise and toning will make it easier to expand our fitness efforts. We’ll have an elliptical trainer, a universal weight system, and some yoga mats in addition to our current bike and treadmill.

Q. What are the three most important steps women and men must take to prevent heart disease?

David: Our top three steps for heart health apply equally to men and women. Not smoking and avoiding environmental smoke is an absolute must for everyone, especially for women, for whom smoking is a greater risk. The evidence of the havoc that smoking can wreak on the coronary arteries is incontrovertible, even just smoking three or four cigarettes per day or being exposed to secondhand smoke.

Sharonne: You can probably tell that we feel pretty strongly about a healthy diet. You certainly don’t need to be vegetarian to have a heart-healthy diet, but if you are a meat-and-potatoes kind of eater, try adding some new dishes or ingredients to your menu. Most of us get into food ruts, cycling through the same things over and over again. The thought of a major overhaul can feel overwhelming.

I tell people who are interested in improving their diets that they should browse the cooking aisle at a bookstore and buy a healthy or ethnic cookbook that introduces them to new preparation techniques and ingredients and includes nutrition information. The recipes in Heart-Healthy Living™ are also great to try. Serve one new healthy or meatless dish each week. If you and your family like it, plan to make it again in a month. If not, cross it off the list and try something completely different the next week. Aim to eat at least five servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day; choose whole grain and complex carbs over refined foods; use legumes, nuts, and low-fat dairy products; and limit saturated and trans fats. Gradual change will reap huge benefits.

David: As for exercise, you don’t have to have a hard-core exercise routine or belong to a gym to stay heart- healthy. The most important thing is to move—and move on a daily basis. Regular activity reduces heart disease risk as powerfully as most of the drugs we prescribe. Everyone should get a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity (such as brisk walking) each day. Do more, and you’ll get fitter and burn more calories.

Q. How do you manage stress? Any tips for time-pressed women and men?

Sharonne: Everyone I know feels stressed and time-pressed these days. It’s how you deal with stress that determines whether or not the stress is harmful to your health. I’m the first to admit that our family is not the model for stress-free living!

David: Particularly when I’m stressed, and even when I’m not, sitting down at the piano and playing to my heart’s content is one of the most relaxing activities I can think of. I’ve been playing since I was a child, and it’s always been a source of pleasure and renewal.

Sharonne: And the side benefit is that the whole family gets to enjoy his music!
My biggest issue is being overcommitted—at work, at home, in the community—and it has affected my entire family. I’ve said “yes” to things that I didn’t really want to do, or maybe would have wanted to do if I had all the time in the world, or because it was easier than saying no. After getting committed up to my eyeballs a few years back, I started a new tack and tried to take back some control. In a concrete way (in writing), I outlined what my personal priorities and mid- and long-term life goals were, both on the home front and at work. Some goals were specific, some were fairly broad, but the act of defining them was really therapeutic and practical. I’m not perfect, but now when I’m offered a new opportunity at work, to travel to give a speech, or to organize a fund-raiser for school, I take a step back and ask myself a few questions before answering:

• Do I really want to do it? (If it’s not something I want to do, I may still say yes, but it’s because it rates favorably in the following questions.)
• What are the costs (e.g. time, stress, inconvenience, family impact)?
• What are the benefits (e.g. career advancement, personal satisfaction, helps the kids, new skill set)?
• Will this move me closer to my ultimate personal or career goals, or is it a diversion or hindrance?
• Is it aligned with who I am or who I want to be?

Repeatedly going through this process has helped me feel much more in control (which is a stress reliever in itself). I still am overcommitted but can honestly say that the vast majority of things I’ve agreed to do in the past two or three years are those that I do not regret.