From No Stress To Fatal Stress   Worth reading ...

"I would like to share with you an actual but very sad
occurrence which I hope may get you to ponder over
what constitutes anxieties, extremities and unnecessary
over reactions. A long story... but worth reading for
lessons learned.... you may want to pass on to others.

One of my friend's father who is a retiree in his mid-60s,
is perfectly healthy looking and behaving normal, plays
his round of golf each Sunday, does a fair bit of gardening,
keeps himself busy the rest of his time helping his son's
(my friend's) little retail business, and goes on tour/trips
every now and then .....

He was persuaded by his daughters and other well
wishers to go for His medical checkup which he had
last done before retirement some 10 years ago. He didn't
see the need to do it as he was feeling perfectly ok and
healthy. Of course, he didn't want to spend the money.

After persistent persuasion from his family, he finally
gave in (his daughters agreed to foot the bill).

First his blood test revealed a total cholesterol count
well above the 5.2 threshold (in fact close to 6). The
doctor advised that he went for his stressed ECG test.

Again he had to be persistently persuaded to go thru
that test, which he did. And it revealed some
abnormality with his heart.

Now the doctor advised that he went take the angiogram.
He resisted again and again after much pestering, he
subscribed to that invasive test......which revealed three
(3) blockages in his heart. And the doctor advised he
must go for the angioplasty.

This time he was adamant not to go any further. But it
was like the end of the world for his family members
who were all highly educated people with learned
common sense. They went thru the highest mountains
and deepest oceans to convince the old man to go for
the angioplasty.

The surgery was successful. And he was given a clean
bill of health. His heart is revitalized and cleared of all
blockages. After returning Home from the hospital, his
family (especially his daughters) put him on a "healthy"
diet. Strictly no meat...only vegetables and fruits, with
perhaps an occasional dish of steamed fish... no oil.

The result.... the poor old man became weaker, couldn't
drive his golf ball the distance he used to, got tired easily
when he did his gardening, lost a lot of weight (which
everyone was happy because they see him getting
healthier that way), went to bed unusually early ('cause
he got tired sitting up late watching the sports channels)....
in a nutshell he actually got weaker and probably suffering
from mal-nutrition!

Hardly 2 months after the angioplasty he passed away,
supposedly from heart  complications ... All of a sudden,  
a few family doctor friends were able to offer explanations.

One of them had this to say...

Heart blockages do not happen over-night. They are
built up of time. And the body has somehow gotten used
to the blockages. As long as the effects of the blockages
are not life threatening, it may be best leaving them alone.
Maybe it is better not to know about this. For most men
at that advanced age already have blockages, some may
be even worse. Not knowing it has one clear advantage.
There won't be any STRESS imposed on the person.

And STRESS is the killer.

Some may not respond well with angioplasty. With the
heart cleared of its blockages, the blood flow will be
unrestricted. And sometimes the body (even the heart
may not be used to this new revitalized condition) may
not know how to cope with it quick enough. Coupled
with a "healthy" diet of just fruits and vegetables which
are not the usual and normal intake of this person, may
and can do further damage.

So it's a combination of all these that could have killed
this poor old man who was, just 2 months ago, a healthy
bubbly man living a perfectly normal STRESS FREE
retired life.

Today my friend and his siblings all regretted what they
had done to their father.

Moral of the story is not to be extreme and take
everything in life in its stride and with moderation.

One more thing.... my family doctor,age late 40s,
hardly takes meat, a good sportsman, has a total
cholesterol count of 6.

Some times it's in the genes. Like my 99 year-old
mother-in-law who lives by herself, does her own
marketing, cooks her own food, never eats any meat
that is not fat all her life, hates lean meat, cholesterol
so high .......and she is still kicking and so mentally
alert.

One thing .... she's got  NO STRESS !!!.

She only gives STRESS to all others around her.
That's probably why she's  living alone by herself.

So my friends... Don't get paranoid and stressed
up for nothing!!! "