Make Your Heart Attack a Wake-Up Call
By Chauncey Crandall, M.D.
Even with the advances in medicine throughout the past several decades, a heart attack is still a very serious matter.
While more people are surviving, they’re being left to grapple with damaged hearts and serious complications — which is not how you want to live your life.
Ask your doctor about a cardiac rehabilitation program, a 36-week course in which you exercise under medical supervision and are provided with support to change your lifestyle. Medicare and private insurers often cover it.
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Whether you’re in cardiac rehab or not, other major components to heart-healthy living your doctor should discuss:
- Whether you need to lose weight and how to achieve it
- The components of a heart-healthy diet
- How to achieve your exercise goals (doctors recommend a one-hour daily walk, along with twice-weekly sessions of strength training)
- How to reach your target blood pressure and cholesterol numbers
- Stress reduction
- Smoking cessation
A heart attack is indeed a scary and life-changing event — but it doesn’t have to be wholly negative. It can also be the wake-up call you need to guide you toward a far healthier life than you lived before.