Robert Fiore, 51, did just that. Fiore said he was advised by a fellow attorney to pay a visit to Agatston to make sure everything was all right.

“We can bury our heads in the sand and pretend that nothing can go wrong with our health or we can proactively take care of our bodies,’’ Fiore said.

“I would rather make sure that I am doing things right and prevent something from happening.”

Fiore is a trial lawyer who deals with cases of medical malpractice. He said he often sees people trying to do “medicine on the cheap’’ once their problems worsen, which can potentially lead to catastrophic events.

Luckily for Fiore, he has been doing things right. His heart came out “clean” on his test results, he said.

“I knew that I was eating right and staying active but I wanted to know that for a fact,” he said. “Now I am going to follow Dr. Agatston’s advice and stay on the right path.”

Making changes

Agatston’s book details seven strategies for transforming your life.

Most of the strategies focus on eating healthy, from getting rid of unhealthy foods to cooking more at home, to shopping for healthy foods and incorporating a meatless meal or two into your weekly menu planning.

“People are not having enough home-cooked meals and in average we consume 500 extra calories when we eat out,” Agatston said.

“It is important to know where your food comes from and how it is been prepared. The best way to know that is if you are doing it yourself.”

For breakfast, eat lean protein and fiber to ward off mid-morning hunger pains.

“I usually start my day off with a couple of scrambled eggs or an omelet made with chopped vegetables, reduced-fat cheese, or salmon,” wrote Agatston. “Chopped frozen spinach and tofu are also good choices for a healthy breakfast.”

Even if you are not that hungry in the morning, it is important to eat something healthy: Whole-grain oatmeal, whole-grain cereals, eggs with fresh herbs or vegetables, fresh fruit, whole wheat toast with peanut butter .

Agatston is a strong advocate of cooking at home.

“To become a healthier society, we need to stop our dependency on fast food,” he said. “We need to stop considering it an option and instead start enjoying cooking with the family and the kids, and making it an everyday activity.”

To make it easier, he recommends cooking in advance and keeping meals in the freezer to reheat. Not every meal has to be made from scratch.

Many supermarkets offer prepared foods that can be smart options as a main dish, like rotisserie chicken, baked salmon or roasted turkey breast. But, he adds, check on how the food is prepared before buying to avoid high levels of sodium, sugar and fat.

As for lifestyle changes, Agatston notes that the first step starts with decluttering your home. Ask yourself: Is your kitchen functional and are your dining surfaces clean? Is your bedroom full of electronic equipment or is it conducive to sleep? Are your indoor and outdoor spaces workout friendly?

Although he acknowledged that “Generation S” members lead busy lives, he said that shouldn’t be an excuse to lead toxic lives. According to the 66-year-old cardiologist, people used to be just as busy back in the day.

“They just didn’t have as many fast-food options or weren’t as dependent on technology,” he said. “So we need to start taking the stairs, mowing our lawns, walking a little more. We need to get moving.”