This is a good article worth a read so you aren't brainwashed by the doctors

Most heart attacks are caused by nonobstructive plaques that infiltrate the entire coronary artery tree. There is no such thing as “1-vessel disease,” “2-vessel disease,” or “left main disease.” Atherosclerotic plaque is continuous throughout the coronary arteries of heart attack victims.

In angioplasty, a tiny balloon is inserted into a narrowed coronary artery that feeds the heart to force it to open wider to improve blood flow. It wasn’t put to the test in a randomized controlled trial until 1992. It not only failed to prevent heart attacks, but it also failed to show any survival benefit. However, the researchers only followed patients for six months and included people with relatively minor diseases who might not have been sick enough to benefit from the procedure. Enter the MASS trial. Researchers enrolled those with severe blockage high up in their left anterior descending coronary artery—the widow-maker or widower-maker (since coronary artery disease is also the number one killer of women)—and followed them for years. The findings? ..............

https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/why-arent-angioplasty-heart-stents-more-effective/

Still the gold standard for acute myocardial infarction....so don't refuse one in those circumstances.....555

That article is a perfect example why I took complete control my health. No the need for general doctor visits for decades. In many cases different docs have told me things that completely contradict what another told me.

I always hear on forums and even this forum - Don't ask for advice online and go see a doctor. I think that is terrible advice. Learn about your health so you can make sound decisions and improve outcomes. Time and place for everything but doctor visits at this point for me aren't needed.

3 minutes ago, atpeace said:

That article is a perfect example why I took complete control my health. No the need for general doctor visits for decades. In many cases different docs have told me things that completely contradict what another told me.

I always hear on forums and even this forum - Don't ask for advice online and go see a doctor. I think that is terrible advice. Learn about your health so you can make sound decisions and improve outcomes. Time and place for everything but doctor visits at this point for me aren't needed.

I agree, I'd also recommend having a discussion with AI, i find Gemini excellent who can also see images, analyse data, probably identify spots (although I've not checked), has a better bedside manner than any doctor I've met, then once fully armed see a specialist if necessary

21 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I agree, I'd also recommend having a discussion with AI, i find Gemini excellent who can also see images, analyse data, probably identify spots (although I've not checked), has a better bedside manner than any doctor I've met, then once fully armed see a specialist if necessary

I fed all my detailed spreadsheets I've kept since 2012 of blood work, blood pressure, weight, and glucose. I'm a data nerd :)

The feed back was shockingly precise and it caught little things that i had forgoten. For example, it found a little note I wrote about a liver test in 2015 and tied it to tests I have had recently to show me how the the numbers were not an indicators of liver damage.

I know much more than most about blood work but AI humbled me!

Stents are going to be a case by case situation. If immediate need to prevent heart attack, or simply preventive for future problem.

Myself, had 2 placed over 3.5 yrs ago, and were necessary to prevent a heart attack. Woke up with early symptoms of 'something ain't right', knowing the signs of pending heart attack. Discomfort in arm, sweating in a cold shower, and hard to get a full breath in. No intense chest pain. My shingles attack was much scarier and painful.

So off to the local, non trauma hospital. Stop on the way, got some aspirin, and munched 4 of those, for a 324mg dose. ER nurse was excellent, a shot of this, shot of that, how's your discomfort level, I should have lied, to get another shot.

Strange thing, she said I ate too much aspirin, but all online info states a 375mg dose is recommended, if having a heart attack. OK, maybe I didn't need, but unless doc pops a hole in my artery, it can't really hurt.

Snap shots, ultrasound, OK, lets transport you to Hua Hin hospital, 100 km / 1.5 hrs away. So much for being an emergency, as stopped along the way, to see if any assistance needed at a roadside accident. Along with not running any red lights.

Get to HH Hosp, ER, OK, all good, can you pay this much for stents ? Yes, OK we'll prep, and doc will be here soon. Mere minutes, and the doc takes all of 11 minutes start to finish to place the stents. As I watch on the vid screen, actually got bored, and fell asleep.

