Nearly 4 years ago, I had an angioplasty. It’s a procedure where a small mesh tube called a stent is inserted in the narrowed area of the artery 𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘪 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘰́𝘯. Prior to that, I’ve been missing heartbeats several times a day -double whenever I see my lovely wife, pressure on the chest that felt like a towel was resting against it. When the symptoms persisted, I consulted a doctor. I was wired for 24 hours where my BP, heartbeats, and the Tokyo Nikkei index were monitored. Treadmill and ECG, too. Findings: NORMAL! Fit as a bull!

But fit my foot cos the symptoms persisted. Plus pain in my nipples and sternum. The last time I felt pain in my nipples was during puberty. I’ve heard of a second childhood. But second puberty? What’s next, hair on my chest?

Instead of believing the results of the tests, I listened to what my body was telling me. Back to my cardio doctor. This time, he suggested a Stress Echo -an exercise that brings you close to a heart attack! Results: Blockage! Where and how severe can only be determined by yet another procedure, angiogram, which later revealed I did have 80% blockage somewhere in the left ventricle 𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘪 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘰́𝘯.

In the family, I was most unlikely to be in a heart mess. I don’t eat meat that much, I’ve never smoked, never a regular drinker. I regularly run 3-5kms. "Because your body is made of substandard alloys!" I was told during my cardio-rehab. I was also told that I will likely have another one in 10 years, as most of the patients had. I told myself 𝘺 𝘮𝘪 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘰́𝘯 that we’re not going back there!

And so I studied about this disease. In my extensive Google research, I found out that a strict plant-based diet can even reverse the effects of atherosclerosis (search for Dr. Esselstyn). So I went vegan in my first year after the procedure and vegetarian since. I’ve also been running 5kms twice a week and do weight workouts like I’m fighting Pacquiao next week. I will defeat this disease! And that’s coming 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘰́𝘯.

Cheers to victory!

#MyCafeNotes