These last few days of glorious heat, I've had barbecues, ice-cream, more ice-cream and cold ,cold beers or cold glasses of white wine.
Whilst we all know the advice around units of alcohol, naughty foods etc etc.
My attitude is, we don't get this combo of great weather and footy that often so a few days of indulgence won't kill me, so to hell with it and enjoy living , rather then constantly watching food, salts, fats, sugars, alcohol like I and I assume many of us do.
Do we sometimes forget that having a second chance/ a warning shot or however you phrase it also means enjoying life and it's indulgences at times.
Discipline is key. Whilst I do crave at time for these kind of food - I do resist. I have learnt to enjoy my family indulging in those kind of food - while I watch as a bystander. Dont get me wrong, I have some good stuff too, but more of an exception rather than the rule. Would I have a KFC? Dont think so, nice Italian pizza - probably yes.
I am talking about a proper Italian Pizza. Not Pizza Hut - those are there for the taking. However, KFC is deep fried, salty,...all bad while tasty I have to admit.
Relatively speaking - a Napoletana Pizza (as you call them) is definitely much better.
Also, anyone who has pineapple on a pizza, needs professional help. Anyway, thats another conversation. 😎
Though I don't hanker after any of the treats that you mention, I suspect many of us will identify with your wish to "enjoy living". A couple of months ago, I ceased to be "pre-diabetic" after 16 months of serious dieting and immediately celebrated with a strawberry trifle - though last week I resisted the temptation to buy another one. Last week my friend ordered a scone with jam and cream, and I did accept her invitation to have a quarter of it.
At least when I eat out I don't consider what I should and should not be eating as much as in the past, though my weekly Big Shop hasn't changed much.
This morning I did wonder why I was still eating multi-grain muesli which, even with lots of berries added, is most unappetising.
Each to their own, I actually have a budget muesli which is mostly oats (no sugar of course) and absolutely love it (but then again I am slightly odd). I find I like more than the more expensive ones.😀
Why don't you make your own, much healthier and not so dry. I have oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds and chia. I add raspberries or strawberries or blackberries or blueberries; whatever is in season. In summer l have the oats as they are and in winter cook them to make porridge. I never get fed up with it.
You know I’m going to try this popping out today and will pick all of these items if I have the oats and pumpkin seeds so just sunflower flax and chia 👍
I agree that life is to be enjoyed. But personally I haven’t been a fan of “naughty” food so it doesn’t affect me much. Yes, an extra glass of wine and yes, I have cream with my strawberries sometimes. And yes we had a bbq the other day so I overate - two sausages and a burger all made by my butcher AND chicken wings. Plus salad.
Enjoy away, I took the family out last night for tea and went mad and had three scoops (yes three scoops) of ice cream with my nephews, and absolutely loved it.
Back to normal now, fresh fruit and fat free yogurt.
Just to confirm I would never have anything with 'added sugar' I did do some research as what was the best for example and followed that bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo....
Got to admit I can't remember having to see 5% fat content, I will take a look. I only normally have 2/3 spoon fulls so overall I don't think it makes much difference overall (except in my head 😀).
Hi baly, It's great you're thinking about the improvements you can make to help yourself take advantage of a 'second chance'. Your latest post asks if it's okay to occasionally indulge yourself. It's not clear whether you think that over indulgence may have contributed to your HA . However, it's clear from earlier posts you felt you had cared a lot about your personal fitness. Following rehab you have set about the journey to return yourself to fitness by re joining a gym etc and shared some impressive stats.
It's also not clear whether you want answers that say it's okay to indulge or 'to tell you off'! 😁
What I share with you I think is that back of the mind anxiety about why this happened, why me, is it my responsibility, can I do something about it, will it happen again regardless of what I do?
My 2 year journey started with a severe stroke, detoured with a cholecystectomy that went off plan, then a single Afib event detected with an implanted ECG device, and most recently syncope (collapse) with a sudden cardiac arrest whilst running. And I'm informed I had a left ventricular tachycardia event, must have had a silent heart attack at some time that has caused scarring and severe thinning of the heart wall muscle. And finally the failure of the Implanted Cardio Defibrillator the day it was fitted requiring a replacement procedure in May. I'm not trying to impress or play bingo. The point is for most people who use HealthUnlocked the journey is not a single event that subsequently offers a second chance to grab.
