Hi ,

I hope you have been enjoying your summer, and are starting to feel excited about the beautiful fall months ahead…

You may have noticed I have not written in quite a while. I find much joy in writing this newsletter regularly for all of you, and I realized I needed to honor my limits, and pause this. I want to share why I paused – as I hope my story below may help one or more of you in your health journey, and perhaps even be life-saving.

In March, on a very ordinary day, my life shifted. I went for my yearly physical, and returned for the results a week later. I was told quite nonchalantly that my EKG was abnormal, and that it showed I had a previous silent heart attack. I heard him say the words, however, I didn’t believe it. My heart felt fine, nothing unusual over the past few years. Still, a little unsettling…

A week later, a cardiologist did a repeat EKG. Same exact results. I was quite surprised and now concerned. What if this is true? Could this happen again, when, and with what impact the next time? I was sent for an echocardiogram and stress test to evaluate further. It had now been about 3 plus weeks waiting to know if I did indeed have a silent heart attack. Any of you who’ve had health issues understand the emotional rollercoaster involved with waiting.

 Over the past 20 years, I’ve struggled with various health issues, some quite significant. I discovered that there is something unique about feeling like you could have a heart attack, at any moment, with no notice. Perhaps it’s having very little control over the possibility of another heart attack that contributes to feeling super vulnerable.

After additional testing, I learned that I very fortunately did Not have a silent heart attack, but they did detect moderate blockage in the main artery to my heart, aka “the widow-maker,” kindly shared by the doctor. So helpful in this moment;) This was eye-opening and unnerving. For more than a decade I was informed by my doctors that my high cholesterol (family genes) was not really a problem. Not high enough to be concerned about heart disease etc.

Over the past 5 months, I needed time… to process what had happened and to research and begin educating myself about heart disease, high cholesterol, risk factors and how to prevent and reverse existing coronary artery disease.  All this informed my decision to transition to whole food plant-based (WFPB) eating, which involved eliminating dairy, and significantly reducing saturated fats. (I love cheese as much as I love chocolate, so no cheese for 2 months! Whaaaaat?)

I also spent time finding WFPB foods and recipes, including healthy cheese-like substitutes, that were easy to make - and that I would actually enjoy eating on a regular basis.

The Light of Courageous Change:

Often with most crises, there are unexpected blessings. Incredibly, I found some delicious recipes and discovered how much I enjoy WFPB eating. What a lovely surprise!! If you’re interested in exploring WFPB recipes, a book I’d recommend is Plantyou by Carleigh Bodrug. There are also many wonderful WFPB online blogs with delicious recipes.

I also discovered my sleep is much better, and noticed improved energy, skin and even mood after a few weeks of doing. Another incredible blessing was the heartwarming show of love and support from friends and family.<3 This made a real difference in my heart journey.

And last but not least, the results of eating WFPB on my cholesterol levels were quite impressive to both my total cholesterol and LDL, after only 2 months! I now feel more empowered with greater knowledge and confidence in maintaining a healthy heart.

I’m excited to resume my writing to all of you, and the other activities I paused during this time. And to begin new creative projects at Dana Gionta Coaching! I’ll share more of this in upcoming newsletters:)

Valuable lesson:

Sometimes we need to significantly Pause what we’re doing and intentionally create greater time and space to reflect, heal and evaluate our best next steps.

Heart Health tip:

If you have moderate to high cholesterol levels (or a family history of heart disease), ask your doctor for a Cardiac calcium test to assess the degree of any calcium buildup in the arteries of your heart. Moderate to high levels of calcium place you at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke.

To your wellbeing and happiness, 
Dr. Dana