Dr. Aajay Shah - My Personal Journey

Despite being a cardiologist, Dr. Shah admits that even he was guilty of an unhealthy lifestyle. With a BMI of 31, he was classified as obese. This contributed to high blood pressure despite being on two medications, a very poor cholesterol profile, and blood sugar levels that landed him in pre-diabetic category. “I was headed towards a major health catastrophe,” he said. “I was headed towards a heart attack. I was headed towards diabetes. I was headed towards a possible stroke.”

What turned his life around? When his A1C level hit 5.9 (you can learn more about A1C here), he had a major wake-up call and realized that he wanted to set a good example for his patients. He gradually made simple changes that included:

• Eating plant-based foods
• Exercising regularly
• Using a fitbit to track his steps (he currently knocks out about 25,000 steps per day!)
• Incorporating weight training and flexibility exercises into his routine
• Getting more sleep (this improved on its own once he started exercising)
• Incorporating daily meditation and relaxation

Today, Dr. Shah’s profile has drastically improved! He lost 55lbs, his HDL increased 20 points, his triglycerides went from 400 to 70, his A1C dropped from 5.9 – 5.2, and he lost 10 inches around his waist! He believes he’s a better person, husband, father, friend and cardiologist because of these changes. He encourages you to take similar steps in your movement towards a healthier life.