How I have improved my condition.

[DaveSpice]

Beginning with diet. I have cut out all processed foods. I always buy organic and keep looking until I find it, or go without if it is not in season. I never eat deep fried foods and shallow fry keeping the oil temperature low. I only ever use EV olive oil, no other oil and never ever margarine. I try to balance my diet and have a small amount of alcohol, mainly red wine and a small tot of something before bed, just like my dad used to. I have never smoked so that was not an issue and don't understand why people do it, or indeed continue after a serous illness.

I take stress management very seroiusly and have read everything I can lay my hands on, including Youtube stuff. On the other hand I read as little as possible on what I find stressful. I use CBT techniques with a list of 6 stress lowering exercises I got from Youtube, to fend off panic attacks and they do work. I think everyone grossly underestimates the importance of this subject.

I try to get as much exercsie as possible, I know I am lazy, so I make it easy for myself. I cycle at weekends, I have built a small gym and my wife and I nag each other to use it more. I keep 2kg dumbells and 1.5kg ankle weights by the sofa and use them when watching TV. These have helped my arthritis a lot.

I suffer from cardio-gastic syndrome and do a "sit up" style yoga exercise to strengthen my esophageal sphincter, which seems to help and since this is stress related, I use the aforementioned techniques to assist.

Am I cured? no, but most of the time I am okay and feel all of the above help me in my quest for better health. But every day I read/watch everything I can lay my hands on and evaluate to the "n"th degree, interested only in the message, not the messenger.

[MountainGoat52]

Many thanks for the interesting insight into your routine. I couldn't run my life in that manner as it would start to stress me out. I agree that it is silly not to make changes after a heart attack, but in my particular case I was doing the right things beforehand and an heritage condition caused the blood clot that set events in motion.

Since my HA I have adopted a different strategy for stressful situations and go into 'chill out' mode, often much to the annoyance of those around me who are running around like headless chickens. Exercise is a great reliever of stress, particularly in new environments - hill walking is my main interest and trips to Scotland a real pleasure.

As far as food goes, I don't have a specific diet, but have always eaten low fat foods, grilling rather than frying and minimising on processed products. One meal is always a salad unless I am away from home when i might have something light or go without. I think trying to be careful 100% of the time would, for me, be stressful in itself.

[Thanksnhs]

Hi I am afraid I could never have a routine like that. I would find it too stressful. I would feel guilty missing a day of exercise or god forbid eating a bacon roll! my heart condition , that left me needing a transplant which I received last year, was caused by a faulty gene and nothing to do with my lifestyle, just extremely bad luck even worse I have passed it on to my son. I basically don't fuss over food I eat what I want when I want just not in excess,I hate veg I just stick to meat and fish,with all the lovely Scottish favourites included, porridge, haggis,steak pie,mince etc. My cardiology team have no problems with this at all I walk if the weather is ok but if it's not I don't. I have never been one for gym's and things but I know some people love them and we are all different.I live in fear of rejection or my new heart failing but I can't let it rule my life or hinder the time I am here.I want to enjoy it for now, my second chance. we are just back from Majorca and have future bookings to look forward to, sun sea and sangria are the best tonic for me,I can't sit in the sun as I am at high risk of skin cancer my insurance is sky high but when I was swimming in the med two weeks ago I was thinking to myself it was so worth any hassle to get there and thanking my donor and the team that made it possible. Take care char

[Worvera in reply to Thanksnhs]

Hi Thanksnhs I hope you are well this morning. Can I ask where you went for your travel insurance please. My heart condition is nowhere near yours but I’m struggling to find a reasonable deal. I hope you don’t mind me asking. 😊

[Thanksnhs in reply to Worvera]

Morning not at all it is a nightmare getting insurance.I got mine from Just Travel they are broker's I found them very helpful I was£80 for 6 nights expensive but when I was still on the waiting list I was£200! Insure with,good to go and saga will insure pre existing conditions ,I hope you can get a reasonable price and have a fantastic holiday take care char

[Worvera in reply to Thanksnhs]

My brother has gifted me a Caribbean cruise for my retirement (I know how lucky amI? 💫). Anyway I have to get a whole world insurance. My latest quote was over £500! 😱 I’d not thought about Saga though!!! Thanks for that. Have a lovely day 😊

[Thanksnhs in reply to Worvera]

That sounds fantastic so jealous,I hope you can get cheaper insurance its such a pain paying out all that money fingers crossed char

[080311 in reply to Thanksnhs]

Morning char,

Loved reading your post, a real tonic.

