Please get your heart checked with a Cardiac Calcium Score!
As most of my Facebook friends and people following my website (doctorchuma.com) know, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune form of diabetes 4 years ago which started me on my plant based diet. Along with continued regular activity, I credit being vegan for reversing my insulin resistance and has prevented me from needing not only insulin but any meds for diabetes at all. In fact, many of my markers have normalized, much to my endocrinologist’s surprise.
A few months ago, I had a test called a Cardiac Calcium Score which is a very simple, fast cat scan of the heart which looks for calcifications, which correlate with heart disease. I did it because I had read a lot about it and many cardiologists recommend doing it after 50 or even earlier if there are any risk factors like elevated blood pressure or high cholesterol. I have neither. Expecting it to be normal, I was shocked to get a result which indicated that although mild, I had calcification in one coronary artery. Unfortunately, it also happened to be the LAD (Left Anterior Descending) artery which is the main one. It’s morbidly dubbed “The Widow Maker”. If you get that one clogged, it’s often lethal.
A formal heart catheterization or CT angiogram (3D imaging of the heart) were recommended and I opted for a CT knowing I may need another procedure if the blockage was significant. It confirmed that I do have some narrowing in the LAD but fortunately, it’s mild AND does not need stenting. The rest of my heart arteries were clean. I am cleared to continue all that I am doing, including running, although I must say that I don’t think I’ll do any more long distances. I’ve spoken with a number of cardiologists and no one can explain it. Something may have happened in my heart sometime in the past and I was not aware of it. Calcification is a sign of damage and repair.
The more important point is that despite what I would consider a pretty good omnivorous diet for most of my life, following a healthy vegan diet the last 4 years and a lifetime of exercising regularly, with NO family history, I still have a blockage in my heart that was not symptomatic and potentially devastating if allowed to progress.
About 1/3rd of heart attacks are the first sign of heart disease people are alerted to and about 1/3rd of those heart attacks are lethal.
PLEASE get screened. It’s better to know than not to know. As Dr. Joel Kahn, a plant-based cardiologist with more than 30 years’ experience says: “Test. Don’t guess”.
Everyone over 50, or even younger if you have blood pressure or blood sugar issues, should consider a Cardiac Calcium Score. Most insurances cover it. If not, it’s less than $100. Minimal radiation and quick.
In addition, I strongly recommend more advanced cholesterol testing. The routine stuff misses a lot. If you use Quest Labs, it’s called a Cardio IQ panel. At Labcorp it’s called a NMR Lipo Profile.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Thanks to all of our troops for their service.
Be well.