Imagine that, even at age 88, people can improve their health by changing their lifestyle. It’s never too late to make changes in favor of your health and healing.
Charles (Chuck) Hayward was active throughout his life. For 35 years, he and his wife Irene took more than 12,000 people on tours all over the world, learning about art, history, architecture, culture and food.
When Chuck was 88 years old, he developed a heart problem called atrial fibrillation. The heart goes very fast and the body fills up with fluid, which is called edema. With an Integrative Whole Health approach that included care from a cardiologist who offered conventional medications, a change in his way of eating, walking and working out at the gym daily, and going to Chair Yoga three times per week, his heart condition improved.
When he transitioned his way of eating to whole, plant-based food, his heart never again caused him difficulties, and he also stopped having gout flares.
Chuck fell and broke a hip in June 2023 and died in July because of medical complications not involving his heart. He was planning on making more videos to spread the word about how a change in his diet helped him. Here is his story, as told to Chef Brandi Parker and edited by Chuck’s great grandson, Gabriel Thomas Carreño. We hope you find it inspiring!