But what you are clearly showing is a strong desire to be positive in spite of the uncertainty and questions nagging away. And you have definitely hit on a really important part of the journey. I find it hard to believe in this two years how many negative thoughts I've had that have a tendency to suggest a bad habit might give me a lift!
People say I am very positive and so set a good example. But it's really hard work. After the stroke I found running was a relatively safe thing I could do to improve my cardiovascular system, never having run in my life since horrible school cross countries.
I was just going well then routine tests for my heart medications found a new problem with my gallbladder. A simple op went wrong and I was out of action for weeks so had to start the running all over again. I worked up to 10km distance and joined a couple of organised runs which were great and regularly do Parkrun. So to collapse while running and end up in a Coronary Care Unit for 7 weeks was just 'not fair'. I was finally discharged from the hospital on 12 June and told I could get back on with life again, in moderation!!!!!
So the fine weather has been great and I'm lucky to be by the sea. My treat to myself, my indulgence was a very slow 3 km run this morning, ending up on the beach with a swim! After the last 5 months you cannot imagine how good that felt and how my spirit and soul has been lifted.
So my tip is to find rewards, indulgences that make a positive contribution to your health improvement, for a win win. It's not an okay for the occasional relapse into unhealthy habits. Not least because your cardiovascular system was part of the problem for your HA which won't be helped by any unhealthy living. My heart and vascular system was/is strong apparently, I just have two co-morbidities, age at 72 and being overweight. So my diagnosis was cryptogenic stroke, idiopathic ventricular tachycardia, silent HA, cardiomyopathy .... ie they can see what's happened but don't know why. So I wait for the next event and hope again that my improved health regime gives me a better chance of recovery as it did in January.
End of sermon😂.
Do pat yourself on the back a bit more for your great exercise regime.
I think what I'm trying to say is, yes healthy diet is great but it can become an obsession and whilst I don't intend to indulge all the time, once in a blue moon won't kill me but constantly obsessing over it is just as unhealthy.
Good for you! You can change your diet but not your genes. I started ridiculously healthy eating about 20 years ago due to IBS, got even stricter after my Dad’s heart failure and my own gallbladder surgery. Still had mitral valve regurgitation. While I will ‘behave’ most of the time because it’s common sense, did it change my outcome? Not in the slightest. I’m one of the healthiest people I know and have also had the most surgery.
We know a healthy lifestyle is important but it isn’t the only risk factor. Have fun and back to normal behaviour tomorrow 😍
When a coup sweeps me into power on July 5th at the head of my "A Plague on all your parties" party I shall keep football in its proper place.
It will be played from Sept 15th and finish promptly on March 31st. Footballers will also be taxed at 98% on their obscene earnings and an extra £1000 fine every time they collapse when they are tackled.
Fortunately all the foods and drinks you mention I will re rate as being beneficial to health
I agree that life is for living but indulgence depends on the consequences. I've given up alcohol completely as it gives me Atrial fibrillation which really affects my quality of life, therefore it is totally not worth it, same with coffee it causes pain, stops me exercising all big no no's that just don't balance against the problems they cause me. I don't have any plumbing/ furring issues of the heart however so I can and do treat myself to a desert, a nice bag of crisps or a fry up on occasion.
Absolutely ok to have an indulgence once in a while ( the health condition should dictate that indulgence ). Enjoy the rebirth but don’t abuse it. Keep the stats & numbers in check . I had a blast at the Black Deer Festival , such a great time. Had some nice beers/cider and a Bloody Mary or two with breakfast 🤣,, huge amount of laughter and tears of joy. It was so good for the soul . Then the following weekend I went to a gig at Hammersmith Apollo , a chicken salad sarnie and pint of skimmed milk was my drink of choice while my mate had 3 G& Ts and several pints at the venue 🤣.
Garmin vo2 max stats have improved , hard work round the farm and plenty of exercise . I love that it shows my fitness age at 39 🤣🤣🤣 . I’m not going to live forever , but I can extend the quality of life I have , Enjoying being 62. I hope I enjoy the next year as much 👍🏻
Diagnosed a month ago with A fib, it been a rollercoaster!! I completely cut out salt , fat, sugar the works from my diet awaiting a cardio version in 2 weeks time.
