Instead of throwing a lavish party to mark his 50th birthday, Leonard Ngunga, a cardiologist, chose a different kind of celebration. That was last month, and he did a 50-kilometre run.
“I woke up at 3 am to start that birthday run. It took me five hours to complete. You only turn 50 once. I wanted this milestone to mean something beyond myself,” he says.
In the weeks leading up to the ultra-run (defined as any distance beyond 42 kilometres), Dr Ngunga trained intensely, averaging 100 kilometres every week. Every stride, every split, every kilometre was logged in an app on his iPhone, a digital diary of discipline and determination.
When we meet at his office at Aga Khan University Hospital, where he heads Cardiac Care, Dr Ngunga speaks about the heart the way a fitness coach speaks about an athlete.
Dr Leonard Ngunga, the head of cardiac care at the Aga Khan Hospital.
Photo credit: Pool
“The heart must always be given something to do. And there is nothing better than stress from physical activity. That kind of stress on the heart is important. Otherwise, I’d be here treating people for all sorts of avoidable heart ailments,” he says.
Research shows a sedentary lifestyle or lack of regular exercise, often termed “sitting disease,” causes the heart muscle to become less pliable and weaker, significantly raising the risk of cardiovascular damage. And Dr Ngunga is seeing many people suffering from heart conditions due to the “sitting disease.”
“Twenty years ago, most heart diseases were rheumatic conditions that resulted from permanent damage of heart valve from childhood infections. That has changed drastically.”
Today, he says, lifestyle-related illnesses dominate.
“People wake up, eat processed foods, go to work and sit most of the day. Then they go home, eat inappropriate food and sleep. This cycle repeats over time without them noticing the damage because they don’t prioritise physical activity.”
Gradually, lifestyle diseases creep in, with high blood pressure topping the list.
“It is often caused by prolonged excessive salt intake. Then there’s diabetes, resulting from too much stored energy in the body due to a sedentary lifestyle. Heart failure follows: weakened heart muscles, hypertension, stroke, and kidney disease. They are all interconnected.”
Science of heart
Dr Ngunga wishes many people would invest their time, effort and money in physical activities and healthy food rather than spending the same on treatment.
“When we are fine, we don’t think much about diseases. We think it can’t happen to us. But the science of heart conditions is very complicated. The focus should be on preventing people from falling into a lifestyle trap in the first place.”
“It is not the best place to be, finding yourself staring at the hospital celling wondering if you have a chance or your heart might just stop beating,” he warns.
The rise of lifestyle diseases in Kenya has fuelled the narrative that Kenyans neglect their health until it is too late. Dr Ngunga, however, offers a more nuanced view.
“Human beings are notably similar. They will always prioritise the immediate needs. So if someone doesn’t feel sick, they wouldn’t care much about having a check-up. So, I wouldn’t blame them entirely, but we can train people to make better decisions.”
Photo credit: Shutterstock
According to Dr Ngunga, Kenya now ranks among developing countries grappling with a high burden of heart disease alongside other non-communicable diseases.
“Kenya is now a middle-level economy, and the leading cause of hospital admissions is now non-communicable diseases such as cancers, hypertension, and diabetes. These have overtaken infectious diseases like pneumonia and even HIV.”
His 50th birthday run was partly a charity initiative to raise funds for the construction of a performing arts amphitheatre and student dormitories at St Paul’s Kyanga Secondary School in Makueni, his rural home. But it was also deeply personal, an extension of a fitness routine he has committed to for years.
It is easy to see where Dr Ngunga is coming from. He once weighed 90 kilos.
“When training as a heart specialist, I was a big man. I loved fast food, especially chips and chicken, which I ate almost every day. But when I joined college, I realised I was the odd one out. The tutors were among the leanest people I had ever seen. In fact, I looked as though I was their boss, and that began to bother me. I started working on shedding some weight,” he says.
Dr Ngunga now weighs 70 kilos.
“I tried the gym but didn’t like lifting weights because of the pain you have to cope with afterwards. I took up running, and that has been my go-to exercise to date. I run almost every day, covering between 20 and 30 kilometres for an average of 100km weekly. I also watch what I eat.”
Dr Ngunga maintains that people shouldn't be solely focused on the gym if they don’t like it.
“You should pick an exercise that you enjoy, and one that you can be consistent with, that is why I love running. If that’s not your thing, you could try swimming or any activity that helps you move your body. It is the best way to save your heart.”
Follow our WhatsApp channel for the latest business and markets updates.
