A few days ago, one of my two thousand cousins told me her dad was being sent to Edmonton because blood is not flowing properly to his heart. Whoa. To boot, another cousin recently had open heart surgery. This reminded me of when I had a heart procedure. Not a good memory, man.
In 2010, I was working as the assistant deputy minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I was passionate about helping Aboriginal people get educated and I worked long hours, including taking my work home.
I was also on our band council and often went home from work for a quick bite, then to a council meeting which could last till midnight. I also used a lot of my holidays to attend band related meetings. I sometimes felt twinges or fluttering in my chest, but the doctor said it was likely sore muscles.
Then, at a workshop in Norman Wells, my body felt tingly and heavy all over. Whoa! It went away, but later came back and I kept getting funny feelings in my chest.
So, I saw a doctor who thought I had indigestion. Eschia! A second doctor sent me for a stress test, which is going on a treadmill while hooked up to machines. It showed I probably had blockages in arteries to my heart, so I was sent to Edmonton.
Doctors inserted a stent – like a little culvert – to open my artery so blood could flow properly to my heart. They told me I was lucky I didn’t have a heart attack, which could have damaged my heart and negatively affected me for the rest of my life – I could have even died. Double eschia!!
They also said that if I didn’t change my lifestyle, I would likely be back within two years for another stent or I would have a heart attack and maybe die. And so, I began a journey to wellness, which included much soul searching, research and lifestyle changes.
Symptoms of plugged arteries
It's important to watch for symptoms and discuss concerns with your doctor as soon as you notice them. This can lead to finding problems before they get too serious. Obvious symptoms are pain, tightness, pressure and discomfort (angina) in the chest.
Other symptoms include shortness of breath or pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels there are narrowed. Also watch for pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back
Symptoms can be different for men and women. For instance, men are more likely to have chest pain and women are more likely to have other symptoms along with chest discomfort, such as shortness of breath, nausea and extreme fatigue.
Prevent plugged arteries
You can’t avoid things like heart defects. However, you can improve or even help prevent many types of heart disease. In fact, a recent Center for Disease Control report found that the vast majority of deaths from narrowing of the arteries can be prevented by making the following lifestyle changes.
Be smoke-free, including avoiding second-hand smoke. Be physically active. It’s important to learn the benefits of healthy activity and to add more exercise into your daily routine.
Eat a healthy diet that is lower in fat. This doesn’t mean eating low-fat foods. It means to cut the fat off your meat and to check nutrition fact labels so you can avoid foods with saturated and trans fats. Eating low-fat foods is not good for you, because they remove the fat and add sugar into the food to make it taste better.
It’s very important to educate yourself on various issues. For instance, learn how heart-healthy choices can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, whether eating at home or dining out. It will also help you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
You also need to learn about how to manage your diabetes, control your blood pressure and reduce stress. And it’s important to severely limit alcohol use. Finally, visit your doctor regularly and follow his advice.
Yes, heart disease is scary, but the good news is treatments can help you manage your illness and you can take steps to prevent or improve heart disease.