update from Japan

[Japaholic]

Hello, specially to all the old timers who’ve been here since forever.

this is a little bit of an update of my current heart health

Last year at my annual medical I was told that I was obese weight was 107.5kg

so I decided to do something drastic

I stopped eating chocolate, potato chips, all ultra food and reduced my fried food intake by 80%

I also adopted a mantra of “are you hungry?” Before eating.

If the answer was no, I wouldn’t eat

Why eat if you’re not hungry? eat if you’re not hungry.

This morning, I weighed myself to be 96.8kg

Now the interesting point for all you lovely people that since adopting diet I haven’t had any palpitations or AF in approximately four months

My doctor is now talking about reducing my medication

For me that is motivation enough just to carry on doing what I’m doing.

Eating only when I’m hungry, and eating only until I’m full.

And zero intake of highly processed food, sugary snacks and other garbage your body doesn’t need

I won’t say I’m cured

But it’s made a hell of a difference and the hardest part is being honest with myself

Just one more Cornish pasty, just one more chocolate croissant won’t hurt

But it does hurt, and I’m now convinced that my diet and my weight has been a big part of my AF

Sending you all my support and encouragement from the land of the rising Sun

[CDreamer]

Oh well done you! Very good to hear how you are getting on, from one ‘forever’. 👍

[Speed]

We’ll done - taking control and having a healthy diet is such a great foundation for your general health. Whereas it doesn’t guarantee a long health span, for the vast majority of us, following a healthy diet will significantly reduce our health issues and even more so if we combine with regularly exercise.

I personally have recently chosen to go pretty much alcohol free - Guinness Zero now being my default tipple. I generally eat well, have a pretty much ideal BMI of 23 and due to frequent exercise, I get away with a vice for sweet treats, I do wonder however, should I have had a better diet and drunk less when younger, whether I may have staved off my AFib until later in life (it does run in my family so was probably inevitable eventually) and have an improved QOL as a result. All my choices.

Again, great to see you taking responsibility and control 👍. Long may you be AFib free.

[50568789 in reply to Speed]

Ah, what was that sing? Would -a, could-a, should-a.

[meadfoot]

Thats such good news, well done you.

[jeanjeannie50]

Lovely to hear from you Jap and well done for losing that weight.

That's certainly a good tip you're giving us. I only eat meals until I'm full too, no matter how lovely they are, but I do eat some rubbish foods like ginger cake, crisps and biscuits. However, after you saying how much better you feel I'm going to do the same and cut them out.

Stay well.

Jean

[secondtry]

Thanks for posting. My father always used to say as a guide when you get up from the table make sure you could always eat the same again. As kids we were never allowed to ask for seconds, nor snack in between meals.

Over recent years I have snacked too much and indulged my sweet tooth, which has caused issues, so currently aiming to eliminate snacks between meals and cut back sugar some more. I think we old timers have to realise we have to behave better when we get older just to stand still!!

[Buffafly in reply to secondtry]

My father always said he never ate until he was full. He developed permanent AF in his late sixties but I think that was more due to lung disease and maybe a too salty diet as well as tendency to AF running in the family. But he did keep a trim figure!

[BobD Volunteer]

Glad you found what I thought we all knew. Keep it up.

[Hugheart]

Hi Japaholic

What you described is an example of one cause for the chronic inflammation underlying AF. Obesity leads to biochemical decay products that stimulate production of inflammatory cytokines , small proteins that attract inflammatory cells leading to tissue destruction with scarring. One of the cytokines in turn also can destroy enzymes needed for energy production to maintain sinus rhythm.

So congrats choosing a healthy lifestyle. There is more you can do to maintain sinus rhythm viewed on my BIO

Hugheart , resident physician.

[wilsond]

Well done!

[2learn]

Alcohol also good to reduce or stop, both for weight and AF

[Pommerania78]

Is it the amount of weight lost or WHAT you no longer eat that has been the more important? Thanks.

[Snowgirl65]

Well said -- and well done.

[iris1205]

BRAVO Kudos to you, well done.

[Jetcat]

nice one. Keep up the good work mate👍💪

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

Sounds great to me.

I, too, was overweight with hypertension but mine was caused by thyroid cancer causing AF causing a clot and stroke embolic.

During 2021 and a year I lost 6-7 kg.

It's harder now.

I reduced plate size.

Like you I did a lot of tennism athletes 100yds and discus.

Reducing weight meant less thyroxin to replacement hormones that I cannot make due to no thyroid.

Also reduced bisoprolol. Last December no more of it as BP went low 90/60! Was dizzy picking up etc.

Also another aggravating side symptom is fatigue with metoprolol and pauses and separately bisoprolol.

So I stay on my regime of 120 CD mg Diltiazem which is a Calcium Channel Blocker.

Recently returned from Tasmania holiday, I was chuffed that I walked 900m to MONO and up the hill!That was a register in my ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS.

Every forward step is a step to me praised and I shout myself a MAGNUM NON DAIRY ALMOND reward.

ALMONDS are god for you.

Just make sure you have 2 Brazil Nuts daily for your T3 level of 3.9 or over, I keep my tSH at 1.3-1.7.

B12 at your age should be 600-700 level.

cheri JOY. 76. (NZ)

[healingharpist]

Great news, great results! You've inspired me to work a little harder at tossing the "bad stuff" and remembering to eat only when hungry. If it would cut down AF episodes, that would be a golden gift!! Carry on winning!