Dr. Akil Taher is the author of OPEN HEART a book that chronicles his transformational journey. Dr. Taher had angioplasty at 56, open heart surgery at 61, and ran his first half marathon less than a year later. He then proceeded to run the Chicago, Boston, and Mumbai marathons, and also climbed mountains. He transformed from a middle-aged couch potato with a dangerously bad diet into a vital, energetic athlete, ever seeking new challenges and adventures. His whole food plant-based diet played a major part in his transformation.