Best wishes Pauline xx

[Thanksnhs in reply to 080311]

Thanks Pauline, I think Majorca was just the tonic I needed, it's my birthday on Saturday my 63rd! We are off to Prestwick 😂so far away! We love it down there so we just booked a flat for an overnight stay door to door by train,I have the Jubilee on Monday always a worry, bloods and a MRI scan its usually an echo, I hope everything is still doing fine char x

[Worvera]

Good morning DaveSpice I hope you feel well today. I totally agree with you about the importance of stress management; I am vigilant about it as any small stressor triggers chest pain. Unfortunately, although stress makes us want to run, I’m not able to exercise much at all without being breathless so use mindfulness and hypnotherapy. I’m so glad that you’ve found strategies that help you feel safe and healthy. Thanks for sharing 😊

[DaveSpice in reply to Worvera]

"Stress makes us want to run"? I have never found that. It makes us want to shout, makes our mouths dry, makes us curl up, etc, that is why you do the opposit to tell the mind there is no danger. Exercise can take many forms, so it is just a matter of finding what you can do and fit in as much of that as you can. For example, when watching TV, I keep 1.5kg ankle weights by the sofa and put them on and do knee strengthening exercises. 20 right leg lifts, 20 left, or more, or fewer if my arthritic knees are sore. Youtube has everything and invent a few of your own, exercise is so very important, difficult sometimes, but rewarding. An Australian PM once said "life wasn't meant to be easy" you have to push. Michael Caine once said when asked "what's it like getting old" replied "well it better then the alternative"

Positivity is the key and it kind of annoys me when people on this forum say how hard something is, how is that constructive? I think a kick up the backside is better than sympathy.

[Ukeleleplayer]

That is great that you have improved your condition with lifestyle changes Dave. I joined this forum for support and to learn all I can, as my husband has HF with an E-Fraction of 31 or 32. He had a heart attack in Jan 2009 and no further heart attacks. Has a few stents. He is overweight, quit smoking the day he had his heart attack. His cardiologist recently put him on Entresto and the drug that starts with D that is for diabetics but also can help the heart. (added to his other heart meds). I mentioned to the radiologist when my husband was on the phone with him, that I would think improving the diet and losing weight would be a help to the heart. He did not acknowledge this at all, saying that only the medication could help. I have been researching a lot and have found a lot of good info at a cardiologist's website, who advocates using COQ10, D-Ribose, Magnesium, L-Carnitine and other supplements/vitamins that help the heart. He also mentions losing weight, changing the diet, lowering stress, etc. So I purchased the above named supplements and we are making an effort to change our diet. Still need to get started on an exercise regime, which means clearing the basement of clutter and setting up a space for a new exercise bike, and gym equipment. I am hoping to see improvement with the E-fraction in time. Posts like yours give me hope, and I share the info I read here with my husband.

[DaveSpice in reply to Ukeleleplayer]

I really love to hear about people who give up smoking after a HA, as a non smoker, to me it is a no brainer, but many don't, claiming how difficult it is. Yeh it is really difficult to want to stay alive. I have said many times on this forum that most GPs are drug pushers as it is part of their training, the training is financed by big pharma, so no surprise.

The western diet, correction the world diet, is making us all sick, so rejecting it is a great idea cutting out all processed food and going for organic as much as possible is a must do.

Dont wait to start exercise, go for a walk, get some dumbells, ankle weights and do some exercise while sitting watching TV, go to Youtube and do the BHF 10 minute workout. Then when you get your gym built he and YOU will be well on the way.

PS I also have a uke, pretty useless, can only play one song.....doh!

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to DaveSpice]

"I have said many times on this forum that most GPs are drug pushers as it is part of their training, the training is financed by big pharma, so no surprise."

