Expert Heart Health Tips and Coronavirus Updates with Dr. Joel Kahn

FAQs

• What is a calcium score CT scan?

  Dr. Kahn called it a calcium CT scan whose real focus is the heart arteries, which get clogged up and calcified, what people call hardening of the arteries. He said you want as little calcium in them as possible, or none, and that he sees patients whose scans come back at 500, 800 or a thousand. Kevin said he was in the room with the machine about 15 minutes, and the test cost $99.

• What was Kevin Dietz's calcium score result?

  Kevin’s score was 39.5. Dr. Kahn said one of his three heart arteries had no calcium and the other two had 22 and 16.5. He said it was not a scary result, but that Kevin needs to do a little work: a little gym work and a little better diet.

• What can people do to protect themselves from coronavirus?

  Dr. Kahn recommended hygienic measures, such as washing your hands and being careful about doorknobs, especially in public bathrooms, along with good sleep, eating well, some fitness, and not overdoing alcohol, sweets or fried foods. He said ginger, turmeric, onions, garlic and mushrooms may boost the immune system, and mentioned mushroom immune boosters, an elderberry mix, and Brazil nuts, which contain selenium that may help the body kill viruses.

• What is the five-day program Dr. Kahn mentioned?

  Dr. Kahn described it as a five-day, 800-calorie-a-day program out of the University of Southern California that his office carries. He said it and intermittent fasting both can help manage weight and inflammation, that the program releases stem cells from the bone marrow, and suggested doing it two to three times a year.

• What study did Dr. Kahn cite about stents and bypass surgery?

  Dr. Kahn cited a gigantic study that made headlines in November, which he called the largest, most expensive cardiology study ever done. He said it found that people facing bypass or stents who were given medication, lifestyle and exercise changes were just as likely to be alive and doing well at three to four years. He said that if you’re not in the ER or coronary care unit, it’s worth trying to avoid procedures through lifestyle change.