How to save your heart from the attack?

Heart attack is the biggest killer. Today morning brought in the sad news of the demise of singer Krishnakumar Kunnath or KK as he was more popularly known as. As per available information KK the probable cause of death is heart attack. The singer was performing live in Kolkata when he reportedly felt uneasy and returned to his hotel. He collapsed on the hotel stairs and passed away before he could be taken to the hospital. 

There have been innumerable cases of individuals just collapsing and passing away without giving a warning. KK did not have any inkling of what was coming? The heart did not communicate any signals? Hard to believe but it appears to have happened that way.  

My experience…. 

I have been through heart attacks and can say it with certainty that heart communicates when it is under stress. Unfortunately, we misunderstand or ignore the signals. I had endured uneasiness in chest and upper stomach for nearly a month in the name of acidity. Most of us live in denial; it cannot happen to me.  

I thought I was very fit. I used to run 7 km every day, was a teetotaller, ate healthy and there was no history of heart attacks in my family. When I reached the hospital with severe feeling of uneasiness in the chest, I was diagnosed with having all three arteries blocked. I could not believe what the Doctor said but then he had the supporting evidence.  

Why did I end up with all three arteries blocked despite doing everything right. Well, the issue was diagnosed with my blood, it is prone to clotting. The danger increases after 50 years of age.  

How to avoid a heart attack? 

After my personal experience I am convinced no one can guarantee you a heart attack free life. It is all in your own hands or I should say in the mind.  

Lifestyle. I survived the heart attack because of my healthy lifestyle. The heart was healthy enough to sustain all the ‘nonsense’ I put it through. As per the doctors’ there was hardly any blood in the heart when angiography was performed on me. The heart kept complaining but beating because of the relatively healthy lifestyle I maintained. 

Stress. Have a positive control on your thoughts. If mind is stress free rest everything will be fine. I understand stress is cannot be done away with but we can always have a control on external events affecting our lives. Control your anger, it only hurts you. We increase our stress by trying to control everything happening around us. Only thing you should try to control is your mind.   

Stress is part of a soldier’s life. He is constantly pulled in different directions by family and professional needs. Prolonged deployment in remote/ difficult areas, fighting the enemy/ weather also adds to the stress. But this stress normally doesn’t kill. What kills is the unnecessary stress one buys/ invites.  

Read the signals. Heart does not only speak the language of love; it also speaks when it is under stress. The problem is that pain also it conveys very softly and prefers to die silently. One got to be alert to read the signals. It speaks by way of uneasiness in the chest and stomach, burning sensation, loss of breath and finally severe chest pain. My heart kept communicating to me for one month before it finally decided to give me a jolt.  

Do not test your body. Whenever you feel too uneasy just sit down there only. Please see your doctor if the uneasiness persists long despite medication/ precautions.  

Health check-ups. Regular health check-ups are the best bet against heart attack. After 30 years of age annual full body check-ups should become a routine. After 40 the heart should become your prime concern. The best favour you can do to your heart is by keeping the mind in control. Add an annual Treat Mill Test (TMT) to the professional calendar after 45.  

Priority. Most problems occur in life due to getting the priorities wrong. Profession cannot take precedence over personal life. Family needs cannot be neglected for profession. Learn to maintain balance between personal and profession life. The more time you spend praying, playing and eating with the family/ friends less will be the chances a heart attack.  

Conclusion…. 

An individual is alive only as long as the heart is beating. No one take better care of the heart than the individual himself.  

Adopt a healthy lifestyle, be regular with the health check-ups and understand the language the heart speaks when it is under duress.  

Lessons the heart attack taught me….

My take on the heart attack and the aftereffects….