If you follow a prevention model, the guideline is age 40 for men and age 50 for women (heart disease affects more women than men, but it affects them about 10 years later). If you've got additional risk factors, you would get scanned earlier.
Not too much exercise. I certainly haven't seen the inside of gym since I was forced to in college, but do ride a bike, more to get out in nature than exercise. I eat a minimum of refined foods, but I'd say most people would say my diet is "unhealthy" because it includes meat and dairy. But I eat fermented foods (and beverages) that I make myself (bugz is good).
Yes! Radiation levels have dropped! Depends on the scanner, but the EBT scanner I use is the same level of radiation as a mammogram, so I have no qualms about doing it yearly.
Geez, why do docs say things like, "as high of a score as I've ever seen!" He just hasn't seen a whole lot of scores then. The preventive cardiologist and internist that I help specialize in this stuff and have many, many patients with higher scores than that. Heck txtig, it might be ALL hard, stable plaque and not increase risk hardly at all! You won't know that until your second scan though when you can measure rate of growth (or hopefully rate of stabilization or regression even!)
I too had neck/back and knee issues. One day after the regular exam and treatment, my PA says to me, "Pete, have you ever considered Yoga?" He went on to say, "I've been doing it for about two years now...." and so then the guy had immediate credibility with me. He wasn't just lecturing me about something he read in a journal, he was sharing his own experience.
