REHABILITATION!

So, I know my blog's been posting (and I'm so glad it has), but i've been out of commission since October!
I had a stroke on October 5th! what a frightening ordeal! the details would take too long, and seem only interesting to me right now, so I won't make you suffer through them.
I am 45 years old. I have 5 children. I am overweight. I do NOT exercise... or atleast... I didn't!
But of course, now, my health has become extremely important. It was something that I ignored and took for granted. But now I'm a new person, with a hightened awareness of my heart and blood health!
I'll be saying more in the near future about some of the things i have learned, and some of the things that may be able to help YOU!
TTYL :-)

Your Heart - the ELECTRIC Wonder!

Your heart has electrical wiring, which keeps it beating. Electrical impulses begin high in the right atrium and travel through specialized pathways to the ventricles, delivering the signal to pump.
The conduction system keeps your heart beating in a coordinated and normal rhythm, which in turn keeps blood circulating. The continuous exchange of oxygen-rich blood with oxygen-poor blood is what keeps you alive.
The primary purpose for circulation is to provide fresh blood and nutrients to the rest of the body. The lungs are a vital part of the circulatory system as they are used to expel carbon dioxide a deadly toxin.

The health of all of the components of this intricate system are vital. If one area is not working to it's peak, your health suffers.

Pay attention to your bodies functions by taking note of reactions to little things such as:

• Excercise
• Excitement
• Sudden surprises

 If immediately after a heart palpitating episode you feel any unique symptoms, NOTE THEM and check with your doctor. This knowledge may help lead you to early diagnosis and prevention of heart ailments.

"Holiday Heart" - an ER term

Holiday heart syndrome most commonly refers to the association between alcohol use and rhythm disturbances in apparently healthy people, primarily Atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation is a common heart rhythm disturbance that often produces significant symptoms, and can even lead to stroke. It is a rapid and irregular heart arrhythmia, caused by chaotic electrical impulses in the atria of the heart (the two upper chambers).

http://heartdisease.about.com/od/atrialfibrillation/a/holiday_heart.htm

In many cases, atrial fibrillation is caused by underlying heart disease or by aging. Sometimes it has no identifiable cause. But in Holiday Heart, the cause is an unusual sensitivity to alcohol consumption. This does not indicate however, a person susceptibility is increased by the amount of their consumption. Some individuals are extremely sensitive to alcohol, such that even moderate amounts - two or three drinks, and sometimes a single drink - can trigger episodes of atrial fibrillation.

Up to 60% of people who ‘binge’ drink will experience episodes of atrial fibrillation

Eat MORE Turkey!

Turkey is a good source of protein with 24 g of protein per 3-oz. serving. One 3-oz. serving of light turkey meat has 132 calories and 3 g of fat. Turkey contains no carbohydrates. In addition, turkey is a good source of selenium, vitamin B6, niacin, and tryptophan.

Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, help prevent cellular damage from free radicals.

Additionally, selenium can protect the heart, primarily by reducing the "stickiness" of the blood and decreasing the risk of clotting, in turn, lowering the risk of heart attack, and stroke. Moreover, selenium increases the ratio of HDL ("good") cholesterol to LDL ("bad") cholesterol, which is critical for a healthy heart. Smokers or those who've already had a heart attack or stroke may gain the greatest cardiovascular benefits from selenium supplements, though everyone can profit from taking selenium in a daily vitamin and mineral supplement

Researchers for more than 20 years animal studies have suggested that tiny amounts of selenium in the diet can reduce the risk of cancer in several organs, but much less is known about the anti-cancer benefits of selenium in humans. In recent years, laboratory experiments, clinical trials and epidemiological data have established the role of selenium in the prevention of a number of degenerative conditions including cancer, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases, aging, and infections. Most of these effects are related to the function of selenium in the antioxidant enzyme systems.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that the human body cannot make and can only be obtained through food. It is a protein without which humans could not survive. It comprises one of the building blocks of DNA and is vital to the production of serotonin and melatonin.

