Category: Motivational

From Couch Potato to Extreme Athlete … Going Strong at 75 with Dr. Akil Taher

“It’s never too late to change,” states Dr. Akil Taher. At 75, Dr. Taher, author of Open Heart; Transformational Journey of a Doctor Who, After Bypass Surgery at 61, Ran Marathons and Climbed Mountains, is on a mission to share his story of redemption.

Dr. Taher went from a self-proclaimed couch potato to an example of what health can look and feel like when one is a plant-based lifestylist. During this episode of the Health Science Podcast, he shares his transformation journey from a life-threatening health situation to a place of personal and spiritual growth with Dr. Frank Sabatino.

Dr. Taher has practiced as a medical doctor in a number of countries like Bahrain, India, and the United States for over 50 years.

For years, he did not exercise, ate a horrible diet, and prided himself on being a couch potato. Until he ended up on the operating table as an overweight patient with nearly 100% blockage in one of his arteries, he had no idea that his life was about to change…dramatically.

The stents failed, landing him in the hospital a few years later. He was warned to change his lifestyle but threw caution to the wind. “I ended up lonely, sad, and empty inside. I reached a point where I knew something had to change,” he shakes his head.

One more time he was being wheeled into the operating room for open heart surgery. On his way in he turned to the nurse and said, “In a year, I will do a half marathon if everything goes well.”

Find out how he did a complete 180. He began a whole food, plant-based diet, began exercising, got enough sleep, and implemented the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine.

His book, Open Heart, is a testament to his commitment to inspiring and encouraging people around the globe to lead a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle.