I had a patient a few months ago. Let’s call him Dato’ K.
Successful businessman. Beautiful bungalow in Bukit Tunku – one of those ones with the long driveway and the security guard booth. Driver. Housekeeper. Kids in international school. You know the type. Made it, by any reasonable measure.
He came to see me because his wife forced him to. Her exact words, apparently: “You’re going to the doctor or I’m going to kill you myself.” He’d been having chest tightness for weeks but kept dismissing it as stress. Too busy to get it checked. Important meetings. Deals to close. The usual.
Turns out his blood pressure was through the roof. Cholesterol? Terrible. Blood sugar? Pre-diabetic. And he’s only 52.
“But doc, I feel fine,” he kept saying. “Just a bit tired sometimes.”
Here’s the thing that kills me about Bukit Tunku patients – and I say this with genuine frustration. You have EVERYTHING. The money, the access, the resources. You could get the best preventive care in the country without blinking. And yet so many of you are walking around with ticking time bombs in your bodies because you’re “too busy” to spend two hours getting a proper health screen.
Dato’ K was lucky. We caught his issues before anything catastrophic happened. But not everyone gets that lucky.
So let’s have an honest conversation about the lifestyle health risks that come with living in Bukit Tunku – and what preventive health actually looks like when you’ve got the means to do it properly.
The Bukit Tunku Lifestyle: Privilege Comes With Its Own Health Risks
I’m not going to pretend that living in Bukit Tunku is hard. It’s not. It’s one of the most desirable addresses in KL for a reason. Beautiful homes, mature trees, quiet streets, proximity to the city without being in the chaos.
But affluent lifestyles come with their own set of health traps. Different from the guy working shifts in a factory, sure. But real nonetheless.
You don’t have to move much. Driver takes you everywhere. Lift at the office. Housekeeper handles everything at home. Someone else carries the groceries. Your actual physical movement in a day might be shockingly low. I’ve had patients who don’t walk more than 1,000 steps a day. That’s not sedentary – that’s practically immobile.
Social life revolves around food and drinks. Business dinners. Club functions. Charity galas. Friends coming over. Entertaining clients. And it’s rarely salad and sparkling water, is it? Rich food. Good wine. Maybe whisky after. Rinse and repeat, week after week.
Success often means stress. The bigger the empire, the bigger the problems. Business pressures. Investment worries. Family expectations. Staff issues. You might not be stressed about paying bills, but stress is stress – your body doesn’t care whether you’re worried about rent or a multi-million ringgit deal.
You’re too busy to prioritise yourself. This is the big one. Successful people got where they are by putting work first. By sacrificing. By pushing through. That mindset doesn’t switch off just because you’ve “made it.” If anything, it gets worse. There’s always another deal, another meeting, another commitment. Health becomes something you’ll “get around to.”
Healthcare becomes reactive, not proactive. When you’re wealthy, you know you can afford treatment if something goes wrong. So there’s this unconscious sense of “I’ll deal with it when I need to.” Problem is, some things – heart attacks, strokes, advanced cancers – don’t give you the luxury of dealing with them later.
The Health Issues I Actually See From Bukit Tunku (Be Honest With Yourself)
Let me tell you what actually walks through my door from this neighbourhood. No sugarcoating.
Cardiovascular problems that should have been caught years ago. High blood pressure that’s been building silently. Cholesterol levels that would make a cardiologist wince. Early signs of heart disease that nobody noticed because nobody was looking. I see successful men in their 50s who are one stressful day away from a cardiac event and don’t even know it.
Diabetes and pre-diabetes. The combination of rich food, alcohol, minimal exercise, and stress is basically a recipe for insulin resistance. So many Bukit Tunku residents are walking around with blood sugar levels that are creeping up year by year. By the time they’re diagnosed, they’ve often had pre-diabetes for a decade without knowing.
Fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is incredibly common in affluent populations. Yes, even if you’re not overweight. The combination of rich food and sedentary lifestyle leads to fat accumulation in the liver. Often has no symptoms until it’s progressed significantly.
Gout. The “rich man’s disease” stereotype exists for a reason. Red meat, seafood, alcohol – especially beer and spirits – all raise uric acid levels. I see a lot of gout in this demographic. Painful, debilitating, and entirely preventable with proper management.
Stress-related conditions. Chronic headaches. Digestive issues – reflux, IBS symptoms. Sleep problems. Anxiety that manifests as physical symptoms. The body keeps score, and high-powered lifestyles take a toll even if you’re not consciously feeling “stressed.”
Weight issues that sneak up. Maybe not dramatically overweight, but that gradual expansion. The suits getting tighter. The golf handicap getting worse because you’re not as fit as you used to be. Visceral fat – the dangerous kind around your organs – accumulating invisibly.
Sleep disorders. Sleep apnea is incredibly common and incredibly under-diagnosed in this demographic. Often dismissed as “snoring.” But it’s linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and significantly impacts quality of life.
Cancers caught late. This is the one that really gets me. People who could afford regular screenings but didn’t bother. Colon cancer that would have been caught as a polyp with a colonoscopy. Breast cancers that would have been Stage 1 with regular mammograms. By the time symptoms appear, treatment is harder.
A Note for the Spouses (Because You're Usually the Ones Reading This)
Let me guess – you’re reading this because you’re worried about your husband. Or maybe your wife. They won’t go for a check-up and it’s driving you crazy.
I see this pattern constantly. The spouse who drags their reluctant partner to the clinic. The wife who books the appointment because she knows he never will. The husband who’s noticed his wife is always tired but she insists she’s “fine.”
