Holiday enjoyment ..

[Alicant]

just been away on a lovely holiday ..last few days at a very nice all inclusive hotel,! There was something that slightly spoilt it..was the number of obviously grossly obese folks, eating piles of …, drinking from morning till night, hardly moving and fagging it! I’ve spent my life trying to live a healthy lifestyle and I come out with Heart Failure…felt cheated thought not fair. However life isn’t fair so got over it but…

[Anothernewbie]

I was in a hotel restaurant in the Lake District in June. The table next to me was set for four people. A waitress re-arranged the table for two. A minute or two later two people came in both so grossly overweight, the chairs were so far back that it was difficult for their arms to reach the table!

[Taviterry]

I can identify with that. I've never smoked, had hardly any alcohol for ten years, am of very reasonable weight and exercised far more than the average - and then I develop severe aortic stenosis! The cardiologist assured me three times that it wasn't because of anything I had or hadn't done.

All I can think of as being a cause is the amount of sugar that we added to our basic foods in the frugal fifties, the sugary Lucozade Mum thought was good for me every day and in later years my liking for rum & coke.

And yes, the number of obese people, including children, is disturbing.

[MoretonCross in reply to Taviterry]

No... Listen to your cardiologist, it wasn't anything that you did. My cardiologist told me exactly the same thing. Aortic stenosis is age related, it shrinks due to fair wear and tear. I'm just grateful I got the diagnosis I did, when I did. As for the huge obese people, their days will come. Meanwhile they'll be plagued with all sorts of diseases costing the country a fortune via the NHS.

[Heartstogether in reply to Taviterry]

Aortic stenosis is not a condition influenced by lifestyle factors as your cardiologist assured you

[Turnipgirl in reply to Taviterry]

Often when things like heart attacks strike it's a case that no ones to blame.

[RufusScamp]

I was horrified to see a seriously obese young woman in hospital with me allowed to order pies and stodgy puddings, while going out to the in-house café for cake and cappuccino at night.

[meadfoot]

I guess if we do the right thing to protect our health and still suffer things like heart failure for example it makes me wonder would we have even lastest this long if we hadnt taken care of ourselves. Who knows. We can only care for our own health and hope for the best.

It seems some people can eat themselves to a huge weight, not exercise and still thrive. Such is life.

[Franks-Nan]

I take no notice, when we as a family have sunday lunch at a toby carvery i not shocked anymore with the mountain of roast spuds and yorkshire puds on a huge plate, i look at my little frank and we roll our eyes. Dont get me wrong i can polish off a chicken korma and nan bread but its a treat not a lifestyle.

[devonian186]

I live in a holiday area and it is truly upsetting to see the vast size of a significant proportion of our holidaymakers with another significant proportion being obviously very overweight rather than clinically obese. Their giant portions of Fish and chips, mammoth pasties, Extra large pizzas and eating triple scoop ice creams as they walk along demonstrate the reasons for their condition.

There is an epidemic of bad health coming down the line caused by over eating and under exercising which will overwhelm the health service.

We have surely a duty to take reasonable care of ourselves and it is very ironic how many on this board comment on being struck down even though they have lived a pretty healthy lifestyle.

For those not living a healthy lifestyle who will be costing tax payers a fortune in years to come we need some carrot and stick policies.

I would also make it much harder to open a takeaway outlet.

[Mancunian1]

really is so unfair when you have been through a life altering event but I try to focus on the positives it has given me and the opportunity to live my best life going forward.

On my ward less than 4 weeks ago to see some of the food being brought in for post bypass patients including huge McDonald’s burgers was pretty shocking.

Surgery costing tens of thousands of pounds and very limited in availability being given to hugely overweight people who seem prepared to not change their lifestyle or eating habits seems so unfair.

[Qualipop in reply to Mancunian1]

There's a man on my local FB Group who almost every day posts photos of gigantic portions of food that he's cooking, Just for himself. Seriously each meal would feed 3 people. I have to really force myself not to reply. Both my husband an myself were brought up on post war food ie lots of carbs, unhealthy "filling" foods like suet puddings and pies. I never thought about it and it wasn't until after my heart attack that I seriously looked at our diet. I changed it immediately and although I hadn't been classed as overweight, I Lost 2 stones within 3 months. My husband, type 2 diabetic now goes shopping almost daily for the mountains of cake and biscuits he always ate and takes high dose tablets for his BP. You just can't get through to some people

[Mancunian1 in reply to Qualipop]

Honestly so frustrating but I guess it’s best to try and control that which is within your limits. Let’s be thankful we have another opportunity I guess…

[Qualipop in reply to Mancunian1]

My mum died after 3 heart attacks 8 years younger than I am now and only my grandfather out of his 13 siblings, lived past 50. . I'm so grateful every day that I got that early warning. Husband seems to think that because his mother and her two sisters lived into their 90s, so will he no matter what he does.

[MountainGoat52]

It is very obvious on holiday when you are around more people than normal and you have the time to notice those that are obese. Sat around the pool or on the beach provides a classic opportunity to observe others.

