In March 2021, my dad was diagnosed with 3 heart blockages, which were 95%, 90% and 99% respectively. The cardiologist asked him to immediately do angioplasty. He refused as he was not willing to let any exterior element get into the body. At the same time, his cholesterol levels were very high. To avoid any invasive treatment, he changed his lifestyle, routine and diet, which gave very good results. I have already written in detail about how he reversed the cholesterol to less than 50% in about one month and avoided angioplasty. If you would like to refer that article, here is the link – HOW MY DAD BEAT ANGIOPLASTY!

While everyone was excited to see the results, many well-wishers asked us to keep a tab and do regular check-ups. Our family physician Dr. Suvid who helped us stay away from angioplasty, did routine checkups every month-end.

It was January 2022 when Dr. Suvid asked us to repeat the 2D Echo test to know how his heart was from the inside, when everything from outside looked perfectly fine. My dad was continuing his workouts every day, diet was under control, and he felt more energetic than ever before.

We went to the same cardiologist who did the 2D Echo and stress test earlier. We are at ease knowing fully well that things would have improved for sure. The doctor took the reports and called us in. We romped inside his cabin, all smiles. He greeted us and asked some basic questions on how he felt. The cardiologist stumped us by saying, “You are giving me all rosy pictures, but your report says opposite. Your heart functioning has reduced by further 15%.”

We were shell-shocked to hear this, especially when we thought we will hear progress and improvement in the heart condition. We asked him general questions on what can be done. The conversation was on, yet the mind was already in thinking mode. On hearing the news, family was taken aback too. We were concerned once again. Again the thoughts of – should we go ahead and do angioplasty, kindled our minds ….

Dad had other thoughts. While we very thoughtful on the road ahead, he declared, “I am perfectly fine and feeling better than before. Angioplasty is still a NO. Let’s try to search for solutions to this.” He continued, “we must also find reasons why I am able to do much more, yet the reports show otherwise. There has to be a valid reason, for which the doctor didn’t give a satisfactory answer.”

By now he had started to use YouTube very well. He knew how to find various relevant topics. After two days of extensive research, his eyes lit up. He came across an interview of Dr. Bimal Chhajer, who is an MBBS himself and MD of SAAOL (Science And Art Of Living). Dr. Bimal is a pioneer in non-invasive cardiology in India. After completing his MD he worked at the famous All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for six years (1989-1995) as a senior resident and as an assistant professor. His research work at the AIIMS highlights that one can not only prevent coronary heart disease but can also reverse or rehabilitate heart diseases. Today his comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation and heart disease reversal program– “Saaol Heart Program” — is a largely accepted treatment program for reversing heart disease. He has successfully treated over 4.5 lac heart patients (till 2021) without bypass surgery or angioplasty (STENT).

That gave us a lot of confidence. We realised that he was Delhi based. We immediately started making plans to visit him in Delhi. Until we realised that they have 100+ centres in more than 82+ cities. We found one centre in Pune too.

The next day we took an appointment to visit the centre. It was a little far from our house, but certainly closer than Delhi! The doctor at the centre was kind enough to explain us the concept and workability of the treatment. She was patient to answer all our queries. Looking at dad’s reports, she said that his report is not bad at all. They had patients who had much worst heart conditions than him, who are responding extremely well to the treatment.

We were convinced about the treatment. Yet, we wanted to be double sure of what we were doing. We all digged in further. If it was this effective, why people don’t know about it yet? Why doctors are not encouraging it? What are the side-effects? Is it really as effective as they say? And hundred such doubts cropped up.

We were taken aback by the findings about the treatment –

• This treatment is available across the world. It is called EECP (External Enhanced Counter Pulsation)
• It is a US government FDA approved treatment
• If angioplasty and bypass doesn’t work, EECP is the only treatment possible
• EECP is the safest way to treat blockages
• It is possibly the only treatment, which can reverse blockages
• EECP is a far more economical way to treat blockages than stent or bypass

I will not go in more details of the treatment. There is enough content available online and offline regarding this treatment.

Few other realizations dawned on us –

• Every human being would have some percentage of blockages irrespective of age
• Irrespective of the reports, don’t get scared. Be sane and understand the situation. Don’t take hasty decisions
• Before the advances and developments in medical science, did humans never have heart blockages?
• If they didn’t, what should have been the reasons?
• Human body is magical. If there are blockages, it has the capacity to automatically create sub-ordinate veins and re-route the blood flow
• Right eating, diet, and exercising are the most important things in life. There should be a ‘no-compromise’ in these three things in our daily routine
• If we are looking for solutions, solutions come to us out of nowhere. We just need to believe (like my dad did) – that a better way of treatment is possible with minimum harm to the body

Just as we were about to go to SAAOL to pay the money, the same day my dad read an interview of Dr. Jyotsana Patil. She spoke about the same therapy as SAAOL. When we put the address in Google, we realized that her centre – Poona Preventive Cardiology Centre is 5 minutes away from our house. We went to meet her immediately. She saw the reports and gave her inputs. She recommended a six-month treatment, which had intervals as needed. My dad started next day with her.

Every month, they would do basic test to check his hemoglobin, platelets, creatine, cholesterol etc. Every three months they would be an extensive test of the blockages, which is an upgraded version of angiography and a non-invasive one. Being a doctor herself, she knew what all needs to be taken care of.

The treatment got over around June 2022. When the treatment ends, they re-do the extensive test. Here are the results –

• The heart continues to function the same way when we did the 2D. It has not deteriorated as many felt
• The heart has formed many sub-ordinate veins and is pumping fine
• The blockages, which came up during Angiography, have opened up. Hence the need for stent no longer exists. The blockages have reversed
• The basic tests of hemoglobin, platelets, creatine, cholesterol etc continue to stay well within the limits

I must point out that this is not some kind of magic that has happened. A lot of effort has gone in from my dad’s side –

• He continues to do atleast 10,000 steps a day, irrespective of the seasons. Even if it rains, he walks indoors, and completes 10,000 steps
• His focus on diet continues. He eats more salads and veggies and lesser carbohydrates.
• He prefers home cooked food over outside food
• Everything he eats is in proportion. He never over eats
• He believes in this style of living. It is a choice he has made and hasn’t been forced upon him
• He continues to stay positive and lively, which keeps him stress-free

In the last two years, many people have come to dad to discuss on how he did everything – refusing angioplasty, changing his diet, workouts, having a healthy routine, etc. Few have also come to discuss about his EECP treatment.

We in the family have certainly got inspired by his dedication and commitment to his own health. Though he was the patient, he was more confident than us about the alternative treatment. As a family, our habits have changed for good. Our confidence in alternative therapies is significantly higher now. Together we are healthier and more informed about the alternative choices we have.  

Since the treatment has got over, my dad has travelled more than before. He has taken all modes of transports, climbed stairs at stations, picked his own luggage, eaten where everyone is eating, driven his car all around, and everything a normal person would do.

LOVE YOU PAPA ….. YOU INSPIRE US!

#heart #angioplasty #angiography #EECP #blockages #cardiacarrest #alternative