ICU for about 12 hrs, monitoring, make sure no leaks or clots, then move at midnight to 'ward', and I self checked out, under advisory not to, the next day, as wanting to keep me for 3 more days. NO THANKS, not spending the weekend here just for the hell of it, in a ward, with everyone nearby coughing & hacking all night & day. Height of Covid, Oct 2022.

No ill effects of minor oxygen deprivation, as had echocardiogram done earlier this month, and told still strong heart, 50-60 HR at rest 👍👍 along with excellent BP & SpO₂ levels, which I monitor myself, every so often.

Without the stents, lifestyle and mobility endurance would probably be extremely limited. And probably a ticking time bomb to kink again, and actually cause some damage. All normal as if nothing happened.

55 minutes ago, atpeace said:

I fed all my detailed spreadsheets I've kept since 2012 of blood work, blood pressure, weight, and glucose. I'm a data nerd :)

The feed back was shockingly precise and it caught little things that i had forgoten. For example, it found a little note I wrote about a liver test in 2015 and tied it to tests I have had recently to show me how the the numbers were not an indicators of liver damage.

I know much more than most about blood work but AI humbled me!

Sounds good, I've also provided my blood test results going back a few years, i noticed my bad cholesterol which is still relatively low and in the healthy range had risen from the previous year, Gemini didn't mention it until i asked then we pinpointed what was likely the cause, moral, Gemini can sometimes err on the side of politeness so still need to check stuff yourself

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Sounds good, I've also provided my blood test results going back a few years, i noticed my bad cholesterol which is still relatively low and in the healthy range had risen from the previous year, Gemini didn't mention it until i asked then we pinpointed what was likely the cause, moral, Gemini can sometimes err on the side of politeness so still need to check stuff yourself

Never take for granted that the first AI response as accurate when it come to things that are important. I know you already know this :) For me that is the start of a conversation and I will approach it from many angles. AI will follow your lead which is frustrating but usually by the end my understanding is vastly superior than when I began.

5 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Woke up with early symptoms of 'something ain't right', knowing the signs of pending heart attack.

Most heart attacks happen in the morning, maybe right around the time we wake up.

Probably due to lack of hydration for 8 hours, lack of blood circulation, blood thickens ?? Not sure.

That's why I think waking up in the middle of the night to pee isn't that bad if you can fall back asleep easily. It gives you a chance to drink some water during the night.

It's also why some cardios tell their patients to take aspirin before bed if they are using aspirin therapy to prevent heart attacks.

Some online doctors are not big fans of stents, but I don't know anything about stents. Never had one. If the time comes, I will do more research.

11 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Most heart attacks are caused by nonobstructive plaques that infiltrate the entire coronary artery tree. There is no such thing as “1-vessel disease,” “2-vessel disease,” or “left main disease.” Atherosclerotic plaque is continuous throughout the coronary arteries of heart attack victims.

You obviously have never seen the film of a coronary angiography.

11 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

failed to show any survival benefit

That is well known.

A stent "only" takes away the pain.

Have you ever had the pain from angina?

9 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Most heart attacks happen in the morning, maybe right around the time we wake up.

Probably due to lack of hydration for 8 hours, lack of blood circulation, blood thickens ?? Not sure.

That's why I think waking up in the middle of the night to pee isn't that bad if you can fall back asleep easily. It gives you a chance to drink some water during the night.

It's also why some cardios tell their patients to take aspirin before bed if they are using aspirin therapy to prevent heart attacks.

Some online doctors are not big fans of stents, but I don't know anything about stents. Never had one. If the time comes, I will do more research.

You should be sipping water most of the day so you aren't dehydrated when you go to sleep, check for straw colour urine to confirm you aren't dehydrated. If you drink too much quickly the kidneys will signal to flush it out, which is no good

I had one, left coronary 8 years ago, Dr. Wacin Buddhari did me. Fabulous. Quit smokin cigs, got my blood pressure under control, just passed a stress test even though I am a fat weed smoking bum.