It hit to the point that I was having triggers after eating meals, think I was getting too anxious about food? ( first time in my life!)
Just had a sleepover in hospital due to an episode and offered chicken mayo sandwich’s and orange juice so now thinking it must be ok for me to have these as given them in hospital!? Now trying not to be as hard on myself but keeping it sensible. Still difficult not getting anxious but hoping to get round this.
Just wondering and worrying that once I have my Cardio Version what foods can I have- I guess it’s going to be small amounts of things but keep it sensible?? What a mine field!!!
I was really cross myself when they shut down the greengrocers stall at the university hospital of Wales but still have the shops that supply junk in the concourse!
Stick with the beer , all the sugar turns to alcohol and it also thins your blood 😂.Unless of course , as 1 or 2 beers theses days contains glucose syrup (absolutely shocking from a connoisseurs point of view😉) enjoy
It all sounds really delicious! Who would not love barbecue, ice cream, more ice cream, and chilled white wine?
I would tend to agree that an occasional indulgence might be okay. Even my doctor told me in April (when I was telling her that I had been trying since January to cut out as many “added sugars” from my diet as possible) that you also have to consider quality of life. She asked if I would want to spend the rest of my life without enjoying anything that I loved to eat/drink just to try to add a few days to my life. She has a point that perhaps having a piece of barbecue or a small dish of ice cream might add a measure of joy.
My difficulty with what you suggested is that your post suggests having these indulgences for a “few days.” I guess that I worry that multiple consecutive days of eating/drinking foods/beverages that are not perhaps too healthy could lead to some negative outcomes in one’s health.
Anyway, everything sounds tasty, and it is not my business to suggest what might be best for another person. Best wishes! 😊
I’m am a bitshocked, I wasn’t aware that ice cream was such a big no. I just eat normally, I don't over indulge, I have low fat mayo and coleslaw, eat a desert if I fancy one and eat normal meals, I don’t eat take takeaways or alcohol and I am trying to lose a bit of weight, some posts are making me think I should be much more regimented in my eating.
Well I am not gonna feel guilty at my BBQ last night! Home made kebabs, jacket potato, a few sausages ( yes my favourite meat product sadly to say) salad and one single can of Strongbow!
All the medical staff say " in moderation" so once in a while won't hurt me!
Have you tried M&S frozen Mango Kefir yogurt? It's creamy and much less fat. I like it a lot, maybe not as sweet as ice cream but a great substitute. Having said that I dished it up to my smart 4 year old grand daughter who only had one spoonful and said "I don't like it, can I have 'real' ice cream!" Out of the mouth of babes!However her one year old brother couldn't get enough, he loved it.
Think how hard it is for those of us who have so many months of sunny weather!! I live in Australia by Manly Beach. Feels like a constant holiday when down the pub. BBQs year round. I find that what works for me is deciding which day/night in advance I’m going to be more relaxed with my drinking/eating. Feels more like a treat and I certainly don’t feel guilty about breaking ‘my diet’. Enjoy, I say
I don't think any of us forget that getting a second chance means making the most out of life rather than taking it for granted.Yet, we also remember that it is a second chance and we need to make more sensible choices whilst still having fun.
Yes, it's hot and there's football on the telly, but even if we have a few treats we still shouldn't go mad ..... especially in the heat which can cause us symptoms in itself.
So , a cold beer then drink cool water instead.
A small ice cream but then return to healthy options.
Keep off the salty and fatty foods at a BBQ.
It's just as good to have some BBQ chicken or seafood and leave off the stodgy breads, potatoes and mayonnaise ridden sides and have salad , griddled veggies , wholegrain flatbread or wraps instead.
If you are arranging the BBQ make it healthy and alcohol free for everyone they may just get the kick start to being healthier too.
Because , although a few days of indulgence may not kill you , it could still give you some unwanted symptoms and a trip to A and E , or start you heading back into a pattern of unhealthy choices which isn't really living your second life to the full .
We had a tremendous BBQ at the weekend, tuna steaks, fresh salmon, prawns and corn on the cob with a wonderful fresh salad. Really tasty and super healthy
Ice cream is basically fat. Chocolate the same. Avoid, although I did have a mars bar about a month ago. It was delicious. Best just not to keep any in the house
It really does depend on the ice cream or chocolate you choose.Many ice creams are packed with sugar or artificial sweeteners, better ice creams can actually contain a lot of saturated fat. It's good to limit the portion size and try lower fat and sugar options.
