How to Change Your Lifestyle to Prevent Heart Disease with Dr. Jherie Ducombs

How often do you think about your heart?  Do you only think about it when you or a loved one are sick?  What if you could make lifestyle changes now to improve your heart health?   For this week’s episode of the Weekend Wellness Hour show, we discussed lifestyle and heart disease prevention with Dr. Jherie Ducombs.  Dr. Ducombs had wanted to be a physician since she was young but chose to specialize in cardiology when her grandfather passed from a heart attack and she saw the potential of helping others.    Dr. Ducombs explained what heart disease means and how it's the leading cause of death in the United States.  She touched on the various forms and types of heart disease, including ones that are congenital.    We discussed how genetics can play a role in various heart conditions, but  atrial fibrillation, one of the most common ailments, is often related to unhealthy lifestyle choices. In fact, she mentioned that 80% of the conditions could be avoided through lifestyle improvements.    We also discussed the importance of diet and nutrition for our heart health.  She explained the most important factors when it comes to what you put in your body.   Dr. Ducombs gave more tips regarding sleep, stress, cholesterol and exercise and what to consider for each of these topics in regards to the heart.  She admitted that most changes must come from a person's desire to change and while the changes are simple, they are hard to implement.   Dr. Ducombs is a practicing Cardiologist, Assistant Chief Medical Officer of her local community hospital and previously Chairman of the Network Operations Council for it’s multi-specialty Physician Group.  She also serves as the Women in Cardiology Section Chair and past Secretary-Treasurer for the Louisiana Chapter of the American College of Cardiology.  Some of her most rewarding accolades include being named Physician of the Year by her colleagues in 2010 and being chosen as one of ten 2019 “Women in Medicine” honorees by the New Orleans contingent of the American Heart Association and FestiGals.   Please join us to learn about how to make simple lifestyle changes to improve your heart health!   Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Jherie Ducombs at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jherie-ducombs/.   -Dr. Amy Novotny   Subscribe to PABR Institute's email list for free Tips for Relief: https://pabrinstitute.activehosted.com/f/1   www.pabrinstitute.com