A FIB / Atrial Fibrillation living and overcoming with diet. Heart health from the kitchen. January 28, 2019

I have been living with A Fib / Atrial Fibrillation for about 2 years. The symptoms vary and they come and go. Now in the heart of the winter I think I am retaining more water/ fluids since I am not sweating as much. (Need to hit the gym some more, maybe wear a sweatshirt).

Most of these posts are personal research BUT I hope this can be helpful for other folks.

Later today I will head to Trader Joe’s for some food. This research just confirmed what I already know/ knew. It also reminded me me of the ” sins” I was making in feeding myself and MY HEART.

Time to do it better.

** Interesting video with some very basic information. SUMMARY: cut out salt, oil and sugar, highly processed foods.

Now what diet to Follow? Metro, No. arb , High starch, plant base or vegan?

No processed foods????? How about the newly popular Raw Food Diets, which are also plantbased?

** Some general heart healthy and Blood pressure positive foods, very important for A Fib.

https://pin.it/n3byznojk2kjca

:: Now magnesium is valuable for A Fib treatment and general heart health.

https://pin.it/rxsl2zrinu4wgq

@martyroddy

Sweating the Small Stuff : Sodium Control and Exercise July 12, 2018

When dealing with heart health issues that involve concern for blood pressure the intake of salt should be restricted. A low sodium diet as well as focus on proper intake of magnesium, potassium and calcium can help counter the negative effects of sodium.

Now sodium is required for a healthy body and a healthy natural diet should provide enough BUT packaged and processed and foods tend to have much more than is needed. Restaurant foods especially fast foods are even worse.

Limit to 2400 mg sodium/day( US Guidelines), Non-athletes/active people need about 500 mg/day.
Most active people consume enough even without adding salt to foods. Many packaged foods have 250-600 mg per serving and some as much as 1500/serving. A diet rich in raw (minimally cooked) vegetables and fruits will provide an adequate amount of sodium for most people. Highly active people who sweat a lot may also eat more of this produce to get what is needed or add a little salt. These same fruits and veggies will also provide much of the calcium,magnesium and needed.

1. Consume lots of fruits and vegetables and legumes for the needed minerals that balance sodium.
2. Exercise and sweat and control weight.
3. Limit intake of fats and alcohol
4. moderate salt intake by limiting processed foods (restaurants)

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/220147.php

Tests have been done and are continuing to link exercise and sweat to reduction of sodium in th blood as well as the retained water and increased blood pressure. I have seen / experienced reductions water retention after vigorous , sweat inducing exercise. I add NO SALT to my foes and eat very few salty packaged foods….I said FEW but I often try to buy no salt corn chips and pretzels and at the movies I don’t get popcorn every time and when I am able I request salt free. If I get some salty corn I hit the gym or go for a vigorous walk/ hike.

What to Wear ? Cool Mornings September 15, 2013

It is fun and funny to see the jackets and sweatshirts on all of the morning runners.  The 47-50 degree mornings feel positively arctic even after the moderate summer we had in Virginia.

Though we had only a week or so of deep  heat the humidity was relentless as we had a lot of rain this year. This led many runners to run as naked a legally possible to deal with the discomfort of the summer.

NOW it feels cold.

The threat of chill or frostbite is minimal but the old rule of thumb- “if you feel comfortable ,you are over-dressed” is helpful but not terribly important YET.

In a month or 2 as it gets “really” cold, being comfortable means being over dressed and can lead to sweating followed by chills or hypothermia.

Just remember smart layering and peel the layers of the onion if it get warm.