Out on the sea early in the morning to check shark nets with the Natal Sharks board.
In Bloemfontein South Africa where I live it may not get as cold as in other parts of the world, but I still don’t like it. Some of the days will start off at about -4C and peak at about 14C, it nearly never snows in Bloemfontein. So it may not be that cold but I’m a summer person.
thisAFIB treatment options(There are OPTIONS – Left-Right or Straight!)
There is hope for you
AFIB treatment options have given hope to millions of people throughout the world and will continue to do so. It is something that is ever-changing and new developments are always on the horizon. Our job, as AFIB warriors, is to keep on hoping, believing and managing our bodies. Here’s the deal….. Continue reading AFIB treatment options that can help you→
That one sentence could be my whole post for today. I know there are AFIB warriors who live life with AFIB and have a full life, but being AFIB free is the first prize.
That knowledge of having a cut/scared heart due to my CHD called TOF(Tetralogy of Fallot) is still there. That keeps me ever grateful, happy and never complacent, but humble that I have life(and have it more abundantly – for those who know what I’m talking about).
There are many people out there who are living with AFIB or the consequences of being born with a CHD(Congenital heart disease/defect). It can be a struggle.
Because of that, every AFIB free moment should be celebrated, we do it differently. One way I do it is by staying fit and taking part in something like the Cape Town Cycle Tour.
For me it’s not a race, it’s an event a celebration. Celebrating a heart that is working 100% in a city that captures your heart every time you visit it. I love Cape Town!
Last year there was no Cape Town Cycle Tour for the first time in 39 years due to wind and possibility of unrest on the route. I was at the starting point, all dressed up and nowhere to go. So I went home……………disappointed, but understanding the big decision that had to be made. Safety first!
This year I was there again, AFIB free and all. I should have trained harder. I know I trained less than in 2016 when I did a 03:53 time. Luckily this year I was riding with a newbie, one of my best friends, but he was super fit! Thankfully he wanted to do a “slow scenic ride”. I was relieved. Continue reading AFIB FREE Cape Town Cycle Tour 2018→
Habits make you do the hard yards.Heart health will follow.
Are you working on your goals for the year?
Those new years resolutions? Can not even remember them? Habits will help you.
You know the story of how you eat an elephant? Bite for bite. Yes, it’s an old one, but there’s more to it I think. Eating the elephant is the goal but bite for bite is the habit. Heart health is the same.
Because I was born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) named Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) I was always aware of my heart and how my lifestyle could influence my heart. I have seen how good and bad habits can influence me.
The goal is easy to set, well anyone can do it(and should do it). Where does it go wrong for so many of us? It’s the daily thing, the grind, the small bites.
How has my TOF, AFIB heartbeat and Anxiety made my life “interesting”?
I have this urge to catalog my TOF(Tetralogy of Fallot), AFIB heartbeat and Anxiety journey. Why?……Hmmm. Just to see it there. On “paper” or rather a screen. To remind me to be grateful to so many people, to know anything is possible. To thank God.
So I write because it gives me perspective, insight and possibly hope to others too. In this journey, there were a few times that I thought THIS IS IT!! No hope! But every time there was something. When I saw how my heart made my shirt bounce and felt like I was going to die, but miraculously I lived! (At age 23) It made me grateful for everything. Could my curse be a blessing? Continue reading TOF, AFIB heartbeat and Anxiety journey→
It’s about your whole life! You are a system. YOUR HEART DOES NOT BEAT IN A VACUUM SOMEWHERE. Heart Health has to do with your whole being. Here’s the deal.
You will agree that heart health is very important. According to the Centers for disease control, and prevention heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and woman in the USA.
Here are a few simple tips you can implement to improve your heart health.
1. Create your free-will again. It will help your heart.
You think you are free, but think deep and you will see that you are addicted to one or all of these things.
Sugar (It is in everything!) – It makes you FAT!
TV – It makes you lazy.
Phone – It pacify’s you.
Caffeine – Lets your heart race and then throws you off.
Alchohol – Too much of it……Need we say more?
Prescription drugs – It must get you through, but can keep you locked-in if misused.
All above-mentioned things can be bad for your heart. You must get free of them to improve your heart health. It will take guts and commitment, and remember, nothing happens in the comfort zone.
2. Eat healthy. It’s your heart fuel.
How much of what when.
If you do not know what healthy food looks like. Educate yourself, because food is not always what you think it is.
Start your education by heading over to Habib Azam’s site urbanplatehealth and specifically his cardiovascular blog, where he shares what nutrients are essential for your heart.
If we all know that we must drink more water and eat less(overall), why do we not do it? Because most of the time we think “One day” and not “Day ONE”
All of us can do with more Day ONE starts than One-day dreams.
What are the questions you should ask your AFIB doctor?
It is important to ask the right questions when you have those few moments with your AFIB doctor.
My problem was that I forgot the questions!
Sometimes I did make a list on a small piece of paper and fired away with all my questions. It helped me tremendously.
But that’s not all! The doctor asked me some questions that I was not sure off. Like what does my family heart history look like?
The questions on my “AFIB appointment” form are not the only questions you can ask or be asked, but it is a very good start. It will make you think. Then jot down how and why your AFIB starts (if there is any apparent reason or none).
I have not been so active on my blog because we moved to a small holding (something like a very small farm)outside Bloemfontein. Busy with planting stuff, it was a nursery loooong ago and making the house and “plot” liveable.
I have had a few ectopic heartbeats in my time and it can be very scary!
It’s the beat then the pause and then the HARD beat. Some of you know exactly what I mean. That forceful beat brings a lot of relief after that PAUSE!!
Thoughtarrest is my way of examining and evaluating my thoughts. It is not something that I came up with but thoughtarrest is my term for it. You will agree with me that panic attacks, Generalised Anxiety Disorder(GAD) or plain anxiety can paralyze you.
You will agree with me that because atrial fibrillation is so big shock, you will do anything to try and prevent it. Diet tips to prevent afib may only be one of the guns you use to shoot down the AFIB monster, but it is a BIG gun! Here’s the deal.
The best chance you have to beat the afib dragon is……
Know as much as you can about it and then act on it.
DIET TIPS TO PREVENT AFIB
We understand that our body is a system and everything is connected, maybe more than we think, THEREFORE!
Can you afford to ignore diet tips to prevent afib?
This post will concentrate on diet tips to prevent afib, with the understanding that your doctor, cardiologist,healthcare worker and healthy lifestyle must always be the center of your management of atrial fibrillation, and most of all.
Diet tips to prevent afib must always be seen as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Continue reading 20 BEST DIET TIPS TO PREVENT AFIB, TODAY!→
I think you’ll agree with me when I say that dealing with AFIB or any palpitations is actually a type of heart arrhythmia management. People that have had some experience with AFIB know that the end of it is not always the end of it. The promise of a cardio version or even an ablation may not be the final word on your arrhythmia.
Do we really understand how important our mornings are? Do we know that it sets us up for the whole day? This can be a good or bad setup. You do not have to be a victim of your mornings, take charge! A quick morning routine can and will make a huge difference in your day and life. The tone that YOU! set first thing in the morning will be with you most of the day. So it does not have to be a long thing, and you can make your own groove.
Here’s the deal, this infographic shows my quick morning routine.
The health benefits of rooibos tea may not be known to many people, but it may be one of the healthiest drinks around.
A few of the reasons why I and my family use rooibos tea are:
It is totally CAFFEINE FREE, no it is not some sort of decaffeinated version of rooibos, the real “thing” is NATURALLY CAFFEINE FREE! This may be one of the most important health benefits of “redbush” tea. For my afib heart, that is very good news. I know that the jury is still out about if too much coffee can trigger an afib attack, maybe or maybe not. With “Redbush” you are certain – there’s no caffeine. I drink coffee daily, but also enjoy the benefits of “redbush tea” a few times a day -STRESS AND CAFFEINE FREE. Are you worried about taking in too much caffeine? Try ROOIBOS TEA
IT IS NATURAL. No colourants, preservatives or additives. It is so good they do not have to add anything. For convenience, they package it in a bag and you can use it any time any place. You just need a cup.
It is full of ANTIOXIDANTS. The defence of our body starts with the fighting off free radicals. Antioxidants mostly come from fresh fruits and vegetables, but also from this wonder “TEA”. Antioxidants inhibit the oxidation of other molecules.
These are only a few benefits of rooibos tea, and I have made an Infographic with a few more benefits of rooibos tea.
Benefits of rooibos tea
If you want to know more about this wonderful tea you can visit these pages: Rooibos Council or Annique
If you have never heard of this tea you have to try it today!
HOW TO DRINK ROOIBOS TO GET THE HEALTH BENEFITS? ⇒
Boil the water.
Pour the water in a cup.
Put in your favorite brand of pure rooibos tea.
Leave it for 3-4 minutes.
Take out the tea bag (U can use it for many things – great story for another day)
Add sugar, honey or any sweetener and milk if you want to.
ENJOY!
THERE IS NO SPECIAL METHOD!
On my AFIB RESOURCE PAGE, there are links to buy Rooibos, if you want to reap the benefits of this “herbal” tea today, but there are many other brands and places to buy Rooibos tea and other related products (eg. Skincare).
