Get Healthy and Be Grateful For the Good Things

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - May 6, 2013 - PRLog -- Several years ago, I was getting sick a lot – it seemed like I was sick more than not for that last year. I went to the Doctor to get some cold medicine and he x-rayed my chest during the visit. He told me it was much more serious than a common cold and he showed me the x-ray and how my heart was larger than it should be... He sent me immediately to a cardiologist. The cardiologist gave me a series of tests and came in the room to tell me that if I didn’t get a heart transplant that I would die. I asked if there were an options for me to get healthy again.  He was abrupt and said no – you need a transplant and you can’t even be on a list until you have quit smoking for at least 6 months.  I didn’t like the way the Doctor talked at me instead of with me and he was rude in general– wouldn’t even answer my questions. So - I changed Doctors and this new cardiologist set me up with a series of medicines and told me that first we need you to get healthy enough for a pacemaker surgery and improve some habits. I was about 40 lbs. over weight, a smoker, addicted to junk food,and not very active and my drinking was out of control. To make a very long story shorter, I followed his directions and got better within a few weeks and had the pacemaker put in. Within 3 months time, my enlarged heart went from 25% functional to over approx. 55%.  The Doctor said anything above 50% is very good and I would be fine. When I asked if I would be a candidate for a heart transplant, he scoffed at me and said you don’t need one Tom. I am much healthier and I stay active by taking long walks with my dog daily.  I eat healthy for the most part (with indulgences a little too frequently) and I’m able to stick to a meal plan if I want, and avoid junk food when I can.How did I change? It’s been at least 4 years since I had the pacemaker put in and I’m knocking on wood as I say this > but I have not been sick a single time since that surgery (4 years ago). On your road to get healthy you will find it does wonders for you mind and soul as well as your body to reduce the stress in you life. Stock up on healthy snacks. When you’re hungry for a snack, what will you eat? Have healthy things to munch on at home, at work, and for the road. Fresh fruits, chopped veggies, raw nuts, dried fruits are some of my favorites. This is easy to do and you can still enjoy lots of snacks – just better ones.  One of my favorites is raw baby carrots. Get healthy recipes and the ingredients. There are thousands of choices online. Find one or two to start with, easy ones that don’t take an hour to prepare, and go get the ingredients right away – don’t put it off. My wife learned to replace many beef recipes with chicken or turkey and you can’t even tell the difference most of the time. Take vitamins and minerals. Fish oil is outstanding for a “get healthy” path. Vitamin C and D twice a day in addition to multi—vitamins. I found out over my life that if I take a multi-vitamin every day – that I end up getting sick, so I take them every other day but I take other individual vitamins daily – some two to three times a day.  Vitamin C is super important in my book but then again so are the others. It’s my view that you can’t over do vitamin C but I’m not an expert and you shouldn’t listen to me over an educated nutritionist. Having said that, you might find it difficult to talk with one that will argue withy me on this topic because I have done some research on it. Find a workout partner – in my case, it’s my Siberian Husky. Get your spouse or good friend or coworker to go on walks or runs with you. In my case, my dog reminds me daily because I just look into his pretty blue eyes and I know he loves it so I do too. A dog is a great friend and when you love your dog, you get a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction by doing what is best for him or her. We have some very serene places where we walk (he runs while I walk) and I’m here to tell you that the path good health is not just in your body but in your mind too. Being at peace with yourself and the world around you is super important if you truly want to get healthy. It is a proven fact that stress does more damage than pretty much anything else Try to have a healthy sex life.  This may be easier said than done if you have been married for a long time. It takes two to tango and you both have to be onboard if this is going to work.  If you can do this – it’s one of the best ways to stay fit and get your cardio on like you should. Find healthy options for eating out :) Instead of eating at fast food or chain restaurants where everything is fried, try to find more local restaurants where there are get healthy choices. Make a list, and go to those places when you go out.
Explore berries, raw nuts (many kinds have many benefits), and the list goes on. These are foods that some people don’t eat on a regular basis, and some people have never tried these. You might be surprised to find out that much of the fat in nuts is the good kind of fat that you need. Make water your drink. Many people drink soda or sugar coffee drinks all day (I’m guilty of the coffee in excess but I did cut the sugar amount in half). Water is my favorite drink, and (unsweetened) tea can be very healthy. I love green tea that works in my “Kuerig” coffee maker. Start small with most of things that are difficult— don’t over challenge yourself. Big changes tend to be hard to much harder to sustain. Make one small change on this list, and then try another, then another. Each step along the way, you’ll get used it and it will become your new normal. No step needs to be very difficult. Get outside to get healthy. It’s important to go outside every day and get some fresh air and sunshine. Move around, take the kids or your pet(s) out and play, find a friend and take a walk or play Frisbee or find something you enjoy outside. Along with all of the things I mentioned, I hope you challenge yourself to be less stressed – as I have stated above, it can be the worst of all things when you want to get healthy. I started this story/article with one of biggest changes being the reduction or almost elimination of alcoholic beverages but just as big a change and possibly even bigger was my reduction in stress from my daily life. Looking back on it – I think this was killing me more than any other single factor.  Be grateful for the good things in your life and along the way, you just might get healthy. You will find more on the subject at http://Bodybuildingbootcamp.com