Could you please provide the evidence for the above.

Please do not threaten or make personal attacks on me in response to my reasonable question.

[DaveSpice in reply to Milkfairy]

Having travelled around a lot I have seen doctors in many different parts of the UK and mnay different countries and I can't think of a time I went out without a prescription. Of late I have checked to see what they have given me and not taken it, as I have given up trying to reason with GPs. Betablockers was the last, when I went for a simple repeat prescription, this after more than years after my HA. He didn't do any checks at all.

So, I booked another consultancy with Dr.Jupta from York Cardiology and he was surprised and told me not to take them. Indeed this man, a top Cradiologist is very much against the gross overprescription of drugs and calls the medical proffession out over it.

Go back a little further to my late mother, who after my birth was advised, no told, to have all her teeth removed because she had a "normal after birth" calcuim deficiency. She was so traumatised she went to the doctors who had her on Valium for 40 years, which basically riuned her health and life.

I dont know anyone of my age who is taking fewer pills than me and look at the stats of people taking Statins, it is enormous and it is the same for every drug..usually uder patent.

[Ukeleleplayer in reply to DaveSpice]

Happy to hear you have a uke too Maybe you should get back to it and learn some more songs. I don't know one song perfectly yet, but trying lots of different songs and enjoying it so much. Got a uke for Christmas, and practicing every day determined to become a good player. Thanks for the encouraging words. We do have some dumbbells, the lighter ones, and that is all we really need right now with my husband's shoulder injury and both of us being out of shape. I used to do body building regularly when I was a lot younger, and need to get at it again. Yes you are right, we should not wait to exercise. And yes, sadly you are right about the doctors and big pharma I will check out the BHF 10 minute workout. Thanks.

[DaveSpice in reply to Ukeleleplayer]

I have had my ukes a while now and am pretty useless. I bought the first and then discovered a banjolele. promised myself if I learned one song I would buy one. So my song... youtube.com/watch?v=dG9tuuz...(Not working as expected?) ...Impressed, I can see you are?? 3 whole chords...Haha.

Back to subject, My dumbells are 3kg and my wifes are 2kg and that's plenty, just do lots of reps, different movements that don't hurt too much, we put music on and dance with them. The best song for aerobics is Rubberband Man, Spinners.

She looks good, as most gals do, I look like a right drongo, but don't care, she loves me...obviously

This is all about having fun, so important.

[Ukeleleplayer in reply to DaveSpice]

That is you playing and singing ? It's really good! Yes the lighter weights and lots of reps is the way to go. Will have to get started on that. Dancing, I love but husband no unfortunately

[Hidden]

I have never had the impression that GP's are "drug pushers", maybe Ive been lucky and I've seen enlightened Doctors.I do however believe that a lot people take the wrong lifestyle choices with little regard for the consequences and then expect the NHS to put it to rights with a course of medication and they arn't prepared to look at their lifestyle.

I for one am thankful for the investment the big pharma companies undertake into product research and the continual professional development they provide to Doctors and pharmacists because without it most of us on this forum would undoubtedly have a much poorer quality of life or possibly we'd be pushing the daisies up.

[DaveSpice in reply to Hidden]

Having travelled around a lot I have seen doctors in many different parts of the UK and mnay different countries and I can't think of a time I went out without a prescription. Of late I have checked to see what they have given me and not taken it, as I have given up trying to reason with GPs. Betablockers was the last, when I went for a simple repeat prescription, this after more than years after my HA. He didn't do any checks at all.

So, I booked another consultancy with Dr.Jupta from York Cardiology and he was surprised and told me not to take them. Indeed this man, a top Cradiologist is very much against the gross overprescription of drugs and calls the medical proffession out over it.

Go back a little further to my late mother, who after my birth was advised, no told, to have all her teeth removed because she had a "normal after birth" calcuim deficiency. She was so traumatised she went to the doctors who had her on Valium for 40 years, which basically riuned her health and life.

I dont know anyone of my age who is taking fewer pills than me and look at the stats of people taking Statins, it is enormous and it is the same for every drug..usually uder patent.