49-year old woman…true story
I’m posting this on a bit more of a serious note this week to talk about something we should all take the time to think 
twice about.
It’s really a matter of life and death. No exaggeration. For men and women.
Earlier this week, I received an email from Anna, one of your Body Project trainers.
She shared a story with us about one of her long-time clients.
Last year she had a heart attack.
Just after she started exercising at the gym, her chest suddenly tightened, she felt nauseous, and vomited.
Tests confirmed she had a heart attack. She ended up with a 1” stent in a major artery after tests revealed that there was a 99% blockage.
In a wave of fortune, she experienced “traditional symptoms” and more importantly, she had the intuition to act quickly, knowing something was not right.
Here is what is most striking about this:
- She was training for a half-marathon.
- She is in great condition.
- She is lean and fit.
- She is only 49 years old!
None of us are exempt.
You may not have the “typical” risk factors of a heart attack (obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure…) but this woman’s story is a loud and clear reminder of the importance of keeping close tabs on our health.
Realize that your risk factors aren’t always visible on a scale, a blood pressure monitor, or even a blood test.
Take the time to learn about your family genetics and don’t skip out on your annual physicals (even if you “feel” healthy). This story has forced me to make setting my appointment with my doctor my #1 priority on my long “To-Do” list (I know you all have those “lists” too!).
Do some research or find a fitness professional to teach you about heart rate training. Not only is it effective for fat loss and overall fitness conditioning, it empowers you to listen and connect to your body and know when something just isn’t right.
We recently did a week of heart rate training in our boot camps, educating our clients how to monitor their heart rate while exercising (even without fancy or expensive equipment)…it was amazing how in just a few short workouts, they learned more about their body than most people do in a lifetime.
Powerful stuff.
Your body is THE most intricate, incredibly complex, and utterly amazing machine.
Let’s make a vow to give it the respect it deserves, the appreciation it needs, and the opportunity to stay on this earth for as long as possible.
February happens to be National Heart Month – I encourage you by the end of this week to take one concrete action that will connect you closer to your heart.
Wow. Thanks for sharing. I’m glad she is ok. My father had a bad heart attack shoveling the snow on 1/27 and spent 20 days in the ICU having gone through multiple surgeries and procedures to stablize and save him. He’s home now recovering from 2 stents in the same artery because the blockage was for a long distance, a pacemaker, 5 bypasses, thus 4 very lengthy incisions in his right leg and a procedure to treat A-Fib that was a result of the heart attack. He is still in heart failure because his heart function is only 20-25% but he is wearing an AED Life Vest (Automatic External Defibrulator). After 3 months, they will check his heart function to determine if he has healed enough to avoid implanting a permanent defibrulator. There have been multiple complications both prior and post surgery. Scary Stuff. And yet, we’re so amazed at the body’s ability to heal and the scientific advances to tweak!!
What stands out is DAD HAD NO INDICATION THAT HE HAD ANY BLOCKAGES or CORONARY HEART DISEASE. Even when he had the heart attack, he thought he’d just “overdone it” shovelling and had rubbed Bengay cream on his arms/shoulders and took some advil. But the pain continued to intensify and he had trouble swallowing the advil. He drove himself to the ER because he thought if he let Mom drive, he’d have a heart attack.
Point is, he’s only 65. Enjoys whooping his grandkids in basketball and does modern to heavy physical work without effort. He had no clue what condition his arteries were in. Of course, he hadn’t seen a Dr. for a check up in over three years, because he felt “healthy”.
Here’s what we learned: Exercise in Cold Air (such as running or shoveling snow or skiing/skating outdoors) is NOT GOOD for someone with coronary heart disease (coronory artery blockages). The cold air causes constriction of the pulmonary and circulatory systems. The result of constriction on a blocked artery is heart attack and/or stroke. Dad is not even allowed outside for the time being save to walk to the mailbox or get in the car. At the moment, he can not walk that far without completely exhausting himself. No trash cans, no shoveling, no hoops etc. HE DIDN”T KNOW HE HAD BLOCKAGES AS IS THE PROBLEM WITH MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEART ATTACKS – LIKE YOUR BOOT CAMP CLIENT.
Also, I found it interesting that they were checking his blood sugar levels every 2 hours and giving him insulin. He is not diabetic. BUT, we’ve learned from diabetic research, that the heart heals better/faster on low blood sugar, so cardiac patients are actually treated as diabetics to manipulate them into low blood sugar levels.
thanks for sharing
My own personal story…six years ago I felt sharp quick pains in my chest. I dismissed as indigestion. One morning it happened, I felt nauseous and felt a weakness in my left arm, once I finished my phone conversation I told my husband I thought we should go to the hospital. Once in the parking lot I felt fine and spent five minutes deciding whether to go in or go home. I have a family history of heart disease so they
(hit the wrong button)…..so they kept me overnight, ran tests, did a stress test and told me I was fine. Pains kept happening. Luckily my sister in law works in a cardiac unit and told me in no uncertain terms that I needed an angiogram …..right away.. I was 80 percent blocked in a major artery and got a stent. 2 years ago started to feel the same pains….went to the hospital and spent the next 48 hours trying to convince them I needed an angiogram. Again all tests were coming back negative. Well I was blocked again in the same artery. Women…no one knows your body like you do ..no doctor…no test..not even your hubby
… If you think something is wrong it usually is..Listen!
Hi Lindsay,
Great post,
As you said one of us are exempt – regardless of out percieved health levels, age, etc. We have to look after ourselves – our bodies are the most important commodities we have – people sometimes tend to forget this.
A similar story to this is actually one of the reasons I got into the fitness industry and I’m striving to help people become better versions of themselves step by step.
Thanks for sharing
John.