very physician remembers the first time they placed a stethoscope on a patient’s chest. At first, it is the sound of science—lub-dub, the rhythm of life. But with time, it becomes something deeper. It is the sound of a story. Behind every heartbeat is a life shaped by joys, sorrows, and silent prayers.

As a cardiologist, I have seen countless patients with weak hearts but strong spirits, and I have also seen the opposite: strong bodies weighed down by despair. Medicine can repair valves, open arteries, and correct rhythms. Yet the truest healing often comes from the unseen — from words that reassure, from touch that comforts, from faith that strengthens.

This is why we relaunch Health & Lifestyle (H&L): to remind ourselves that health is never just numbers on a chart. It is not simply about lowering blood pressure or normalizing cholesterol. Health is about adding life to living — fullness, meaning, and joy.

As you read through this issue, may you be encouraged not only to take care of your body, but also your heart — the center of your being. For the most important vital sign of all is not just your pulse or pressure, but your hope.