‘My greatest chance of staying alive’ – Samuel L Jackson on drastic health changes

SAMUEL L JACKSON is widely regarded as one of his generation’s best actors. He has appeared in films that have grossed over £19 billion worldwide, one of which, A Time to Kill, is airing tonight on BBC (Saturday, March 5). Off-screen, the actor has been outspoken about the importance of people taking care of their health, especially after his own health scare.

Jackson, who rose to prominence in films such as Goodfellas and Jurassic Park, has championed health causes such as cancer charity One For The Boys. In 2015, the actor and the charity hoped to overcome issues concerning men’s health, particularly cancer. In relation to the campaign, Jackson stated, “When it comes to men, we’re literally letting ourselves die…” “I play golf with guys who have skin cancer, but they didn’t tell me until I saw them with a Band-Aid on their face on the golf course.” As part of the crucial campaign, the actor provided a rare glimpse into his lifestyle and the changes he has made to improve his own health.

Fans were concerned about the star’s weight loss a few years ago. But, in an interview, the star quickly put the rumours to rest, saying, “Because I was losing weight, people thought I was dying.”

“They thought I had cancer, but I was just on a strict vegan diet.”

“My doctor told me it was my best chance of survival – and it worked.”

“But I’m fortunate. I’m required to get a full medical before every film, or I won’t be able to get insurance.

“Because the average man does not have that luxury, it is critical that they remain vigilant.”

The actor’s health changes were prompted by the discovery of a potentially fatal blood clot near his heart, which could have killed him if he hadn’t changed his ways. Jackson, on the other hand, was able to lose three stone by switching to a vegan diet.

Individuals who are at high risk of developing a blood clot may be advised by a medical professional to take medications to control their cholesterol and blood pressure levels. If clotting in the heart becomes severe enough, it can put people at risk of stroke or heart attack.

According to the NHS, arterial thrombosis is a blood clot in an artery that, if left untreated, can become extremely serious and prevent blood from reaching organs.

More importantly, a blood clot usually does not cause any symptoms until it causes a serious problem, such as a stroke or heart attack.

A condition that makes your blood more likely to clot, such as atrial fibrillation or antiphospholipid syndrome, can sometimes cause arterial thrombosis.

The former is a heart condition that results in an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate, while the latter is an immune system disorder known as Hughes syndrome.

If you have arterial thrombosis, you may need to be treated with medication or surgery.

Among these treatments are the following:
Injections of a thrombolytic medication, which can dissolve some blood clots.
A procedure to remove the clot (embolectomy)

An angioplasty, for example, is a procedure that widens the affected artery (where a hollow tube is placed inside the artery to hold it open)
A coronary artery bypass graft (in which a blood vessel taken from another part of the body is used to bypass a blockage in the artery that supplies the heart) is one example of surgery to divert blood around a blocked artery.

Aside from arterial thrombosis, several other types of blood clots can form. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in one of the body’s deep veins, usually in the leg.

The following factors can increase an individual’s risk of developing blood clots and fatty deposits:

An individual’s risk of developing blood clots and a build-up of fatty deposits can be increased due to the following factors:

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• Getting older
• Smoking
• An unhealthy diet
• A lack of exercise
• Being overweight or obese
• Regularly drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
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• Other health conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes
• A family history of atherosclerosis
• Being of south Asian, African or African-Caribbean descent.