Your Heart Maintenance

Dr Johan Janssen has been listening to, measuring and mending his patients' hearts for over 40 years. A large part of his role as a Cardiologist is to educate his patients in heart functions and health.

He has written this book to help further serve not only his patients but every person who has a beating heart inside their body. The straight-talking, conversational tone of this book explains the intricacies of the heart, its functions, its incredible design and its diseases in easy-to-understand terms.

Dr Janssen likens this pump in our bodies to an engine with all its working parts. All cars need to be checked and fine-tuned and likewise our own internal pump. This piece of machinery works with electrical, plumbing, and mechanical functions which all work together. It works long and hard for us to live a healthy life, but unfortunately humans don't always afford the respect it needs. Poor lifestyle choices and hereditary conditions can affect the functioning of the heart, and Dr Janssen goes into friendly detail about what is best for this incredible organ.

In "Your Heart Maintenance" we learn all about blood pressure and how to manage it, cholesterol, and angina. He walks us through the various diseases of the heart and the valves and how they are diagnosed. What happens during a heart attack and the best action to take is described in full. It is fascinating to learn how surgeons fix heart problems by inserting stents, balloons to bypass unhealthy areas, and even the ins and outs of heart transplantation.

Full of interesting facts about where the names of conditions come from, useful advice (don't smoke!), and diet and nutritional tips, the reader comes away feeling secure that whatever the problem, it will leave them feeling empowered and fully informed. The advice is progressive and preventative, suggesting we should follow the existing early childhood checks with thorough heart and general health checks from the age of 11 onwards every 6 years or so. Should any heart issues occur, this book is ideal for patients to decipher medical reports or understand doctors who use too much medical terminology. The author encourages the idea that everyone can and should form a partnership with their GP and cardiologist to support them in the journey to achieving and maintaining good health and longevity.