I may be a conservative, and I might occasionally question a conspiracy or two, but truth be told this is not one. Our nation is facing an epidemic, and it is not viral nor bacterial, it is environmental. No, I am not trying to sell you Tesla’s or electric stoves, I am trying to talk about health though. Lately we have seen a rise is various cardiac issues, and I strongly feel it’s the heart of the matter we must address.
Is it really that bad?
Yes, it really is that bad. I am not talking about the recent issues with myocarditis that are alleged to be a vaccine related issue. In fact this is not about vaccines at all, it is about the heart though. According to the CDC heart disease accounts for 695,547 deaths. That is a lot of lives lost and over something so easy to fix. Yeah, I know it is easier said than done. Granted, what if it were easy once done? Yes, I am asking what if life was easier once we got into a heart healthy track?
You see heart health is a learned trait in some, and genetics in others. Growing up the kids I know were all taught that fast food was good, carbs were healthy, and sugar was your best friend. All of these were lies that someone sold to our elders. Now we know fast food tastes good but most likely is not. Carbs are good in moderation and in specific types. Finally, sugar is not good for you and may be as addictive as drugs.
We teach our children what health is. My parents tried but I failed to listen. They tried to teach me that grilled meat is better than fried, I wanted McNuggets. That vegetables were better than French fries, made my fries a large. They even tried to convince me that smaller portions were better, supersize please. They did not fail me, I failed myself by listening to others.
Not Everyone is on Your Side
Sadly as I am learning now, not everyone is on your side. The sad thing in this is that many of us are programmed by commercials and jingles to accept these things. How many people remember the Golden Arches jingle? How many want some delicious Chicken on Sundays? This is what I am learning, advertising and marketing want to sell us a narrative, even if we do not want it. If you are planning to eat healthy, be prepared to feel like you have an army against you. You will see ads, your friends will see ads, and it will be hard to avoid.
The Easy Part, Sounds Like the Hard Part
The exercise is the easiest part, even though it sounds like the hardest part. Just take a 30 minute walk each day. In my case I use it to peruse our neighborhood, or walk down by the local park pond. I tend to mix up a brisk walking speed and a nice leisurely saunter. Amazingly enough changes have already started and I feel it. Now I fell down on this for about a week and guess what? You got it, I feel lousy and want to go back to walking 30 minutes a day. It also helps to have a fitness tracker of some form. It does not need to be an Apple or Samsung Watch, in fact a FitBit is a great start.
If you are monitoring your heart rate, consider understanding your Heart Rate Zones. The idea behind these zones is to maximize the type of exercise you are doing. If you want to shed some pounds, then Zone 3 and 4 are your friends. Say you want to maintain your current weight? Zone 2/3 is where you want to be. You can mix and match to optimize your workout, and it optimizes your hearts workout too. Zone training is not for everyone, and you may want to talk to your doctor before attempting zone training.
Summing It Up
This post can be summed up into three words “Heart Health Matters”. I think this is something everyone can agree on, we have to be better about health. We are teaching our kids to clear their plates, even when full. We teach our kids that an over-sugared coffee drink from a fancy chain is a necessity. As adults we live our lives not thinking about what we are putting into our bodies, and what it may do to us in the future. You may not like me, you may not like my opinions, but I want you to have a heart healthy long life. Where do we go from here? No idea, but I think it starts by looking at ourselves and changing our habits.
Until next time! Try not to end up All Hat, with No Cattle.