{"id":65289,"date":"2018-02-02T07:15:58","date_gmt":"2018-02-02T12:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=65289"},"modified":"2021-05-13T10:24:11","modified_gmt":"2021-05-13T14:24:11","slug":"bob-harper-heart-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/bob-harper-heart-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"What Bob Harper Learned from His Heart Attack"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"What
Photo: Daily Burn Black Fire<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Heart disease can happen to anyone \u2014 even the fittest trainers. When Bob Harper had a near-fatal heart attack last February, it was the last thing he thought could happen. The then 51-year-old <\/span>Daily Burn Black Fire<\/span><\/a> trainer was in top shape, followed a healthy <\/span>Paleo diet<\/span><\/a> and had routine check-ups with his cardiologist. \u201cI was working out and felt really good,\u201d Harper recounts. <\/span><\/p>\n

But during a training session at BRICK New York, Harper suddenly collapsed. The next thing he remembers was waking up in a hospital bed surrounded by family and friends. \u201cI didn\u2019t have any <\/span>traditional signs<\/span><\/a> of a heart attack, so it was a major surprise when I woke up in the hospital two days later,\u201d Harper says. <\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Why Young People Need to Worry About Cholesterol, Too<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Heart Disease Can Be a Silent Killer<\/h2>\n

Heart disease runs in Harper\u2019s family. His mother and grandfather (his mother\u2019s father) both passed away from a <\/span>heart attack<\/span><\/a> at age 70. \u201cWhen a person dies at 70 of a heart attack, a red flag doesn\u2019t necessarily go up, but my doctor told me I had a bit of an issue with cholesterol,\u201d Harper says. Harper later discovered that he had high levels of <\/span>lipoprotein<\/span><\/a>, a particle in your blood that carries cholesterol, fats and proteins. Lipoprotein can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease because it builds up fatty deposits in your arteries. What makes it difficult to treat lipoprotein is that the amount you have in your blood depends on your genes \u2014 and diet and exercise have little to no impact. <\/span><\/p>\n

While genetics play a large role in your heart disease risk factors, <\/span>Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum<\/span><\/a>, D.O., a preventive cardiologist from New York and a national Go Red For Women volunteer, says keeping track of your numbers always helps. \u201cPeople who have a family history of heart disease should monitor their cholesterol and <\/span>blood pressure<\/span><\/a>. If you have a parents who had a heart attack at age 45, you shouldn\u2019t wait until you\u2019re 45 to get your heart checked,\u201d Dr. Steinbaum says. <\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>How Old Is Your Heart? Try This Calculator to Find Out<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

5 Strategies to Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk<\/h3>\n

It was a long road to recovery, Harper says. \u201cFor the longest time, the only activity I could do was walk, and then it was me going back to the gym and being able to trust that I\u2019ll be alright when I work out.\u201d But today, <\/span>The<\/span><\/i> Biggest Loser <\/span><\/i>host continues to take proactive steps to protect his health \u2014 starting with his diet and exercise routine. <\/span><\/p>\n

With that said, here are some of Steinbaum\u2019s top tips to reduce your risk of heart disease and stay healthy. Plus, learn how Harper is following doctors\u2019 orders post-heart attack. <\/span><\/p>\n

1. Follow a healthy, balanced diet.<\/h3>\n

Sticking to a clean eating routine can help protect your heart, since many pre-packaged foods are loaded with saturated fat, salt and sugar \u2014 a triple threat to your ticker. Dr. Steinbaum recommends <\/span>the DASH diet<\/span><\/a> and Mediterranean diet for heart health. \u201cThese diets are filled with vegetables and fruits, whole grains and heart-healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids,\u201d Dr. Steinbaum says. But the worst diet for your heart? The <\/span>ketogenic diet<\/span><\/a>. \u201cKetosis is the unhealthiest state for your heart,\u201d Dr. Steinbaum says. \u201cWe know that <\/span>saturated fat<\/span><\/a> increases your risk of heart disease.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Leading up to the incident, Harper was following a Paleo diet, but since his heart attack, he has a new approach to <\/span>clean eating<\/span><\/a>. In his latest book, <\/span>The Super Carb Diet: Shed Pounds, Build Strength Eat Real Food<\/span><\/i><\/a>, Harper talks about the benefits of whole grains and the <\/span>complex carbohydrates<\/span><\/a> in vegetables and fruits. \u201cI was working on the book before my heart attack, and back then I was relying solely on <\/span>macro nutrients<\/span><\/a>, like protein and fat,\u201d Harper says. But Harper realized that people who are following a grain-free or Paleo diet are missing essential nutrients from whole grains that can help lower cholesterol. \u201cWhat I learned about following a heart-healthy diet is to have balance. I don\u2019t want people to be afraid of \u2018carbage,\u2019\u201d he says. <\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Everything You Need to Know About the Top Diet Plans<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

