I’m currently on a work trip in Eastern Idaho, but my wife keeps me updated on important life events and noteworthy headlines. And she sent me a news article about a guy with a machete tattoo on his face who had, surprisingly, been arrested for stabbing some people. Totally unexpected. Never saw it coming.

And if you’re into Sonnets about Sagebrush, then driving through rural Eastern Idaho is the perfect muse for your shrubbery songwriting. But there is a sign in the middle of the desert that says, “CAUTION: ALLIGATORS.” You would think it’s a joke, but apparently out in the middle of potato country is an alligator farm…and a few reptiles have escaped over the years. Now that’s legitimately shocking!

And I don’t want to trivialize the victims of knife attacks or alligator maulings…these are tragic circumstances. But I think these two situations represent an analogy for Heart Disease prevention. When someone has diabetes, high blood pressure, and a terrible family history, that situation screams LET’S BE PROACTIVE. The guy with the machete on his face is going to stab you in the heart at any moment…maybe we should move you to a safer (Lipid) Neighborhood! But all too often, these ticking time bombs have “The Big One” and somehow “nobody saw it coming.”

And then you might be the fittest guy in the world who does laundry on your own abs and has the mitochondria of a Pro Athlete. I bet you can get away from Psycho Machete Knife Guys, but maybe there’s a random alligator in your physiologic desert. Not likely, but you never know!

So regardless, you still should understand the factors that contribute to heart disease, know your numbers, and get preventive screens. With this approach, I’m confident we can keep machete-wielding alligators and coronary casualties at bay