heart healthy and diabetic healthy living

[Teddybear]

Some of you know I was put in the hospital this past Monday 12-29-14 with Afib. I have had Coronary Angioplasty they found a blockage but after testing it the doctor decided NOT to put a stint in.

I am still in AFIB and in the am they will be doing TEE( this is where they go down my throat to my stomach so they can look and see if there is a clot in my heart. If no clot they will be doing cardiac aversion. This where they shock your heart back into a normal rhythm.

I have diabetes also so I need to get all of this under control. I need to find a way to get my heart healthy and my diabetes under control.

Im hoping to find community here to share and encourage other members who maybe in the same boat as I am.

I know I need to start an exercise program but I dont have 8 hrs a day to dedicate to it like the biggest loser people. I need to learn how to eat healthier and in smaller portions.

I hoping to find suggestions on how to start an exercise program like what kind, how many times a week, when and how do you increase the exercise. How do you decide what you set as a goal for weekly weight loss, what should be the ideal calorie intake and when should it be adjusted?

I want to be around another 50+ years and I know I cant if I dont get this under control.

Any and all suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

[Kelt]

I'm sorry you're going through this.

I am of the opinion that the biggest loser is one of the most irresponsible things I've ever seen and am surprised they haven't killed anyone yet.

That said, you can do a lot without spending eight hours a day, but you might want to plan on 1.5-2.0 hrs per day if you really want to overhaul things, at least until you get the hang of it. That's 1 hour a day to move your whole body with something like walking, swimming, or cycling. And the other 30-60-mins on learning about nutrition and changing how you cook and eat. Switching to a whole, non-processed foods way of eating will do wonders for you and still allows for a lot of variety while still controlling for diabetes and heart health.

I am not a medical person in any way but this is how I lost 160lbs three years ago, and I did go into a lot of nutrition research for myself. They say, and my experience proved out, that it is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.

If you want to talk about it more, I'm happy to share specific tips or just be a sounding board. Shoot me a PM. I'll be interested to hear what others have to say as well. I'm sure others have experiences that will also be valuable.

Take heart buddy, you can beat this, but it will involve work and change.

[Teddybear]

Thank you Kelt.

After i get out of the hospital, hopefully today, i will shoot.you an.email.


I know that at this time of year a lot people make resolutions to change and some follow thru and some dont.

I KNOW the change needs to be made. I know it will be hard and a long road that is going to be filled with a LOT of potholes and distractions. I have a great support sysyem here but i know there coukd be others who need the encouragement and i hope this can be a.place for.that.

I hope others join this conversation with thier experiences and helpful tips for those of.us who can put them to good use.

[Kelt]

Here's why I think you can do this. The missing ingredient. You have a very big, specific, and personal motivation. You aren't trying to look like something unrealistic, or chasing something you want but can get by without, you have to do it or the alternative isn't good.

You can make this horrible drudgery or an interesting adventure. That part is in your head.

Get better.

[clay]

[B]Teddy.......sorry you are having to go through this! It is very scary in itself BUT know I am with you in spirit my friend. Hopefully the TEE will find answers for you. I have AFIB....diagnosed in 1996. I did okay with a pill until about 2 years ago. I would have episodes lasting about 12 hrs about 4 times a year! I didn't ever go to the hospital until year and a half ago. Then I found a wonderful, older cardiologist that I loved. She got me on a beta blocker, a calcium channel blocker, and an anti arrhythmic. It was trial & error but now have a regimen of calcium channel blocker & an antiarrhythmic that work great. I limit my caffeine, try to keep stress to a minimum, and getting adequate sleep helped me. I don't have diabetes to contend with, so no help there. A really good nutritionist would be a great resource to start with. Having a good support system is good, too. Your cardiologist will be able to guide you. Mine doesn't want me to get my heartrate above 120 so as to not trigger a fib. Each person is different so what works for one may not work for another! Kelt has some spot on advice.... and hopefully others will join in. I have had two very short episodes but also had lots of stress at time, now resolved. One important thing is to have adequate roughage in diet as getting constipated can lead to vagal nerve stim which can trigger a fib for me! One of my meds. is constipating so I use an over the counter stool softener daily! I drink a lot of water. I do have caffeine on occasion but in moderation. I am now only on 2 meds. instead of 3 initially . Just know I am here also if you want to PM me. Good luck teddy!
( /B]

[justkim]

Teddy, sorry to hear about your health issues. As far as the diabetes goes you should be able to get a nutritionist through your insurance. Even if it is for just a couple of visits, that may be enough to get you headed in a good direction. I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic last year and began a regimen of Metformin. It has helped some but I have been having some syncope episodes (fainting) along with my blood sugar dropping super low. Now I have to test my blood sugars 3 times a day. I have also changed up what I eat. I eat a lot more green veggies, for at least two meals and I also try really hard to not eat after 6 at night. As far as veggies go there are some that are not so good to be eating as they are filled with sugar and off the top of my head I can't remember them all except for peas. lol! I can't remember all of the books I read on diabetes but there is so much information out there now a days. Oh, I remember on the the books, It is called 21-Day Sugar Detox, Diane Sanfilippo. This book comes highly recommended from a friend of mine who used this book to help her in her journey to get healthy. I have it on my wish list to purchase since it is one of those books you have to own to get the most out of it in my opinion. The other change I have made also is drinking lots of water, I have found you can infuse water with a multitude of fruits that help in flushing your system and the best part is you are re-hydrating your body at the same time.

