Exercising for Heart Attack Survivors #31

I do not how many of you are heart patients and may or may not be exercising.  Maybe you want to begin to exercise but just don't feel comfortable with it yet.  Or it could be you're a guy like most of us use to be, and are lying around on the couch, not doing much, not eating right, and have high blood pressure. No heart problems, yet! This may apply to you, too.  I can understand why there are many reasons someone would not enthusiastically begin to exercise soon after a heart attack and heart surgery. I felt the same way.  When I was still in the hospital and they got me up and walking around the corridors I felt safe by being in the hospital.  When I got home, the first week or so, the being uneasy and vulnerable to another "event" stayed with me. I did not like going to sleep, especially at night.  I was having trouble recognizing the difference between heart pains and chest incision related pains. I told you the story of after the first few days how I was walking out to get the paper.  Those first feeble little steps helped me so much physically and mentally to get to where I am today.  I don't think any longer about having a heart attack, or consider myself a risk category person for one.  I feel  healthy again and, other than losing my stamina, I am pretty sure I now exercise to maintain my heart health.

Studies done, according to the American Heart Association, have found exercise has positive effects on improved blood vessel function in heart attack survivors.  It does not last if the patient stops exercising on a regular basis. "All the types of exercises were well tolerated and did not cause any complications in our patients." American Heart Association.  If you will look up endothelial function you will see the medical meaning and health benefit to your heart of blood vessel function.  John Hopkins Heart Health Report says "For virtually all heart attack survivors, doctors recommend a supervised cardiac rehabilitation program."

My hospital offered a 4-5 week exercising program, to assist heart patients beginning their rehab process, or until they felt comfortable and ready to work out their own exercise program. It was at the hospital and conducted by physical fitness therapists for heart attack survivors.  I had just started when my cardiologist had me stop exercising for a while. (see post #5 This Is Depressing Will I Get Back To Normal?)

Walking was and is one of the keys to my successful rehab.  It led the way to me gaining enough strength and confidence to move on to more exercise.  I started by simply taking short walks down the street expanding to around the block, then 2 laps around the block and so forth until joining a fitness center.  I encourage you to consider the same if you have not started exercising yet.  Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, biking are considered suitable for heart patients.  I am pretty firm in believing the jogging and biking would be something to work towards as a goal.  And only start those two when you feel ready and with your cardiologists' approval.  Strength training exercises are also recommended by doctors for heart attack patients.  Again, heavy lifting is to be avoided until you feel ready and you're given your doctors' approval.   Strength training is going to require using equipment, which means you're probably going to have to join a fitness club or enroll in some sort of fitness training program.

In the next post we will discuss a few healthy foods