Second Chance at Life
On my first anniversary of Myocardial Infarction (MI, a.k.a heart attack), I feel a sense of obligation to share a few thoughts in retrospective. It has been a transformational year in my overall well-being, which I feel grateful for. I owe it to fellow humans out in the wild, so here it goes.
1. Quash Worries
I feel unshackled from worries. In hindsight, they were self-inflicted — byproducts of my endless capacity to generate and allow worrisome scenarios to get to me since I started remote work many moons ago. The fact about work and chores is they will always remain in ceaseless supply. They outlast any single individual in pursuit of getting their share accomplished. Accomplish we shall — but on our own terms. We all eventually run out of time before we run out of work. The future of human skilled labor is a fascinating topic to dissect in this new brave world of AI copilots, but I digress.
Realizing that affords me a psychological freedom to uncouple from the day’s goings-on and enjoy a worry-free night no matter what transpired during office hours. As William Irvine puts it, billions of fellow humans would gladly swap their best day with my worst workday. That clarifies my perspective and allows me to prioritize what deserves my undivided attention during and off work hours. Work is fun but not worth fretting over. Illusions of changing the world are for boardrooms and executives with bigger fish to fry.
2. Make Diet Work
I have settled on a custom diet with caloric restriction that works for me. A sharp departure from my upbringing as an eastern herbivore to a western omnivore was, in hindsight, a couple of decades long gastronomic escapade that I paid for dearly. I have now settled into an eclectic mix of heart-healthy proteins (no red meat), supergrains, legumes, fruits, and veggies in choice, preparation, and portion size. The most impactful has been the reduction in portion size. It has paid noticeable dividends. Of course, there is always room to binge on cheat days, but I am a living reminder of the havoc clogged arteries can wreak. I choose moderation, thank you.
3. Exercise For Life
On the heels of recently devouring the audio book “Outlive — The Science and Art of Longevity,” I am convinced I am inching back on the right track. Cardio rehab lasted ninety days, but reacquainted me to the existence of my body, fragile and in desperate need of attention. It is a machine, not unlike my automobile, needing regular service. After getting released into the wild, I remain clear-eyed on exercise as my good pal for life. Boosting VO2 max is my daily mantra. Last month, I participated in a Step-a-thon challenge and arrived at new vistas of endurance with steps equivalent to half-marathon daily. I have no idea when my clock will run out, but is feels cosmic to inhabit my body — to experience my current levels of stamina and vitality, not to mention sound sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and sleep for eight worry-free hours.
During the few months leading up to the incident, I was trying to get in a decent physical shape at age forty-five. But the bodily decline was already long time in the making. I don’t know how my third decade just evaporated. Again, in hindsight, a sedentary life was ticking timebomb. Our bodies evolved for hardscrabble life in the African Savanna, not for a la-z-boy. Having dedicated my career to cerebral pursuits in IT, it never occurred that a sound body is necessary for a sound mind — which cannot exist independently. Not being obese doesn’t equate to being healthy, but its easy to get lulled into a false sense of bodily health. Get an annual physical is the moral of my story. Catch the biomarkers for the four horsemen of the medical apocalypse early — as early as as in your thirties.
Life and Death
As we stop growing (as in peak growth before our twenties), we are already on a downward trajectory of our biological bodies. Death and stasis are synonymous. But can we keep it at bay? And not just that, but expand our healthy lifespan despite its cold grasp infringing on our bodies? It takes progressively more effort with diminishing returns to remain in good health in our third, fourth and fifth decades, should we have the privilege. Lack of exercise is a death sentence much too early to accept. Exercise is a must.
Friendly Advise
I encourage everyone to take good care of yourself — a healthy body is essential regardless of your decade on earth. I am a living example of second chances in life in my fourth decade. Our only vehicle needs diligent care. And mind what we shovel down the hatch to keep the four horsemen at bay. For that we must live to exercise and exercise to live. I wish you all good health and longevity.
Thank you for your readership and support.
© Dr. VK. All rights reserved, 2023
