How do I begin living a healthy lifestyle to benefit my heart?

Gramps 64, Welcome, You just got started! 22 years ago , when I was 42 years old, I smoked, I was fit and had a high resistance, I suffered all the signs of a heart attack, pale as a glass of milk, extreme pain in my left arm,chest,cold sweat etc. I was alone that day at home. When I awoke the next day I went to see a cardiologist. I passed the stress test and he determined by the electrocardiogram that I had experienced some sort of blockage. My BP was normal. My cholesterol was very high. I am 5'9" and weighted 180 lbs. Only medications I was prescribed was LIPITOR, After 6 months I stopped taking them due to pain in my joints.

Five Years ago I visited the hospital due to an allergic reaction of AVELOX. My BP was sky high, A catherization was performed and I had a stent placed. Plavix and 81 mg for a year.

Instead of eating a full plate morning, noon and night , I eat 40% ! I read all the labels and try to eat as healthy as I can. I quit smoking 22 years ago "cold turky" I weight 210 now and like You I have a plan to get the weight off. Yes I get tired, some days I slack off. But I always go back.

You have Your plan, Not everyday you will stick to it, but you should always go back to it.
This is a TEAM effort, Yes , You , Me and all that belong to this forum will support You.

Thank You for letting me be part of this group.

Hi gramps64,

Yeah - sounds like you've had a couple of close calls. And, sure, likely part of this is your condition - but, there are genetics at work, too. We can't fix our genetics (yet), but we can fix our condition as it relates to weight and condition.

At our age, and if you are obese, simply exercising is not likely to fix your condition - and, could be dangerous, especially given what you have said about arthritis.

I am not a medical professional, but do tend to think logically - I would recommend a serious talk with your PCP where you ask to be immediately put on one of the new diabetes/weight loss meds - you didn't mention your glucose numbers nor your A1C numbers - these need to be tracked and established in the normal range as quickly as possible (again, a non-medical professional opinion). What is you normal weight vs actual?

Once you start heading down in weight, you need to address the arthritis issues - do you need joint replacements? If so, once you have re-established a health weight, find a competent orthopaedic joint replacement surgeon and start the consults.

Finally, as you become smaller and more healthy, begin walking - more and more - as you are doing this consult with a professional and begin a mild exercise regimen.

So, to me the priorities are:
1. Weight
2. Repairs (if needed)
3. Exercise (as reasonable)

Don't give up! Don't become dispirited - this sort of stuff takes time - and EFFORT.

I love your comment “Not everyday you will stick to it, but you should always go back to it.” Through my journey I have had to figure out how to keep it simple and to quickly return to my routine if I go off. I am a sugar addict. I can’t do a little sugar because I go out if whack. Right now I allow myself ONE sweet (ice cream cone, slice of pie…) every Saturday. When I’m tempted I just tell myself to wait until Saturday. It works for me. I stick with it.

You REALLY needs to ditch ice cream. It has fat and sugar in one eating session. Sugar and fat form bad cholesterol that sticks inside of coronary blood vessels - in the walls. And it harms your liver also. All sugary foods do. Fatty Liver Disease is serious! Sugar speeds up aging and wrinkles plus causes serious disease. Dental and gut bacteria problems too.
Switch to blueberries or cherries that u can eat when you’re craving something sweet. Some ppl eat a bite of a dried date (too sweet for me). If you go 21 days without a sweet, you will not want sweets nearly as much as you do now. You can do it! You will feel so much better and age so much slower.

I will try that. I know you are right. In the past I have been able to ditch sugar long enough that the cravings go away. However, if you aren’t able to face life sugarless, for now, it’s better to eat one thing once a week if that will prevent you from eating sugar 7 days a week. That said, you are correct. Also, by eating it once a week I never fully get rid of the cravings. You have inspired me to go sugarless, again. Wish me luck.