James Martin dramatically changed his life after health scare – how you could do the same

James Martin teases fans with news of a fresh project

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Despite currently being on top form, the TV chef has admitted that a few operations and witnessing a serious health crisis left him re-evaluating the important things in life. James Martin surprised viewers when he left Saturday Kitchen in 2016. The intention of leaving the show was to slow down, but instead he ended up in hospital.

Describing his health issues as “turbulent carnage”, Martin told Mail Online: “I wasn’t very well when I left Saturday Kitchen. I had a few operations. And I wasn’t too good. Coming out of that, you’re better but you just think, ‘God, you’ve got one shot at life here’.”

In addition to his own health troubles, it was witnessing a horrific health misfortune that also prompted his decision to make some big life changes.

He continued: “I was in Dubai for a food festival about six months before I left Saturday Kitchen. There were 2,000 people in the room. I sat talking to this wonderful guy, same age as me, same kind of story about starting from nothing, only he’d gone to Dubai and set up one of the biggest publishing houses in the Emirates.

“He stood up to introduce the show, but while he was on stage, that was it. I saw him black out, hit the deck. Heart attack. He’d gone before he hit the floor.”

This shocking experience alongside losing three or four other friends to heart attacks and cancer, James Martin now blocks more time out to spend in his lavish Hampshire mansion garden and with family.

He commented: “You get to an age in your life where friends of yours are dying. You go, Woah! You spend your entire life at work, work, work, with no time for yourself and the people around you.

“So I made a decision to look at the way I lived my life.”

Heart attacks are mainly caused by coronary heart disease (CHD) which is where major blood vessels that supply the heart with blood become clogged with cholesterol.

At the time of a heart attack one of these cholesterol deposits bursts, leading to a blood clot which may stop blood supply getting to the heart.

The NHS has a series of things that individuals can do to prevent heart attacks.

A healthy diet is one of the best ways to reduce your risk as this will minimise the buildup of cholesterol.

Foods that are high in fat contain two main types of cholesterol: good and bad.

Fatty foods that are high in saturated fats increase the level of ‘bad’ cholesterol in your blood.

Therefore, experts recommend following a Mediterranean-style diet full of fruit, vegetables and fish.

Swapping butter and cheese for vegetable and plant oil based products is an easy way to adapt your diet. However oily fish must be eaten in moderation.

Healthy diets and maintaining a healthy weight will also aid in keeping your blood pressure low.

High blood pressure can also put unnecessary strain on your heart, so focusing on both diet and blood pressure will minimise a heart attack risk.

Excessive smoking and alcohol intake are two other factors that can increase chances of a heart attack.

Not drinking over the recommended weekly units and cutting down on how many cigarettes you smoke are the simplest ways to minimise the risk.

Men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week and heavy smokers are classed as those who smoke more than or equal to 25 cigarettes a day.

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