So when it comes to how I got here, you first may want to know how my dad got here. He was the biggest motivation in changing my lifestyle and in creating this blog. His prologue explains his medical issues that occurred in May 2010, and this testimonial explains why he says,”Heart Disease Saved My Life”.
I realize that this is a strange tag line, perhaps thought provoking, but it’s true. My current heart situation made me focus on the question, “How did this happen to me?” I mean really focus! In essence my heart disease led me down a lifestyle path that I believe will not only stop but reverse my progression of atherosclerosis (plaque) and allow me to live to life expectancy and beyond. My previous rant was written in the middle of the night in St. Tammany Hospital’s CCU unit, three years ago, about how I got to this point in my life. This process of reflection, research and study has brought me to some conclusions that are undeniable. First and foremost is that I am truly blessed! Wait a second, you have four stents and are on your third pacemaker! Yes, but I shouldn’t be here! Heart Disease is the number one killer in this country, more fatalities than all the cancers combined. Fifty percent of all guys find out they have a heart problem in a box! I am here to talk about it! If you clicked on the link above, you know I had a 90% widow maker blockage and my body miraculously created collaterals through endurance training to avoid a fatal heart attack. I have had no further plaque progression since my original stents, confirmed by an angiogram last August. Keep in mind, stents are only a band aid, the problem is plaque production. The latest theories on heart disease revolve around sub-particle LDL. Multiple VAP test have confirmed that I have had a significant shift from small particle LDL (Bad) to large particle LDL (good) strictly by lifestyle. I am leaner now than when I did years of ironman training over ten years ago, and I haven’t ran, biked or swam a mile in over three years, losing 35 pounds in the process. I am back to a 32 inch waist, which hasn’t happened since college, and at age 52 seems a lifetime ago. I know what you’re asking, “How did you do that?” We are not there yet! Walk with me some more.
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