My symptoms began after I got home from Mixx at 4am.

17 hours ago, atpeace said:

I fed all my detailed spreadsheets I've kept since 2012 of blood work, blood pressure, weight, and glucose. I'm a data nerd :)

The feed back was shockingly precise and it caught little things that i had forgoten. For example, it found a little note I wrote about a liver test in 2015 and tied it to tests I have had recently to show me how the the numbers were not an indicators of liver damage.

I know much more than most about blood work but AI humbled me!

I don't measure anything. Just read AI for tips.

18 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

This is a good article worth a read so you aren't brainwashed by the doctors

Most heart attacks are caused by nonobstructive plaques that infiltrate the entire coronary artery tree. There is no such thing as “1-vessel disease,” “2-vessel disease,” or “left main disease.” Atherosclerotic plaque is continuous throughout the coronary arteries of heart attack victims.

In angioplasty, a tiny balloon is inserted into a narrowed coronary artery that feeds the heart to force it to open wider to improve blood flow. It wasn’t put to the test in a randomized controlled trial until 1992. It not only failed to prevent heart attacks, but it also failed to show any survival benefit. However, the researchers only followed patients for six months and included people with relatively minor diseases who might not have been sick enough to benefit from the procedure. Enter the MASS trial. Researchers enrolled those with severe blockage high up in their left anterior descending coronary artery—the widow-maker or widower-maker (since coronary artery disease is also the number one killer of women)—and followed them for years. The findings? ..............

https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/why-arent-angioplasty-heart-stents-more-effective/

If you have a blocked coronary artery, you need a stent to restore proper blood flow. If the blockage breaks free, it’s lights out.

11 hours ago, save the frogs said:

It gives you a chance to drink some water during the night

I often down a bunch of water when I wake up in the middle of the night. I also do some right before bed even though I've read you're not supposed to. After I shower and brush my teeth I find i get really dry mouth.

15 minutes ago, blaze master said:

I often down a bunch of water when I wake up in the middle of the night. I also do some right before bed even though I've read you're not supposed to. After I shower and brush my teeth I find i get really dry mouth.

Yeah, that was my point. We've been told to avoid drinking close to bed to avoid getting up in the night. But dehydration overnight is one (of several) causes that heart attacks are high in the morning. So I deliberately drink a lot before bed, and I don't mind if I have to get up in the middle of the night to pee as I drink more water during the night.

But according to AI, there are several reasons heart attacks are more common in the morning. Dehydration is only one of them.

20 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

I don't measure anything. Just read AI for tips.

If that produces the results you want, good action plan :) If you want to be healthier and constantly stumble with the implementation, might want to make some changes. For my type, if you measure it, it will improve. It always does until I stop measuring which is healthy reset. A reset without going completely off the rails. My weight has never fluctuated more than 4 kilos in during any time with each decade after 15 years old. I have always measured it with reset breaks where I don't and slowly put on a few kilos.

Just how I stay healthy but it seems to produce great results.

2 minutes ago, atpeace said:

If that produces the results you want, good action plan :) If you want to be healthier and constantly stumble with the implementation, might want to make some changes. For my type, if you measure it, it will improve. Tt always does until I stop measuring which is healthy reset. A reset without going completely off the rails. My weight has never fluctuated more than 4 kilos in during any time with each decade after 15 years old. I have always measured it with reset breaks where I don't and slowly put on a few kilos.

Just how I stay healthy but it seems to produce great results.

How long you can stand on one leg indicates your health.

I can do 1 minute on left leg and 2 minutes on right leg.

AI

1. Brain Health: A study published in the journal Stroke found that the inability to balance on one leg for more than 20 seconds was associated with an increased risk of "silent" small vessel disease in the brain and reduced cognitive function.

