Dr. Joel Kahn’s Top Tips for Living your Healthiest Life
Cardiologist Dr. Joel Kahn joins Mike to talk about clean eating, the pros and cons of keto and intermittent fasting, when to take blood pressure medication, and why he says anyone 45 or older should get a calcium CT scan of the heart.
About This Episode
Dr. Joel Kahn is a renowned cardiologist and author who has pioneered the integration of holistic medicine and nutrition into the cardiology field. With a passion for reversing and preventing disease and premature death through heart health and diet, Dr. Kahn has been featured on numerous outlets including Dr. Oz, the Joe Rogan Experience, Huffington Post, Dr. Phil, Larry King, and many more.
In this exclusive interview with Mike, Dr. Kahn gives his take on:
•What to start doing today to increase your life expectancy •What foods to eat, and which to avoid •The best time to take blood pressure medication •Whether or not intermittent fasting works •The hype surrounding the keto diet, fast food, and what most American don’t know about heart health and more…
Show Notes
- Introducing today’s guest, Dr. Joel Kahn
- Welcome to Open Mike, with Kevin Dietz and my personal cardiologist, Dr. Kahn. We’re talking about everything health-related — what exercise you should be doing, what you should be eating.
- Since Mike has been working with Dr. Kahn, all of his numbers have been improving.
- You like to talk about studies and epidemiology… you’re not saying anything that controversial. So, why do people argue with you about your diets?
- It’s the most exciting time in human history to be a physician; there have been incredible, recent advancements in medicine.
- Dr. Kahn’s educational background and how he got into practicing medicine.
- Dr. Kahn was doing traditional cardio-medicine until he opened up his integrative, cardiology practice, which is kind of a concierge service. They don’t accept insurance and charge patients a considerable, but not excessive, fee for a detailed consultation and come up with a course of cardiac treatment. It’s known as a functional medicine root cause.
- Mike had never had someone take a comprehensive history before seeing Dr. Kahn.
- Why are there only 10 doctors like you in the country?
- Dr. Kahn was recently on a movie set with Joaquin Phoenix, teaching him how to “walk and talk” like a doctor.
- There are so many different diets out there… what’s the best diet on the market right now?
- Quinoa should be the only food ingredient that’s hard to spell. Meaning, stick to clean, natural foods without tons of chemicals and preservatives in them.
- For the people, who are listening, you will also treat people who eat meat, although you may try to convince them otherwise. What do you think of the Keto diet?
- There is more “religion” backing the Keto diet than there is science. The science backing it actually correlates to a study of diet changes in helping treat children with epilepsy.
- How is Keto different from the Atkins diet? What is Ketosis?
- Is the takeaway that Keto is good in the short-term, but not great in the long-term?
- I have a lot of friends who are hesitant to visit doctors. When was the last time you went to a doctor?
- If Kevin came in to see you, what would you do for him?
- Check out Dr. Kahn’s book, Dead Execs Don’t Get Bonuses
- Do people with great heredity and genes come in experiencing problems?
- I know you love Valter Longo and his book The Longevity Diet. What are your thoughts on intermittent fasting?
- Every home, office, and public space should be equipped with a water filtration system.
- Late night eating is a big problem that can age you, promote diabetes, brain aging, etc.
- Is intermittent fasting about losing weight or heart health?
- Is there any healthy fast food?
- Taco Bell is pretty friendly for plant-based options.
- Dr. Kahn imparts some recommendations for eating vegan at home, which can be challenging if you’re unaccustomed to vegan cooking.
- Does your diet have an impact on depression?
- Is soy good for you?
- I’m going to bounce around a little bit. You and I talk a lot about exercise. What’s the best exercise program out there right now? How many minutes per week should you have your heart rate over 82-83%?
- Should you take blood pressure medicine in the morning or evening?
- Mike discusses his former cardiologist and how his recommendations differ from Dr. Kahn’s.
- What is your opinion on Statins?
- What is the healthiest oil out there these days?
- Canola oil is actually good for high-temperature cooking because it contains Omega-3s. Avocado and Coconut oil which are popularly used, don’t contain them.
- Can you talk about Bernie Sanders’ heart attack?
- If you want to learn more about CT scans, check out The Widowmaker on Netflix.
- Dr. Kahn, thank you for coming on the show. I highly recommend anyone who hasn’t seen a doctor in many years to contact you. Thank you so much, it was a pleasure.
FAQs
-
What is the simplest rule for choosing healthy food, according to Dr. Kahn?
Dr. Kahn says the best distinction is clean versus dirty. He counts food from a drive-through window, a vending machine or a gas station as dirty, and offers simple food rules: if it’s made in a plant, skip it; if it’s made on a plant, eat it. He recommends one-ingredient foods such as cucumber, broccoli and celery, and says to get away from junk and the frozen food in the middle of the grocery store.
-
Is the keto diet a good long-term choice for heart health?
Dr. Kahn says keto predictably brings some weight loss, but calls it a bad long-term option with animal foods: he says 10 serious research studies show death rates go up over 10 to 20 years on the animal-food ketogenic diet, including a study of 240,000 people. He adds that about 30% of people on the animal keto diet see cholesterol go from 180 to 580 in about six weeks. Keto can be done with 100% plants, he says, though there is no science on that yet.
-
How many hours does Dr. Kahn suggest for intermittent fasting?
Dr. Kahn says the simplest approach is time-restricted eating: not eating for 12 to 14 hours a day while drinking water or herbal tea. He commonly goes from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m., about 14 hours. He says it gives your body 12 hours to rebuild damaged DNA and build up antioxidant stores, and that Dr. Longo would say 12 to 14 hours is enough. He adds that a brittle diabetic should be careful and probably not do it.
-
When is the best time to take blood pressure medication?
Dr. Kahn says evening, citing a new 19,000-patient study out of Europe in which half the group took all their blood pressure medicine in the morning and half at night. He says blood pressure in the night group responded better both at night and during the day, and heart attacks, strokes and hospitalizations went down by as much as 50%. He says it is not yet an absolute hard and fast rule and advises talking to your doctor.
-
Why does Dr. Kahn recommend a heart calcium CT scan for people over 45?
Dr. Kahn says it is irresponsible to be 45 or older and not know whether your coronary arteries are aging gracefully or at an incredibly accelerated rate. He calls heart disease the number one killer of men and women, with sudden heart attacks that come with no warning, and says that for a hundred dollars at your local hospital you can get a painless CT scan, with no needles, that takes ten seconds and gives you a number.
Keep Listening
More Episodes
Ep 5
Dec 23, 2019
Attorney Matt Bates on the Truth About Insurance Companies
with Matt Bates Watch Episode
Ep 4
Dec 22, 2019
Attorney Don Cummings on How to Get a Great Lawyer for Free
with Don Cummings Watch Episode
Ep 3
Dec 21, 2019