2. Exercise, but keep an eye on intensity.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Working out has many benefits: It\u2019s good for your heart, boosts your <\/span>metabolism<\/span><\/a> burns fat and makes you feel good. But there\u2019s such thing as adding too much intensity too soon. If you\u2019re new to working out, ease into a regular routine before you jump into more intense workouts, like <\/span>HIIT<\/span><\/a>. \u201cHIIT could be beneficial in preventing heart disease, but the more important thing is getting at least 150 minutes of cardio and weight training each week,\u201d Steinbaum says. \u201cThat could be walking, running or cycling. It doesn\u2019t need to be an extreme form of exercise,\u201d she says. <\/span><\/p>\n

After his heart attack, Harper changed his exercise routine and dialed down the intensity of his workouts. \u201cI used to do workouts at a really high intensity, but now I\u2019m not as concerned about pushing myself to such extremes. I balance my workouts with more <\/span>yoga<\/span><\/a>,\u201d he says. Bottom line is to become more active, whether that\u2019s through HIIT, running or weightlifting. <\/span>
\n<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

3. Manage stress.<\/h3>\n

Beyond diet and exercise, Dr. Steinbaum says keeping stress and anxiety to a minimum is an important component of heart disease prevention. \u201c<\/span>Stress<\/span><\/a> can cause depression and increase heart disease risk two to four-fold. Managing these parts of ourselves are actually critical to preventing heart disease,\u201d she says. To help alleviate stress, Harper practices <\/span>transcendental meditation<\/span><\/a>. \u201cTranscendental meditation makes me feel better. When I do yoga and meditation, I\u2019m able to make time for myself and be present for everyone in my life,\u201d Harper says. <\/span><\/p>\n

4. See your doctor regularly.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Cholesterol and blood pressure aren\u2019t the only numbers you should be tracking. Dr. Steinbaum says to also monitor significant weight gain or changes to your <\/span>blood sugar<\/span><\/a>. \u201cWhat\u2019s interesting is that many women will learn about their heart disease risk when they\u2019re pregnant because they might develop high blood pressure and gestational diabetes during this time,\u201d Dr. Steinbaum explains. Heart disease takes decades to develop, but the real risks happen in your 20s and 30s. \u201cBeing overweight or obese can predispose you for heart disease and other conditions, like diabetes and metabolic syndrome. They\u2019re all related,\u201d she says. <\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Is Sugar Worse Than Salt When It Comes to Your Heart?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

5. Stay committed to your health.<\/h3>\n

You can\u2019t change your genes, but what you can control about your heart health is how well you take care of it. \u201cHeart disease is 80 percent preventable. When people know that they can reverse their risks through healthy lifestyle choices, it makes the disease less scary,\u201d Dr. Steinbaum says. For Harper, it means being able to trust his heart again. \u201cDuring my recovery, it took a lot for me to go back to gym and know that my heart could handle it,\u201d he says. \u201cThe gym was a safe and happy place for me before my heart attack, so it\u2019s been a growing experience. It\u2019s completely changed my relationship with my heart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Read More
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As one of TV\u2019s fittest trainers, Bob Harper didn\u2019t expect to have a heart attack at age 51. Here\u2019s how heart disease changed his life, and what experts recommend to stay healthy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":65294,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7],"tags":[41,289,224,62,71,345,402],"class_list":["post-65289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","tag-diets","tag-exercise","tag-illness","tag-interview","tag-nutrition","tag-tax1conditions","tag-tax2heart-disease"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65289"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65289\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}