Check this out
http://www.rosecole.com/handouts/21DaySugarDetox.pdf

Here's the 21-day sugar detox link
http://21daysugardetox.com/

As with anything that has to do with your health, please check with your doctor before you start any type of program that is different from what you are already doing.

Get out and get moving, even if it is just a couple of trips around the block. But most of all, be kind to yourself.

[Smiling]

If you start incorporating little tweaks into your routine, the benefits will start to add up like compound interest in a bank account.

When you go somewhere, park in the furthest spot from the door; ditch the remote control so you have to get up and physically change the channel; get a puppy - then you have to take it for a walk.

Stretching, stretching, and more stretching. In my experience, stretching actually made as much, if not more, of a difference in the way I hold and move my body.

Since you have a heart condition, it would probably be wise to start out with small things like these and perhaps a gentle workout on a treadmill or elliptical machine (if possible) rather than jumping head first into a 2 hour workout.

Consult your doctor first, of course!

If you don't already, you need to be taking in enough water. Add lemon and some herbs to it if you don't like the taste. Replace heavy pasta with lighter zucchini noodles - if you've never had it, they are absolutely delicious; you might be surprised.

These sorts of things will add up and multiply and before you know it - BAM! Lifestyle change.

Best wishes to you on your road to recovery! Every step counts.

[Andrea]

I signed up for SparkPeople to track my foods and fitness. Seeing how well I was doing encouraged me to keep going.

In addition, I saw mistakes I was making, i.e. dried cranberries in my oatmeal. I had no idea they were sugared and thus high in calories and carbs. Switched to frozen blueberries.

There are multiple online sites to choose from.

Also, I have taken many free and low cost classes through my health insurance and my PPO. I have seen other classes offered through alternate resources. Don't just take one and think you got it. Take one every six weeks or so because the info gets lost in our brains.

Try yoga for a beginning exercise. It is easily adaptable for your abilities and will help prepare your body for more strenuous things. One of my co-workers arranged for yoga instructors to come to our office two times a week. It is hard to say I don't have time when they come to you.

Walking is also a great way to get started. Start with timed walks. Go 5 minutes out from your home and then 5 minutes back at an easy pace. Use the MapMyWalk application to track time and distance then record it on SparkPeople, etc.

Boards like SparkPeople will also help you find others near you to support you, join you, and/or suggest things in your area.

Way to go by reaching out to others for support! I will be watching this thread to see how you are doing.

[cricket26]

this is a great thread for sharing experiences and what works and doesnt work....ted has a couple of very scary health issues... he has been dealing with the diabetes for a while...the heart issue is new and more complex because the diabetes...fortunately he is highly intelligent and knows what he needs to do...its just a matter of doing it...having accountability and a support system...

ted had a 5 day hospital stay and treatments that will most likely have a huge impact on his body as well as his mind...

i hope this thread can give ted and others some much needed support for some very scary issues...thanks!

[Ginger]

Good luck Teddy. A support group in your town might be a good idea as you implement new strategies into your life and get good leads and support here.

[Teddybear]

I want to thank you for the replies.

I have been trying different things to get my blood sugar numbers within the normal range and I have found that processed carbs are really messing with them so I am taking them out of my diet where possible.

My heart rate is in the low 50's. My doctors keep telling me that now my heart is beating like I am an athlete. Now im wondering if the rest of my body is going to think that also. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

My eye sight has changed since I had the cardiac aversion. For the BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went to the eye dr and she told me she didnt understand it but that my prescription now is totally different then the last one. I see better now then I have since I was 13 when I started wearing glasses. I started wearing glasses when I was 12 or 13 due to an eye injury. A friend said that since my eye sight failed due to an injury maybe whatever was interfering with my sight may have been jolted away and not causing the vision issues. We shall see.

I know that I owe a couple of ppl here a pm and I promise I will get too it. I have been trying to catch up with everything at work since I missed a week. Hopefully I can gather my thoughts to write the pms to those I want to get share information with.


Everyone please be heart healthy and have a good week

[Bard]

I had a huge heart scare last weekend chest pain that migrated up to my jaw, needless to say I had to go to the ER and they ran all sorts of tests. My blood pressure was wicked high and that is not a normal thing for me I run low ... all the time.
Anyway they have discovered that I have blood Clots in both of my lungs and I got admitted for the night. While I am glad that it is not my heart they are still going to run more tests cause I am still getting some chest pain and have had some fainting that could be cause from the blood pressure med they have me on.
So I am doing my part getting back healthy already have lost 40 pounds or so in the past 3 months and am going back to the gym getting stronger I plan on being around to bug folks for a long ass time

[cricket26]

ok so here is an update on teddybear...he was fitted for a "life vest" portable defibrillator...he wears if for three months until he gets his heart rate back to normal...any support and or encouragement would be appreciated...thanks