[sadhuji]

All those lucky ones who have seen this day off have achieved one more milestone – they have defied the heart diseases and have proved their ability to conquer the terrible illness that once used to be considered as non curable.

It is a fact that this killer disease has now been under control and we see around us aged persons well over sixty and seventy who act and behave as if they were in their forties. They continue to show the superiority of man over his surroundings and that where there is a will, there is a way. The diseases of the heart used to once upon a time be related to aging and a sedentary lifestyle devoid of any regular physical exercise. Many persons affected by this disease never bothered about the seriousness of those once-in-a-while irritating pains in the chest or those occasional bouts of giddiness or blackouts. They thought those were due to indigestion or exertion and ignored the initial symptoms. Today, they rush to the doctor to check the blood for high cholesterol levels, or get an ECG done and carry out a treadmill test to confirm the condition of the tiny pump that keeps the heart ticking. The results give confidence to the affected person and he can moderate his lifestyle accordingly.

No, there is no guarantee that he can jump and dance like some of the filmy heroes or that he can aspire to become a father at ninety. But, he can lead a hale and hearty life and not put his family into sudden hardships by a premature departure from this world.