CardioChoices was developed to educate heart patients on heart problems such as: heart disease, heart attacks, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and arrhythmias. We utilize customized videos of cardiovascular conditions and procedures to facilitate learning so patients can have open discussions with their cardiologists regarding heart disease.
This is the time of year that the most heart related accidents occur. For some reason when the holiday season arrives, we abandon all efforts of being healthy. We overeat, become stressed and complacent and relax our standards of wellness. We take a holiday from our health. Then, when January arrives we wake up with that “buyers’ remorse”, wondering what we did to ourselves for the last month and a half. The new calendar year begins and we repeat the same cycle for another 12 months.
Consider the following heart conscious tips as you enter the 2012 holiday season.
Nobody has ever suggested beginning a new diet regiment during the holidays, but it’s important to maintain the eating habits established before Thanksgiving. Resist temptation to overindulge. Holiday meals are typically a bit more elaborate, but the celebrations are also more abundant. Enjoy healthy portion sizes per meal and shrink that amount if you are attending several parties in a day. Show your appreciation for everyone’s efforts of delivering an outstanding meal, but don’t feel responsible for eating all of it.
Thanksgiving through the New Year is the most stressful time of the year. Depression and anxiety can flare up with the seasonal activity. Family and friends, old memories, old relationships, celebrations, and financial burden are all contributors to the stress. Continue to manage stress as you normally do. Resist the temptation to take on too many responsibilities or expectations. If you are taking medication for conditions, ensure that you continue your prescribed dosage. If you feel yourself slipping into an uncomfortable state of mind, take it easy and focus on the activities that keep you feeling good. Plan and be ready for it.
No matter how busy your life may get, ALWAYS keep some time for physical activity. The holidays are especially hard since there are many events and activities to attend. Consider after meal walks around the neighborhood. The colder holiday weather makes it challenging to get outside, but there is an instant support group at parties. A walk is a great opportunity to converse with family and friends. It also helps to control the pressures of overeating and overdrinking.
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