Hiroaki Nakagawa writes:
Mr. T thinks that he is "just
too young." This thought is one of the most important issues for T
to understand right now. Being 39 is not "just too young" but
"not too young." For example, the incidence of coronary heart
disease in men from 35 to 64 years old is rather high. He also thinks that
being sick or healthy has an element of chance. And he thinks he is one
of the lucky people. He must understand being sick or healthy has very
little do with the element of chance. Many statistics say that "risk
factors produce diseases."
He has many problems to maintain his health. Lack of exercise, heavy smoking,
hypertension, atherosclerosis -- these are the most serious problems, because
they are risk factors of coronary heart disease. Pain in the neck and upper
chest areas is perhaps the first stage of coronary heart disease. It is
a bit worrying that his mother died after heart by-pass surgery complicated
by hardening of the arteries. Family history of diseases is important to
think about.
T's neck and chest pain will be relieved in the short term, if he quits
smoking and overworking. It is easy to say but not easy to do. But if he
really wants to relieve his pain, he must stop smoking and stop working
so much. This is the only way to relieve his pain, I think. And in the
long term, he had better change his attitude. A person of Type A personality
tends to overwork. Overworking makes exhaustion. But a person of Type A
personality tends to think he does not need to rest. Exhaustion increases
more and more. Moreover he can't ever find the time to exercise.
He is a former marathon racer. Long-distance runners have a greater capacity
to dilate their coronary arteries and heart muscle. T's coronary arteries
and heart muscle need more blood flow. T had better start running again
as soon as possible for his coronary arteries and heart muscles. Regarding
health, "appropriate" pessimism is more desirable than "excessive"
optimism. I will give this advice to T.
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