If that’s you – keep pushing. Seriously. You might be the reason they catch something early. Dato’ K’s wife probably saved his life by refusing to let him ignore his symptoms any longer.
And if YOU’RE the reluctant one – your spouse is worried because they love you. They want you around for the long haul. For the grandkids. For retirement. For all the things you’ve worked so hard for. Don’t let stubbornness cost you those years.
What Preventive Health Actually Looks Like (When You Can Afford to Do It Right)
Here’s the thing – you have resources most people don’t. So use them. Properly.
Annual comprehensive health screening. Non-negotiable. Not the basic company medical. A proper executive health screen. Full blood panel – cholesterol (including the detailed breakdown, not just total), blood sugar (HbA1c, not just fasting glucose), liver function, kidney function, thyroid, inflammatory markers, vitamin levels. Blood pressure. BMI and body composition. Resting ECG at minimum. Worth adding a treadmill stress test after 50.
Age-appropriate cancer screening. Colonoscopy starting at 50 (earlier if family history). Men – PSA testing with proper discussion of pros and cons. Women – mammograms, Pap smears, HPV screening. These aren’t optional extras. They’re basic maintenance.
Cardiac assessment if you have risk factors. Family history of heart disease? Smoker (or ex-smoker)? Diabetic? High cholesterol? High stress job? Talk to your doctor about whether you need CT coronary angiogram or other advanced cardiac imaging. Finding blockages before they cause a heart attack is the whole point.
Sleep study if there’s any possibility of sleep apnea. Snoring? Waking up tired despite “enough” sleep? Partner noticed you stop breathing at night? Get tested. Sleep apnea is treatable and treating it can dramatically reduce cardiovascular risk.
Relationship with a doctor who knows you. Not just any doctor at any clinic when something goes wrong. A doctor who knows your history, your lifestyle, your risk factors. Who can track changes over time. Who will tell you the truth even when you don’t want to hear it.
Lifestyle Modifications (That Work With Your Actual Life, Not Against It)
I’m not going to tell you to give up business dinners or stop entertaining. That’s not realistic for your life. But there are adjustments that actually work:
Build movement into your day deliberately. You have resources – use them. Personal trainer who comes to your home. Gym setup in that spare room. Walking meetings when possible. Taking calls while walking around the garden. Golf is good but it’s not enough on its own. Your body needs to move more than once or twice a week.
Strategic eating at social events. You don’t have to eat everything that’s served. Fill up on protein and vegetables first. Go easy on the carbs and the rich sauces. You can enjoy good food without demolishing your health – it’s about frequency and quantity, not total abstinence.
Alcohol moderation. Real talk. I know it’s part of social life. But daily drinking – even “just wine with dinner” – adds up. Your liver notices even if you don’t. Try alcohol-free days. Really try. If you find you can’t, that’s worth examining honestly.
Stress management that actually works for you. Meditation is great if you’ll actually do it. So is golf, if it genuinely relaxes you (and not just creates new frustrations). Find what works – maybe it’s time with family, maybe it’s a hobby, maybe it’s just 30 minutes of genuinely unplugged time daily. Chronic stress is physically damaging. You have to address it somehow.
Prioritise sleep. Seriously. I know you’re busy. I know there’s always more to do. But sleep deprivation affects everything – decision making, mood, weight, blood pressure, immune function, accident risk. Seven hours minimum. Non-negotiable. Your empire can wait until morning.
Use your resources for health, not just treatment. Private chef who can cook healthy? Nutritionist to optimise your diet? Health coach to keep you accountable? You can afford support that most people can’t. Use it proactively, not just when something’s gone wrong.
Your Health Partner for Bukit Tunku - Dr Prevents
Look, I know you have options. Private hospitals. Specialist clinics. Concierge medicine services. You don’t NEED to see us.
But what we offer is something a bit different. At Dr Prevents, we focus on prevention first – not just treating problems after they’ve developed. We take time to understand your lifestyle, your risk factors, your family history. We’re honest with you even when it’s uncomfortable.
What we provide for Bukit Tunku residents:
- Comprehensive health screening – thorough, not rushed. With proper time to discuss what results actually mean for YOU.
- Cardiovascular risk assessment – understanding your real risk, not just ticking boxes.
- Metabolic health evaluation – blood sugar, liver function, the full picture.
- Lifestyle medicine approach – recommendations that work with your actual life.
- Coordination with specialists – when you need a cardiologist, endocrinologist, or other specialist, we connect you with the best.
- Ongoing monitoring – not just a once-a-year check but a relationship where we track your health over time.
- Discretion and privacy – we understand our patients value their privacy.
- Flexible scheduling – because we know your time is limited.
You’ve worked hard to build the life you have. Protecting your health is how you get to enjoy it.
You’ve Earned Everything You Have. Don’t Let Preventable Health Issues Take It Away.
Final Thoughts: Don't Become a Cautionary Tale
I’ve been doing this long enough to have seen too many cautionary tales. The CEO who had a stroke at 55 because nobody was monitoring his blood pressure. The businessman who ignored warning signs until his heart attack. The woman who put off her mammogram for three years because she was “too busy.”
Don’t be that person. You’re too smart for that.
Dato’ K? He’s doing well. On medication for his blood pressure and cholesterol now. Lost some weight. Actually uses that gym membership he’s been paying for. Gets his check-ups religiously because he got a proper scare.
But here’s the thing – you don’t need a scare to start taking your health seriously. You can just… decide to do it. Today. Because you want to be around for the next chapter. Because you’ve earned the right to enjoy what you’ve built.
The resources are there. The knowledge is there. The only thing missing, usually, is the decision to prioritise it.
So. When was your last proper health screening?
If you have to think about it… it’s been too long.