These are the stories of the doctors， patients， and scientists who are reversing and preventing damage to the heart and body， and in so doing are discovering the nature of longevity。 With a Foreword by one of America's leading cardiologists， this book describes in simple terms backed by hundreds of references and interviews， how ages-old problems are being overcome。 What is this hidden stress？ Our immune system protects us from infections and injuries， but in the long run turns against us when those persist。 Some of those injuries are caused by things such as metals and low grade infections that invade our tissue。 These trigger a chronic immune response that inflames and stiffens the heart and arteries。 As one expert puts it; "the firemen have become the arsonists。 It's time to turn them back into firemen。"

The book shows how that's being done by innovators who are combining advanced technologies with newly validated ancient knowledge。 More than one method is being used; it's a wave of methods that each target hidden stress。

Many of these methods are available now at lower cost than standard healthcare。 Standing in the way are a lethargic healthcare system， old school thinking， and diagnostics that aren't designed to detect these stresses。 But these are changing。 Some investors see this and are starting to scale up solutions。 Their stories are told here。

This is written from the unique perspective of an author who spent decades developing healthy products and building interiors while co-founding a medical biotech startup and publishing university research。 That special combination led Douglas Mulhall to see the importance of hidden stress earlier than most。 He brings those stories to readers through practical insights that answer questions like • What hidden stress is， and why it puts a limit how long and well we live。
• Why standard health care doesn’t yet target the damage， and how that’s changing for the better。
• Why diet & exercise are crucial， but by themselves haven't broken through the lifespan barrier。
• How heart patients with diabetes have their risk of life-threatening events cut by almost half。
• How doctors restore blood flow in Peripheral Artery Disease and save limbs from amputation， without surgery。
• How the elastic that gives flexibility to our heart， arteries， and skin degrades in all of us， and today is being restored。
• How life-threatening aneurysms are being repaired， due to the discovery of how to repair that elastic。
• How trillions of tiny blobs that rule our health are driving a revolution in medicine and biology。
• How a formula consisting of vitamins and supplements has been improving heart health for decades。
• How patients are escaping the trap of uninsured and unexpected costs。
• Who is investing in effective solutions and overcoming barriers to them。
• How the places where we work and live trigger hidden stress， and help to prevent it。

The book concludes with snapshots of what's coming down the pipe in the near future， and how access to the innovations available today could be accelerated。 Altogether， this is a helicopter view of a hopeful new reality; a paradigm shift in understanding the triggers of chronic illness and how to target them。 Will it let us break the lifespan barrier that sits at about 120 years today？ We don't know yet， but we're off to a strong start by discovering how the damage from these conditions can be reversed。

The informative Companion， The Story of how a medical maverick improved cardiovascular health 。 takes a deep dive into one of these approaches， which has been available for more than 20 years and is used by leading cardiologists and their patients。 For more information visit www。calcify。com