2. Longevity: Research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggested that for middle-aged and older individuals, the inability to hold a 10-second stance was linked to a higher risk of all-cause mortality within the following decade.

2 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

How long you can stand on one leg indicates your health.

Yep and so does :

How fast you can run 400 meters

How fast your heart rate recovers after a climbing stairs

If you can get off the floor without your arms

how many pull ups you can do

The list is endless and influencers love that. Peter Attia (possibly the most popular influencer pre Epstein disclosures ) and the VO2 craze he started is a hilarious example.

It really is simple eat well and exercise a little. Look in the mirror week and determine if you are making progress. Also getting some solid health stats to use as a baseline before you start on living a healthier life makes the progress measurements exponentially easier.

8 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

I can do 1 minute on left leg and 2 minutes on right leg.

AI

1. Brain Health: A study published in the journal Stroke found that the inability to balance on one leg for more than 20 seconds was associated with an increased risk of "silent" small vessel disease in the brain and reduced cognitive function.

2. Longevity: Research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggested that for middle-aged and older individuals, the inability to hold a 10-second stance was linked to a higher risk of all-cause mortality within the following decade.

ANd if you did it every day for one month, you might be able to watch a stage of the Tour De France while standing on one leg and still be in terrible shape. Muscle memory is a huge component and in this case means almost nothing.

Older people that can stand on one leg for 10 seconds with zero practice are probably reasonably healthy compared to a population that is extremely unhealthy. THey would also be able to do many other things that other same age people could not. Jump rope , jumping jacks...

24 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

I can do 1 minute on left leg and 2 minutes on right leg.

AI

1. Brain Health: A study published in the journal Stroke found that the inability to balance on one leg for more than 20 seconds was associated with an increased risk of "silent" small vessel disease in the brain and reduced cognitive function.

2. Longevity: Research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggested that for middle-aged and older individuals, the inability to hold a 10-second stance was linked to a higher risk of all-cause mortality within the following decade.

Can you put on your shoes and socks while standing on one leg?

I doubt if hydrations has any benefits in preventing cardiac issues. Possibly the opposite, as a uninterrupted sleep is known to be beneficial to overall health.

I know I feel better once I stopped waking a couple times overnight to P. And I usually do drink some water kefir before sleep. And my last snack, almost routine, before 2000 hours is a bowl of rolled oats & blueberries, which of course has about 200+ml of milk. 2 intakes of liquid before crashing at night.

Pretty sure supplementing with Magnesium helped with the not waking up overnight. Not a coincidence after going from 133mg to 400mg daily.

Uninterrupted sleep is essential for good health, as that's when body goes into repair mode. Along with super ketones burning that fat away, if intermittent fasting.

26 minutes ago, atpeace said:

ANd if you did it every day for one month, you might be able to watch a stage of the Tour De France while standing on one leg and still be in terrible shape. Muscle memory is a huge component and in this case means almost nothing.

Older people that can stand on one leg for 10 seconds with zero practice are probably reasonably healthy compared to a population that is extremely unhealthy. THey would also be able to do many other things that other same age people could not. Jump rope , jumping jacks...

Did you read the info? If you fail 10 seconds after practice you have serious health issues

15 minutes ago, Effective altruism said:

Can you put on your shoes and socks while standing on one leg?

Never tried. Good idea.

26 minutes ago, Effective altruism said:

Can you put on your shoes and socks while standing on one leg?

All depends on what leg you're putting those shoes and socks on. 😃

23 minutes ago, Effective altruism said:

Can you put on your shoes and socks while standing on one leg?

I wish I could put my socks on anytime, any how. Left foot, can manage, right foot, not happening. Lumbar discs don't play nice. Can put my Nike on, but they are pre-laced up 🙄

Unless a day of walking planned, or rough terrain, I stick with foam sandals.

