For many in their 20s and 30s, life is about chasing dreams. But a sudden heart attack can upend everything. Anuja Jaiswal spoke to people who had to rethink ambitions, routines, and lifestyles. Yoga, diet, and mindfulness help but the fear never fully goes away. As one of them puts it: “Health is wealth — but you only realise it when you lose it”
In 2020, Faridabad businessman Honey Kohli felt chest pain one evening but dismissed it as gastric trouble. A local clinic’s ECG showed nothing alarming. The next morning, after a cigarette, the pain returned sharply. At the hospital, angiography confirmed a blockage, and a stent was placed. “I was shocked — at 33, I never imagined a heart attack,” he says. The diagnosis left him depressed but determined. He quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, took up yoga, lost weight, and now goes for regular check-ups every three months. “First, I’m doing it for myself. I want to enjoy life, and that’s only possible if I stay disciplined,” he says.