That's what I thought.
Then tragedy struck.
A dearly loved relative passed away a month or so ago. It's still hard to think that such a wonderful person is no longer with us. He was indescribably one of a kind and left an impression of every person he met, which is why it's no surprise, that even for a simple family man, there were over twelve hundred people trying to cram into the church for his funeral.
For myself, the shock of the matter hit me the hardest. We all have our own way of grieving and coming to terms with the loss. Myself, my siblings and parents have all been able to accept what has happened and can continue forward in our lives. However, I don't think life can ever return to what it was and any type of normality is still some time away for his wife and adult children.
There is also a lesson that lies within his genes, some of which i must share. He was quite a healthy man, much more so than many living relatives. He in fact suffered the fatal heart attack while out on his daily jog. He had slightly elevated cholesterol, and with the support of his doctor he was attempting to lower it through diet and exercise and chose not use medication.
The thing is, cholesterol plaque build-up in the arteries which leads to heart attack is a result of a lifetime of elevated cholesterol, it doesn't happen over night. And with that, I myself am now to get my cholesterol levels tested and be more conscientious of the foods I'm eating now because they can potentially affect my future health.
So, that's where I have been all these weeks. I was actually considering shutting down this blog. But now i realise I have discovered all this information that could shed light for others and I am compelled to share it. Also, with these revelations in my family health history it's even more important now than ever that I really strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
I'll probably post next when I get my blood test results and i want to talk a little more in depth about cholesterol.