As we've all seen, some can live to over 100 smoking cigars, drinking whiskey and eating bacon, but for the majority it won't work that way. Genetics aside, which accounts for a percentage of long lives, it's mostly diet and moving, following the Blue Zone approach, which has more people living longer than anywhere on average. Can't argue with this. . I've always eaten close to this way but am trying to adopt more of it. I love red meat and chicken, so that's the hardest part, but the others are easy..................https://www.bluezones.com/2018/01/20-habits-healthier-happier-life/

37 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I doubt if hydrations has any benefits in preventing cardiac issues. Possibly the opposite, as a uninterrupted sleep is known to be beneficial to overall health.

I know I feel better once I stopped waking a couple times overnight to P. And I usually do drink some water kefir before sleep. And my last snack, almost routine, before 2000 hours is a bowl of rolled oats & blueberries, which of course has about 200+ml of milk. 2 intakes of liquid before crashing at night.

Pretty sure supplementing with Magnesium helped with the not waking up overnight. Not a coincidence after going from 133mg to 400mg daily.

Uninterrupted sleep is essential for good health, as that's when body goes into repair mode. Along with super ketones burning that fat away, if intermittent fasting.

The relationship between electrolytes and longevity is less about "extension" and more about the maintenance of critical biological systems. While taking an electrolyte supplement won't act as a fountain of youth, chronic imbalances are directly linked to cardiovascular and neurological decline.

Here is how specific electrolytes influence the aging process:

1. Magnesium: The "Anti-Aging" Mineral

Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions, including DNA repair and protein synthesis.

• Telomere Protection: Low magnesium levels are associated with accelerated shortening of telomeres—the protective caps on our chromosomes that dictate cellular aging.

• Blood Pressure: It helps maintain arterial elasticity, reducing the risk of hypertension-related cardiac events.

2. The Sodium-Potassium Pump

Longevity is heavily dependent on the balance between sodium and potassium, rather than just the absence of salt.

• The Ratio: A high sodium-to-potassium ratio is a significant predictor of cardiovascular mortality.

• Cellular Function: Every cell in your body uses the sodium-potassium pump (Na^+/K^+-ATPase) to generate electrical charge. When this pump is well-supported by adequate potassium, it reduces the workload on the heart and kidneys.

3. Calcium and Vitamin D Synergy

As the body ages, calcium regulation becomes more difficult.

• Bone Density: Maintaining electrolyte balance prevents the body from "leaching" calcium from the bones to buffer blood pH.

• Cell Signaling: Calcium is vital for neurotransmitter release; however, excess intracellular calcium can lead to neurotoxicity, making balance (regulated by magnesium) essential for brain health.

The "stand on one leg" test—often called the Single-Leg Stance (SLS) test—is considered a highly valid clinical indicator, not just of balance, but of overall biological age and mortality risk.

Recent research, including a notable study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, has elevated its status from a simple gym parlor trick to a legitimate health screening tool.

1. Validity as a Mortality Predictor

The test is remarkably effective at identifying hidden health risks in middle-aged and older adults.

• The 10-Second Threshold: For individuals over age 50, the inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds is associated with an 84% higher risk of death from any cause within the next decade.

• Independent Factor: This correlation remains strong even after researchers adjust for age, sex, BMI, and existing conditions like heart disease or high blood pressure.

2. Why It Works (The "Multisystem" Check)

The reason this test is so "valid" is that it isn't just testing your legs. It is a "stress test" for multiple systems simultaneously:

• Neurological: It requires clear communication between the brain and the peripheral nervous system.

• Vestibular: It checks your inner ear’s ability to process spatial orientation.

• Muscular: It requires significant "muscle power" and stability in the glutes, core, and ankles.

• Vision: It tests how well your brain uses visual cues to maintain upright posture.

18–39	40+ seconds
40–49	35–40 seconds
50–59	25–30 seconds
60–69	15–20 seconds
70–79	10–15 seconds
80+	5–10 seconds