A few cubes of 70% cocoa chocolate makes a good treat . There are options out there that also contain less sugar but use natural sweetener instead of artificial ones too.
It's quality over quantity really, but the milk and white chocolates and massive produced brands aren't good options except for a rare treat because they contain a lot of sugar and fat.
I asked my surgeon about drinking beer and he said a couple of pints is fine as long as it’s not every day. Again with treats such as pizza etc maybe once a month. Just be sensible but keep up with the exercise every day, especially when you don’t feel like it
Enjoying the football but very high heat does me in. 22 degrees is perfect for me but when it creeps up towards 30 then I don't function very well. Yesterday's high heat definitely did something to my heart.
There's an old fashioned saying that I remember from my childhood:-
"A little bit of what you fancy does you good".
I believe that there is no such thing as unhealthy food - only unhealthy diet. All the foods we think are bad for us, such as sugar (and other carbohydrates), fat and salt are essential for a healthy diet, but in moderation only. It's only when we have too much of them that we are in trouble. In hot weather when we sweat a lot, it is important to have some salt in your diet - too little salt is as dangerous as too much.
A few beers or ice creams occasionally will probably do no harm if you are watching your diet the rest of the time. For me, quality of life is more important than quantity, and we all deserve a bit of fun now and then.
Unfortunately, I am not a big football fan - Formula 1 is my weakness.
True about the salt, I cut down on salt and at my next blood test my doc said start eating a small amount of salt! I think to probably avoid highly processed food but then eat anything you fancy in moderation. I certainly wouldn’t avoid eating an ice cream on a hot day.
My brother in law says if you give up everything that's bad for you it's not that you live longer - it just seems longer and no-one lay on their deathbed and wished they'd eaten more lettuce. Enjoy your bit of indulgence, don't feel guilty and keep smiling.
I am more concerned about the chemical additives in food . Everything is processed to some degree except what is dug up from the ground or picked from a tree or bush and eggs. It is horrifying to read all the ingredients on products in the supermarket.
Thanks for all the replies. Very interesting views which are all valid.
Like I said, it was for a few days this week.
Yes it's all about balance but also a bit of common sense , enjoyment and self control.
Well I have to agree I had my heart attack in January last time I weighed was nearly two weeks ago changed my diet in January have lost two and a half stone still on holidays and life is for living I’ve probably have done too much eating and drinking the wrong things but will get back into the right way of eating and not drinking alcohol after the holidays but has you say life is for.
It's so hard, isn't it. We've just come home after an 'all-inclusive' short break. I have rather a sweet-tooth and also like a couple of glasses of wine. hard to resist I always intend to return to moderation once home. I read on one of the posts (i think on here) about a chap who decided, after Christmas over-indulgence, to give up (entirely) sugar, cakes, pastries, chocolate etc. He said he found it unexpectedly easy. But it got me thinking about alternatives. Mixed opinions on things like cheese and yoghurt. Hated low fat cheese, so try and eat less of strong cheddar. I am going to buy the 5% yoghurt, but don't think our usual supermarket Aldi, stock it. What about butter? I had got used to Flora pro-active, but on our break I was reintroduced to butter, a totally different ball-game! I don't have a heart attack history, but have 2 stents and wasn't far off a much worse outcome. I don't want to undo the good work of the medical team.
I don't post on here often, but hope no one minds if I ask another question. I live near the sea, and love swimming in it. Presently, it's around 13.5 deg C. I don't swim all year round, as it doesn't sound very safe for someone with heart issues. Does anyone on here swim in non-heated water, sea, lake, whatever, and feel safe with their heart problems? Obviously I would not swim alone, but we don't have life guards on our beach. Plus it shelves quickly in deeper water.
Sorry for long post. Probably should have made 2 posts. I get myself more confused about these matters the more I think about it.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Cold Weather 
Uk hot weather and chest pains 
Too hot and too humid - even up here in NE Scotland!
Erratic BP, Heart Rate, Hypertension, Hypotension, Fainting 
Hot Weather and CABG
