Protecting My Heart Against Disease

This Valentine's Day week, I am reminded to take care of

my heart.  Some families suffer from cancer, mine suffers

from heart disease from both sides.  My maternal grandmother

died in her 60's from a heart attack.  My paternal grandfather

suffered from congestive heart failure for years until he

died from a heart attack at age 75.  My own Daddy had a

massive heart attack at age 51.  My Aunt had faulty heart

valves which required open heart surgery in her 80's.

My Mom suffered from congestive heart failure in her later

years.  

None of these family members looked or acted like heart

attack candidates.  All were thin, and all were quite 

physically active.  No couch potatoes here.  None of them

were heavy drinkers.  Both my Mom and my Aunt were

mindful of what they ate.  My paternal grandfather and my

Daddy ate way too many sweets.  Neither had high blood

sugar, but I don't think that anyone realized how dangerous

sugar really is, even if it does not show up as diabetes in

blood testing.  

I have reached a stage in my life where I need to be

careful and not eat anything I want, not because of 

vanity, but for underlying reasons.  I'm very tiny.  I

weigh 95 pounds and eat pretty much what I want on

a daily basis.  That's both a blessing and a curse.  

So, to keep my heart beating away for years to come,

I am treating it with love.  More fish and less beef.  My

dear hubby will either have to learn to like fish or, eat

something else on the nights I eat it.  I am cutting way

back on coffee.  I typically drink two big mugs per day

with lots of cream.  I won't go quite cold turkey, but

will ease back to one mug and no cream.  Essentially

I will be eating my oatmeal, berries, fish and veggies.

Cheese burgers will be a once every so often treat.

I am good about working out, but I tend to run on 

nervous energy and need to slow way down.  Therefore,

I will be adding a few minutes of yoga per day.

There are lots of things I want to do, and the last thing

I want is to have my life cut short.  Let's all remember to

take good care of the heart that beats daily for each of us.

Sparkle and Shine and Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley