Too Young for a Heart Attack

Stu Segal was a fit, healthy 37-year-old-or that's what he thought until Fathers' Day ended with a heart attack. When the ER doctor told him he might or might not survive, he realized that, one way or another, life as he knew it was over. Stu traces the journey of a man facing the new reality that though much of what he loved was gone, yes, he might still be able to live a long and happy life-if he methodically changed his approach to the things he'd always taken for granted.

Over the course of weeks, months and years, Stu says goodbye to the habits he's used to and rebuilds them all from the ground up-his work, his eating, his physical activities, even his hobbies and relationships. And along the way, he learns that happiness isn't exactly what he thought it was.

Readers seeking heart-health advice will find Too Young for a Heart Attack includes a top-10-healthy-practices list, a food appendix featuring heart-friendly recipes, and medical expertise from cardiologist Ian J. Molk, M.D.

REVISED 2021 EDITION

FROM THE AUTHOR:
I had a heart attack, out of the blue, at age 37. It was serious- serious enough to put me out of work for six months, serious enough to change the rest of my life in ways I couldn't imagine.

It's been 34 years since the heart attack. I have lived, loved, laughed-in spite of the heart attack. Or is it because of the heart attack? Hard to say, but over time it awakened my desire to live and revealed my love of life. It gave me the motivation to stop my unhealthy behaviors, the eating, the smoking, the stressing... the behaviors that surely precipitated the crisis.

Prior to the heart attack I never truly recognized the risks of these behaviors. I was thin and had always been thin. I didn't need to exercise or watch what I ate. And you know, thin is healthy-just ask anyone.

My diet included absolutely no vegetables-if it was green, it wasn't going in my mouth. I loved anything sugary-Frosted Flakes, Pop Tarts, Boston cream pie, Tastykakes. And let's not forget Italian salami, capicola, steaks... and hot pastrami sandwiches, calzones, strombolis. Reading in bed at night, I always had candy bars and milk. I loved going to motorcycle rallies-where else could I pull the pork right off a roasted pig, or find racks of barbecued ribs, all juicy and dripping fat?

And I smoked. Actually I smoked a lot, two packs a day, and had been smoking for over 20 years. I knew it was harmful, but figured it wouldn't hurt me, not until I was older... and I planned to stop... someday... before it was too late.

Whether it was what I ate, or smoked, or stressed over, there was no moderation. When I liked something, I really liked it; and when I didn't, I avoided it like the plague. Unfortunately, allowing my indulgences (bad diet, smoking, stress) and avoiding my dislikes (exercise, healthy eating) was the perfect formula for a heart attack. Which left me with a damaged heart, forevermore.<...