Like many on this forum, I never expected to have heart issues as I kept food and drink to moderate levels, exercised and didn't smoke. The way I have dealt with seeing obesity is to be thankful that due to my good health prior to my heart attack, I survived and have since been able to continue in good health. I then consider the fact that these people at some future date may not be so fortunate.

It is annoying that the obese and overweight are likely to be a burden on the NHS, but change will only come about by education. Legislation might help.... for example, how about restricting portions by the number of calories they contain? Then again, some people would just buy two meals. 😯

[Qualipop in reply to MountainGoat52]

What would help far more is to teach cookery and nutrition in schools again.

[Turnipgirl in reply to Qualipop]

When I was at school many years ago I did GCSE home economics where they did practical cookery sessions!

[Qualipop in reply to Turnipgirl]

It was called domestic Science for us; cookery one term, hygiene one term and I forget the other.

[roughquest]

I say good luck to them 😁

I know the concoction of heart drugs had bloated me and changed my weight from regular sized to a bit bigger! I know I’ve inflicted huge bills on the NHS in recovery too.

Live and let live folks 👍

[Alison_L]

I volunteer in my local A&E and it horrifies me the number of patients in Majors (and occasionally Resus too!) who get their relatives to bring in a burger & chips, crisps, chocolate and full fat coke because they can't eat the "rubbish" we're offering them.

[Smitty1956]

You were very lucky to be able to (1) afford a lovely vacation and (2) be physically capable of taking and enjoying that vacation. Instead, it sounds like you spent much of your time being judgmental toward other people. We all have to figure out where we want and need to be in our health journey.

I have not been able to take a vacation in years, and I would absolutely love one. I like to think that I would spend that vacation stockpiling memories and enjoying my life in that moment—-not worrying about what others eat or drink.

[Turnipgirl in reply to Smitty1956]

Some people don't appreciate the fact that they have opportunities in life that others havent do they?

I haven't been on holiday since 2022 myself and I am looking forward to having one very soon and I will really really enjoy it because I have had to have waited for it!

[Taviterry in reply to Turnipgirl]

The last time I went on a real holiday was 1953(!!!) to Newquay with my parents. I became ill and my parents had to call a GP, who told me to "lie still, otherwise he would smack me" (!!!)

Mind you, my parents lived in Torquay, then Sidmouth and finally the New Forest, all good holiday locations. I would spend long weekends with them, and use up the rest of my holiday entitlement in single days, mainly to go cycling.

[Turnipgirl in reply to Taviterry]

Torquay is lovely isn't it with that great big harbour and those beaches with the red sand and it's great walking country as well that way!

Paignton I'm not so keen on but the zoo there is really good that I went to years ago!

I have been to Lymington in the new forest which is nice along with the New Forest ponies!

[Quesswho in reply to Smitty1956]

Well done you absolutely 100% agree. I guess some people just don't get how lucky they are.❤

[Jetcat]

on my drive to work every morning I stop at the pedestrian crossings and watch the young students on their way to college eating fast food and carrying fizzy pop etc. some of them are very obese.!

These young folk aren’t going to see their 40s I reckon.? 😳

[englishbrian]

I like you thought I was doing thee right thing, my ex she did the opposite and is still going strong.

I know were I went wrong, I should have known better,

veg oil,It has no veg in it,and yet I thought it was good...

Try cleaning a chip pan after cooking with veg oil,It's as though it's plastic coated.You don't get that with lard...

Oil from seeds belong in seeds,that's why seeds pass through us when eaten.

Sad to say in this crazy money driven world the dangers of veg oil will take a while to be noticed...

[Gigi70]

hi

Totally relate to your feelings on this one. I have been thinking about this a great deal since my latest MI and cardiac arrests.

The reason is there has been a huge emphasis on our own control of health issues and especially ftom the medical profession - which clearly is not the whole story. Our DNA is more relevant but medicine is slowly moving this way, In the future future medicine will be more genetically related.

None of my friends have developed the heart disease I have. But most of them do not have a parent who died of heart disease like I had. My lifestyle has been totally different from my mothers except the disease pattern I have is behaving in the identical way!

One of my friends is 3-4 stone overweight is my age has no raised bp does not have any health affects from her obesity and on top has huge stress in her life with 2 adult sons suffering major psychotic mental illness. She was also a heavy smoker. She is hugely energetic and still works albeit part time - how do you explain that……..the lifestyle emphasis is OTT and of course we feel cheated and angry if we inherit conditions from our forebears which appear even after following these good life style choices.

🤦🏻‍♀️

[Jedi14]

I would call this the cycle of life! These very same people (heavens forbid) could well join the hearties club in the very near future...

[Traveldreams]

Let’s just say that I am incredibly grateful to be here to read these pages but just because my challenge is a heart problem that was not self-inflicted doesn’t mean that others aren’t suffering from other issues perhaps mental health problems or other inherited diseases. If the last twelve months have taught me anything it’s that my life and the way I live is important to those I love. Not over-concerned about others lifestyle choices. Live and let live and be happy we have been blessed with a second chance x

To the OP I’m thrilled that you enjoyed your trip xx