Denial is likely your worst enemy when it comes to preventing heart disease. In this video, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, author of Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum’s Heart Book: Every Woman’s Guide to a Heart Healthy Life as well as Bottom Line’s “At the Heart of It All” blog, explains how living in denial and ignoring heart disease is dangerous because it delays or prevents care that can protect the heart. Denial can take many forms; from not going to the doctor or getting checkups to skipping, neglecting or dropping medications altogether, and even continuing to eat an unhealthy diet. But no matter what form denial takes, ignoring a chronic health issue is going to hurt you in the long term. The healthy alternative, Dr. Steinbaum states, is to break through this denial and take charge of your own health. This means keeping doctor’s appointments and talking to your physician about any medication issues or concerns rather than ignoring them. There is no quick fix for heart disease or other metabolic issues; these conditions require ongoing management.

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum is a cardiologist, author and spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign. She has devoted her career to treating heart disease through early detection, education and prevention. For more great tips from Dr. Steinbaum, check out her other videos and Bottom Line blog, At The Heart Of It All.

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