In the body, tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, which then can be converted into serotonin (a potent neurotransmitter in the brain). Serotonin is involved in mood, appetite, sleep and impulse control. When carbohydrates are consumed, an increase in insulin is created, removing from circulation other amino acids that compete with tryptophan. This makes it easy for tryptophan to enter the brain to make serotonin, which influences the brain in regulating food intake and sleep patterns.

Certain old-fashioned cures for sleeplessness were based on the consumption of foods with tryptophan. For example, drinking a glass of milk before bed was said to aid in sleeping. Though people were unaware at the time that such a thing as tryptophan existed, it is clear that such early prescriptions for increasing sleepiness were at least mildly effective. Today, one may hear similar prescriptions for including tryptophan foods in the diet not only to promote sleep but also to improve mood.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-tryptophan.htm

http://www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/selenium.html

Read more at Suite101: Turkey Nutrition Facts — The Health Benefits of Turkey http://www.suite101.com/content/turkey-nutrition-facts--the-health-benefits-of-turkey-a311757#ixzz16EeH9FBx

http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/benefits-of-selenium.html

I had a STROKE! / I'm going to DIE of a Heart Attack!

I turned 45 in September. I have never smoked or drank any kind of alcohol.

On October 5th I woke up to use the restroom at 6:05 am and as I was walking out of the bathroom the world began spinning. I fell to the ground because at the rate the spinning was increasing, I would eventually fall to the ground... So I chose to fall (I did not hit my head or anything).

Someday I'll tell the whole story, but for now, and after 2 days, and much confusion I ended up at Ohio State University in the SICU diagnosed with a stroke. A stroke is when part of the brain has been deprived of blood flow and therefore has not had oxygen.

It was not a heart attack, it was a stroke!

So, I've been home for couple weeks and I went to see my regular family doctor.

After talking at length with him,

He says to me, "Do you know what you will die from?"

I didn't answer!

"You may come in here with a stroke or cancer...but the one thing that will probably kill you will probably be a heart attack!"

We continued to talk about all of the statistics and studies done by the American Heart Association. And the odds are that I will die, and YOU who are reading this, will die of a heart attack!

The number one cause of death in America is a heart attack!

If we are so consumed with taking care of certain parts of our body (our skin, our eyes, our muscles), we should concentrate on our main concern ~ our heart!

Fearfully & Wonoderfully Made!

Have you ever stopped to think of what an amazing machine the human body is?

As intricate as our bodies are it is amazing what abuse our bodies can withstand. Our body can withstand extreme temperatures, extreme climates and adapt to maintain basic functions.

But as tough as our body is, it can only take so much. Eventually the stress that we put on our bodies by requiring that they over work or when we provide less than adequate quality food supply will have a permanent affect. 

It will be then that we will have plenty of time to educate ourselves and to try to remedy our ails. Wouldn't it, however, seem prudent to apply a bit of preventative actions now so that we can try to delay or prevent a disruption of the normal operations of our bodies.

Try today to remove stressful things.

   Before getting uptight about something, ask yourself...

• Will this matter 10 years from now?
• Does this affect my integrity?
• Why is this so important?
• If I wait 1 hour, can I come back to this with a clearer head?

Looking forward to the Holiday Season, try to enjoy your days more by looking on the bright side of life, and letting go of some of the Stress that you carry around each day!

Healthy Habits ~ Happy Heart!

Trying to become more heart healthy conscious is important. We spend our lives taking for granted the constant strain and the importance of this organ.

We have a new list to ponder. But instead of dealing with a heart attack after it has happened, it would seem prudent to do what we can to prevent it in the first place.

1. Stop Smoking.
2. Cut down on salt.
3. Watch your diet.
4. Monitor your alcohol.
5. Get active.
6. Manage your weight.
7. Get your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked by your doctor.
8. Learn to manage your stress levels.
9. Check your family history.
10. Make sure you know the signs of coronary heart disease.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2005/mar/17/NHS1


Have you learned and put to memory the 12 symptoms of a heart attack?? If you have, you're already on your way to a healthier heart!
Educating yourself about the symptoms and remedies will help change your thinking! Changing your thinking, will eventually change your actions! See! It's not so hard!