My name is Julia and I am new in London, UK. I was born with congenital defect as following'' coarctation of the aorta bicuspid aortic valve''. The Coarctation of the aorta has been operated successfully. In my home country is not given a proper education to the children born with congenital defects therefore since I was strong enough to work I exposed my self to hot climate as Gulf country (AC) and I gain a lot of weight due to lack of sport which was step to provoke my death. What can I say ,my ignorance could cost me with my life ( I was on a step heart attack or stroke, thanks God for the miracle) therefore I have decided to don't repeat similar mistakes and to be more cautious with my life.
I registered here in order to learn how I can protect my self while living in humid climate as UK, how I can loose weight when I can't make physical efforts much because my blood pressure increase when I move fast and I started to have fatness on my 2 valves and are not closing well. I want to repair my mistakes and to save my life. Ideally, I want to learn how I can repair my mistakes and to live healthy life with my heart conditions. My doctors told me yet everything is under control but I must be very careful and to loose weight and things could be repaired if I will take care but I don't know how.
Nevertheless I want to work as normal people, I am lawyer and in this period I am searching for job. I don't want to repeat my past mistakes and to live healthy life for healthy heart the last but not the least I badly wish to be mother .
Any advise is precious to me.
Thank you ,
Julia
Written by
Healthy_Heart
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Exercise helps reduce your blood pressure so by not doing any you're making things worse. Start off gently with short, regular, walks and increase the duration as your fitness starts to improve. Walking is all you really need to do. Another option is cycling or an exercise bike. As your fitness improves further you can increase the distance and speed of your walk. Small improvements in fitness are what you should aim for.
Of course, you also need to eat a healthy diet but I'm sure you know that already.
The key to losing weight is burning more calories than you take in (called calorie deficit).. regular exercise is the best way to do that, and will also help with keeping your blood pressure in check.
Thank you for your valuable advises. I will try to do step by step since every time I make physical efforts I get dizzy and fast heart bitting which is annoying me but I hope to get well soon and be in normal shape again.
Hi how about building more activity into your normal life? Walk an extra stop, instead of getting the bus all the way. Use the stairs, not lifts or escalators. Get used to walking for everyday things, not jumping in the car.
You’ve got some good advice above, on diet. To begin, I just stopped all fat, which drops weight v quick.
Thank you Kristin. I am doing that but slowly slowly because my blood pressure going up when I make physical effort but I want to be in normal shape again without suffering.
two very good replies from Marc and Kristin. I would further echo the walking, free, relatively easy to start and will build confidence the further you go. A big plus for me is to see places I have lived near for years and years that I never knew existed. I have now been doing my walks for about 16 months, seen some fabulous sights, found some fantastic pubs/cafes views and its something that can be done in most weather conditions with a few provisos around the ultra cold or hot
Thank you Mark. Indeed very good replies from Marc and Kristin which I will consider seriously. I want to try my best to help my 2 valves working well without the need of other surgery. I am wondering if I have the chance that fatness from my valves to go away and my valves to close normal as before...It will be that possible ??? I don't want to die so young and I want to live normal life as normal people..
I’m moving to a hot country and been told the climate won’t make any differentence. I grew up making mistakes even though I was also born with a heart condition but in the uk we get so much info it’s hard to make sense of it and what is right info. My mum in law is a cardiologist and helping me make sense of the info. My bloke as the same heart condition as me and she has no problem with us moving To a hot country but wants us both to stop making mistakes. I’m starting to cut out salt and bad fat from my diet. I believe in a hot country u are more likely to be active so it’s easier on that level.
From my perspective which I lived in a hot country for 9 years that can affect your health a lot. While I was living there my blood pressure gone up without me to be aware. When where I came back to the normal pressure my blood is back to normal nevertheless I developed a lot of things while I was living there and AC is very bad used 24 hours per day. You must be very careful. Again depends the country are you moving.
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