Doctor offers heart tips at Whitman luncheon
By Tiffany LaBella
Posted: 12/5/07, 12:00 AM EST Section: News
Raja Velu's heart problems began when he awoke one morning several years ago and felt nauseous. After going to an Urgent Care facility, he was told his heart was in distress.
About six weeks later, the managerial statistics professor in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management found himself in more pain. He was diagnosed with heart disease, but thanks to his wife's support, he was treated before his condition worsened.
Tuesday afternoon, Velu came together with prominent cardiologist Dr. James Longo of Crouse Hospital to speak about the dangers of heart disease in a luncheon called "Managing Your Heart." Velu personally requested that the event be organized, and he said he would be satisfied if it benefited "just one person in this room."
After speaking on his personal cardiac problem, Velu reminded his colleagues that "for every story that ends up OK, there is another that doesn't." He also noted that his wife, doctor and priest - along with a proper diet and exercise - keep him going.
Longo spoke about how to keep a healthy heart using proper diet, exercise and other preventative measures. The 33 faculty members at the event ate a heart-healthy lunch as the doctor spoke of the lack of an accurate screening procedure for vascular disease and common risk factors.
The only screening tests currently used are helpful, but not sensitive enough to pick up slight artery blockages. Longo also noted the risk of errors, which occur more often than doctors would like.
Longo named the risk factors associated with heart disease as sedentary status - or not exercising - genetics, an unhealthy diet, high blood pressure and obesity. He noted that being heart-healthy is mostly common sense. "If you are eating at Burger King every day, you don't have a good diet," he said.
After his speech, Longo gave the audience a chance to ask questions, many of which were on specific diseases or cardiac screening procedures.
The doctor exposed a popular myth regarding red wine's benefits for the heart. One glass of wine a day for men and a half a glass for women is helpful, but more than this will increase one's risk of stroke, which cancels out the benefits.
Pat Cihon, a law and public policy professor at Syracuse University, said he thought the luncheon was informative. He said that a lot of the information should have been already known to faculty members, but "it doesn't hurt to hear it."
Whitman Senior Associate Dean Clint Tankersley agreed.
"This is something good to do for our faculty and staff," he said.
About six weeks later, the managerial statistics professor in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management found himself in more pain. He was diagnosed with heart disease, but thanks to his wife's support, he was treated before his condition worsened.
Tuesday afternoon, Velu came together with prominent cardiologist Dr. James Longo of Crouse Hospital to speak about the dangers of heart disease in a luncheon called "Managing Your Heart." Velu personally requested that the event be organized, and he said he would be satisfied if it benefited "just one person in this room."
After speaking on his personal cardiac problem, Velu reminded his colleagues that "for every story that ends up OK, there is another that doesn't." He also noted that his wife, doctor and priest - along with a proper diet and exercise - keep him going.
Longo spoke about how to keep a healthy heart using proper diet, exercise and other preventative measures. The 33 faculty members at the event ate a heart-healthy lunch as the doctor spoke of the lack of an accurate screening procedure for vascular disease and common risk factors.
The only screening tests currently used are helpful, but not sensitive enough to pick up slight artery blockages. Longo also noted the risk of errors, which occur more often than doctors would like.
Longo named the risk factors associated with heart disease as sedentary status - or not exercising - genetics, an unhealthy diet, high blood pressure and obesity. He noted that being heart-healthy is mostly common sense. "If you are eating at Burger King every day, you don't have a good diet," he said.
After his speech, Longo gave the audience a chance to ask questions, many of which were on specific diseases or cardiac screening procedures.
The doctor exposed a popular myth regarding red wine's benefits for the heart. One glass of wine a day for men and a half a glass for women is helpful, but more than this will increase one's risk of stroke, which cancels out the benefits.
Pat Cihon, a law and public policy professor at Syracuse University, said he thought the luncheon was informative. He said that a lot of the information should have been already known to faculty members, but "it doesn't hurt to hear it."
Whitman Senior Associate Dean Clint Tankersley agreed.
"This is something good to do for our faculty and staff," he said.
Be the first to comment on this story