About Me
- Kimberly Binkley
- At age 39, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy. I was given days to live with a heart function of 5% at that time. I was also told I needed a heart transplant to survive. I am now a 13 year survivor and have not had a heart transplant. I am married to my best friend, Steve and have one daughter, age 19. I'm sharing my journey to help others and because it "Matters to my Heart."
Monday, October 6, 2008
another food find!
Just wanted to let anyone know that lives in the Cincinnati area, Meijer is now carrying the Momma DiSalvo's spaghetti sauce that is low in sodium. Remember, don't salt your pasta water and you'll have a very low sodium and very tasty meal. Wheat pasta is better for you too so give it a try. We love it! Even my family that doesn't have to watch their sodium loves this sauce! I've now seen it at Jungle Jims, Meijer and Kroger Marketplace.
Monitoring you heart failure daily!
If you are living with heart failure, you know how important it is to realize any changes that occur in your own body. Taking care of yourself and practicing healthy living habits can help keep your conditioning from worsening. Take steps to avoid colds! That one is easeir said than done but there are a few things you can do. Whenever you grocery shop, clean off the handles on the carts with a antibacterial wipe. I carry antibacterial spray in my purse. You can spray you hands after touching door knobs, etc and I use it at church after shaking hands with several people. This is NOT being rude....it's protecting yourself. Even a simple cold can reck havoc on someone living with heart failure. So, if you know someone with heart failure, please when you are ill........do not expose them. Stay away until you are better. Anything someone with heart failure comes down with is very hard on their heart. 2 bouts of bronchitis last year was very hard on me!
Also, if you have heart failure...........GET A FLU SHOT and a PNEUMONIA SHOT! I advise everyone to get the flu shot. That way, you don't pass it on to someone that does have heart failure. My daughter got hers last week and Steve and I are scheduled to get ours. This is something you can do to protect yourself and your own family.
For anyone with heart failure, it is important that you weigh yourself every day. This is one of the best ways to keep track of your heart failure. Sudden weight gain may be a sign that fuild is building up in your body. Weigh yourself at the same time, with the same scale, and with the same amount of clothing. About 2 pounds shows up on the scale for each extra quart of fluid. Make sure to record you weight in a chart everyday. ******If you gain 2 pounds in a 24 hour period or 3-5 pounds a week, call your doctor******This is very important! Do no try to medicate yourself by taking an extra water pill. In some cases, this may not be enough and could cause serious side effects. Make sure to get instructions from your doctor!
Take notice of your symptoms:
Experiencing new or increased symptoms could mean that your heart failure is not under control. But if the changes are caught early, your treatment can be adjusted and severe symptoms and hospitalization can be prevented. If you have symptoms, contact your doctor. Your heart failure is less likely to get worse if you pay attention to how your feel and know when to call your doctor. Call you doctor if your experience any of the following symptoms, or if they worsen.
**Sudden weight gain
**shortness of breath
**swelling of the feet, ankles, and legs
**coughing
**tiredness
**nuases or swelling in the abdomen
Monitoring your condition every day is very important! JUST DO IT!
Also, if you have heart failure...........GET A FLU SHOT and a PNEUMONIA SHOT! I advise everyone to get the flu shot. That way, you don't pass it on to someone that does have heart failure. My daughter got hers last week and Steve and I are scheduled to get ours. This is something you can do to protect yourself and your own family.
For anyone with heart failure, it is important that you weigh yourself every day. This is one of the best ways to keep track of your heart failure. Sudden weight gain may be a sign that fuild is building up in your body. Weigh yourself at the same time, with the same scale, and with the same amount of clothing. About 2 pounds shows up on the scale for each extra quart of fluid. Make sure to record you weight in a chart everyday. ******If you gain 2 pounds in a 24 hour period or 3-5 pounds a week, call your doctor******This is very important! Do no try to medicate yourself by taking an extra water pill. In some cases, this may not be enough and could cause serious side effects. Make sure to get instructions from your doctor!
Take notice of your symptoms:
Experiencing new or increased symptoms could mean that your heart failure is not under control. But if the changes are caught early, your treatment can be adjusted and severe symptoms and hospitalization can be prevented. If you have symptoms, contact your doctor. Your heart failure is less likely to get worse if you pay attention to how your feel and know when to call your doctor. Call you doctor if your experience any of the following symptoms, or if they worsen.
**Sudden weight gain
**shortness of breath
**swelling of the feet, ankles, and legs
**coughing
**tiredness
**nuases or swelling in the abdomen
Monitoring your condition every day is very important! JUST DO IT!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Understand your enemy!
October is breast cancer awareness. Now, this is NOT to steal any thunder from that worthy cause. Women, we need to be aware of that threat and schedule your mammograms every year once you reach the age of 40. One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Women with a high risk for breast cancer should schedule them once a year at even younger ages. I think as women, we have gotten better about preventive action when it comes to breast cancer because we are good about taking care of the parts of our body we can see. But what about what's inside? It's critical to care about heart disease. Why is heart disease the number 1 killer of women and men in the U.S.? One reason is undeniably a lack of commitment to a heart-healthy lifestyle. Your lifestyle is not only your best defense against heart disease and stroke, it’s also YOUR responsibility. Here are some sobering statistics about women and heart disease:
**Only 13% of women view heart disease as a health threat, even though it’s women's No. 1 killer.
**Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills over 480,000 women a year, about one per minute.
**One in three adult females and males in the United States suffers from a form of CVD.
**CVD claims more lives than the next four most common causes of death combined.
On average, an American dies of CVD every 35 seconds.
**Coronary heart disease is the No. 1 single killer of women over age 25.
**64% of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms.
**One in 2.6 female deaths are from CVD, compared with one in 30 from breast cancer.
Heart disease rates in post-menopausal women are two to three times higher than in pre-menopausal women of the same age.
**Stroke is the #3 cause of death for American women, and is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability.
**Stroke kills more women than men. In 2003, females represented 61% of stroke deaths.
Heart disease is usually gradual and develops over time but women need to understand that heart disease is a "NOW" problem, and that "later" may be too late. Among women aged 25 to 34 years, a key audience for prevention messages, nearly two-thirds believed cancer was their greatest health threat and just 4% regarded heart disease as a danger. Half of these women will die of heart disease but yet their priorities lie elsewhere. Women......you make sure you schedule your mammograms and your yearly GYN exams, but don't take your heart for granted! Care for your heart, take action......get off the couch, get a heart checkup, know your numbers, know your family history and know your risks for heart disease, do something for yourself and the people you love! There are risk factors that only YOU can do something about. Don't wait until you have symptoms or problems, later may be to late. I wish I had done that. Maybe my heart condition would not have progressed to where it is now, but I'll never know. Do it NOW! I love the Nike slogan and I use it quite frequently so JUST DO IT!
**Only 13% of women view heart disease as a health threat, even though it’s women's No. 1 killer.
**Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills over 480,000 women a year, about one per minute.
**One in three adult females and males in the United States suffers from a form of CVD.
**CVD claims more lives than the next four most common causes of death combined.
On average, an American dies of CVD every 35 seconds.
**Coronary heart disease is the No. 1 single killer of women over age 25.
**64% of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms.
**One in 2.6 female deaths are from CVD, compared with one in 30 from breast cancer.
Heart disease rates in post-menopausal women are two to three times higher than in pre-menopausal women of the same age.
**Stroke is the #3 cause of death for American women, and is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability.
**Stroke kills more women than men. In 2003, females represented 61% of stroke deaths.
Heart disease is usually gradual and develops over time but women need to understand that heart disease is a "NOW" problem, and that "later" may be too late. Among women aged 25 to 34 years, a key audience for prevention messages, nearly two-thirds believed cancer was their greatest health threat and just 4% regarded heart disease as a danger. Half of these women will die of heart disease but yet their priorities lie elsewhere. Women......you make sure you schedule your mammograms and your yearly GYN exams, but don't take your heart for granted! Care for your heart, take action......get off the couch, get a heart checkup, know your numbers, know your family history and know your risks for heart disease, do something for yourself and the people you love! There are risk factors that only YOU can do something about. Don't wait until you have symptoms or problems, later may be to late. I wish I had done that. Maybe my heart condition would not have progressed to where it is now, but I'll never know. Do it NOW! I love the Nike slogan and I use it quite frequently so JUST DO IT!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Foods that actually help lower your cholesterol
I heard this on my local news this evening and wanted to post it before I forget! Anytime I hear news stories that are related to heart disease and helping prevent it, I get excited. I you have high cholesterol and are looking for foods that help lower you cholesterol, here are some they mentioned this evening. I know olive oil works because I use it all the time and it actually helped bring up my good cholesterol. I could never get that number to come up until I started using olive oil. It also lowered my bad cholesterol a great deal too. My last test, I had a total cholesterol of 138 and my good cholesterol was high, which is very good. That number you want to be high! ok...here's a list of foods that may help you.
Orange juice and citrus fruits
Stell cut oats, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans and peanuts. A handful a day is all you need!
Olive oil
Salmon
Beans
Medical Margerine
and.....believe it or not.....here's the best one.....a little bit of dark chocolate! Notice the key words, a little bit. Don't eat but a square of dark chocolate a day. It also helps keep your blood flowing and helps prevent bood clots. Everything in moderation!
Another tip, olive oil has great benefits but it does have the calories so use it in moderation too.
Orange juice and citrus fruits
Stell cut oats, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans and peanuts. A handful a day is all you need!
Olive oil
Salmon
Beans
Medical Margerine
and.....believe it or not.....here's the best one.....a little bit of dark chocolate! Notice the key words, a little bit. Don't eat but a square of dark chocolate a day. It also helps keep your blood flowing and helps prevent bood clots. Everything in moderation!
Another tip, olive oil has great benefits but it does have the calories so use it in moderation too.
Low sodium food find!
ok, folks, right after posting the info about pickles and the pickle recipe, I found a no sodium bread and butter pickle at Kroger. I was so excited! Look for it at your Kroger. It's Kroger brand and it has no sodium at all. It says no sodium on the front of the jar. I was doing the happy dance! Doesn't take much!
Watch the salt in pickles!
One of the things I probably missed the most when I had to go on this sodium restricted diet was dill pickles. I absolutely love dill pickles and would even drink the pickle juice from the jar when the pickles were all gone! When I would eat a cheeseburger, I would load it with about 20 pickles! Oh, that was so yummy! As you know, dill pickles are loaded with sodium so after my diagnosis I had to cut out pickles all together. You can actually order a no salt pickle from www.healthyheartmarket.com and they are pretty good. They do have a different taste buy yummy none the less! I thought I would also post a recipe for a pickle that is easy to make at home.
Easy Dill Pickles
4 pickling, or kirby, cucumbers, unpeeled (about 1 pound)
1 cup water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon whole pickling spices
1 tablespoon sugar
2 medium garlic cloves
4 to 5 sprigs fresh dillweed (optional)
With a knife or crinkle cutter, cut the cucumbers crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. You should have about 4 cups. Line a colander with 2 or 3 paper towels. Put the cucumbers in the colander, cover with a paper towel, and set a plate no top to slightly weigh the cucumber down (this will help remove any excess moisture). Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
In a large saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cucumbers. Cook for 3 minutes, or until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container large enough to hold the cucumbers and the liquid (a clean large pickle jar works well) and refrigerate for a least 4 hours before serving. The pickles will keep in the refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Enjoy! Remember, store bought dill pickles are loaded with sodium. It's best to not eat these at all on a sodium restricted diet!
Easy Dill Pickles
4 pickling, or kirby, cucumbers, unpeeled (about 1 pound)
1 cup water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon whole pickling spices
1 tablespoon sugar
2 medium garlic cloves
4 to 5 sprigs fresh dillweed (optional)
With a knife or crinkle cutter, cut the cucumbers crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. You should have about 4 cups. Line a colander with 2 or 3 paper towels. Put the cucumbers in the colander, cover with a paper towel, and set a plate no top to slightly weigh the cucumber down (this will help remove any excess moisture). Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
In a large saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cucumbers. Cook for 3 minutes, or until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container large enough to hold the cucumbers and the liquid (a clean large pickle jar works well) and refrigerate for a least 4 hours before serving. The pickles will keep in the refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Enjoy! Remember, store bought dill pickles are loaded with sodium. It's best to not eat these at all on a sodium restricted diet!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The effects of Caffeine on the heart
As you know, if you have CHF, caffeine is something to be avoided. I have been told by my doctor to even stay away from de-caffeinated coffee and caffeine free diet coke, etc because they still contain a small amount of caffeine. Now, the hardest thing for me to give up was the chocolate! I couldn't believe it when the doctor told me I could no longer eat chocolate. How could they do that to a woman?! It's funny, when I was in the hospital the first time, they gave me chocolate cake for desert almost every night! I did notice I sure started sleeping better when I gave up caffeine in my sodas. I now drink diet sierra mist or diet sprite....only the clear sodas. I don't really miss the chocolate now either. The cravings go away after so long without something and you really do get used to it. The one thing that concerns me are the energy drinks out on the market today. Drinks like red bull, etc are loaded with caffeine and just are not good for anyone to drink. I heard on the news that 1 energy drink contains the same amount of caffeine that you would get if you were to drink 14 coke soft drinks at once. Do you drink them or allow your children to drink them? Caffeine in moderation is the key. Drink one of them and moderation goes right out the window! Here are some of the effects caffeine has on the body. Information below from the Mayo Clinic.
Many energy drinks are loaded with caffeine, sugar and herbal stimulants that can make you alert, but can also make your heart beat markedly faster, putting you at risk of health problems.
Caffeine, the main ingredient in energy drinks, isn't directly toxic to the heart. But if you have almost any type of underlying heart disease, even a small amount of caffeine can stimulate the heart and cause problems. Caffeine can increase your blood pressure, and sometimes impair blood flow to your heart. It may trigger abnormal heart rhythms, which can be life-threatening in people at high risk.
One problem with energy drinks is that they have become popular as mixers for alcoholic beverages, often in an effort to counteract drowsiness so that you can drink more alcohol. The combination of large amounts of caffeine and alcohol is especially dangerous, since alcohol by itself is known to trigger fast heart rhythms. To avoid this serious health risk — even if you don't have heart disease — you shouldn't combine alcohol with energy drinks.
Another problem is that energy drinks are often consumed quickly, sometimes before exercise. The high amounts of caffeine and sugar can lead to a variety of symptoms, including irritability, nervousness and nausea, sometimes severe enough to require hospitalization.
For athletic activity, it's healthier to drink noncaffeinated, low-sugar beverages to prevent dehydration. If you decide to consume an energy drink, read the label and research how much caffeine it contains. If you have heart disease, be cautious about energy drinks and talk to your doctor for individual recommendations.
General information about the effects of caffeine on the body......(not energey drinks, but just regular caffeine) Too much caffein can affect your health. Remember, everything in moderation! More than 500-600 mg a day or 4-7 cups of coffee a day can cause:
Restlessness
Anxiety
Irritability
Muscle Tremors
Sleeplessness
Headaches
Nause, diarrha or other gastrointestional symptoms
Abnormal Heart Rhythms
Caffeine can be habit-forming, so any attempts to stop or lessen the amount you normally consume can be challenging. An abrupt decrease in caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability and nervousness. These symptoms usually resolve after several days.
To adopt new caffeine habits, try these tips:
Know how much caffeine is in the foods and beverages you consume. You may be consuming more than you think.
Gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. For example, drink one less can of soda or drink a smaller cup of coffee each day. This will help your body get used to the lower levels of caffeine and thereby lessen the withdrawal effects.
Replace caffeinated coffee, tea and soda with their decaffeinated counterparts. Most decaffeinated beverages look and taste the same.
When preparing tea, brew for less time. This cuts down on its caffeine content. Or choose herbal teas, which don't contain this stimulant.
Check the caffeine content in over-the-counter medications that you take. Pain relief or headache medications, such as Excedrin or Anacin, can contain from 65 mg to 130 mg of caffeine in one dose. Switch to caffeine-free versions, if possible.
Do something good for yourself today! LOVE YOUR HEART!
Many energy drinks are loaded with caffeine, sugar and herbal stimulants that can make you alert, but can also make your heart beat markedly faster, putting you at risk of health problems.
Caffeine, the main ingredient in energy drinks, isn't directly toxic to the heart. But if you have almost any type of underlying heart disease, even a small amount of caffeine can stimulate the heart and cause problems. Caffeine can increase your blood pressure, and sometimes impair blood flow to your heart. It may trigger abnormal heart rhythms, which can be life-threatening in people at high risk.
One problem with energy drinks is that they have become popular as mixers for alcoholic beverages, often in an effort to counteract drowsiness so that you can drink more alcohol. The combination of large amounts of caffeine and alcohol is especially dangerous, since alcohol by itself is known to trigger fast heart rhythms. To avoid this serious health risk — even if you don't have heart disease — you shouldn't combine alcohol with energy drinks.
Another problem is that energy drinks are often consumed quickly, sometimes before exercise. The high amounts of caffeine and sugar can lead to a variety of symptoms, including irritability, nervousness and nausea, sometimes severe enough to require hospitalization.
For athletic activity, it's healthier to drink noncaffeinated, low-sugar beverages to prevent dehydration. If you decide to consume an energy drink, read the label and research how much caffeine it contains. If you have heart disease, be cautious about energy drinks and talk to your doctor for individual recommendations.
General information about the effects of caffeine on the body......(not energey drinks, but just regular caffeine) Too much caffein can affect your health. Remember, everything in moderation! More than 500-600 mg a day or 4-7 cups of coffee a day can cause:
Restlessness
Anxiety
Irritability
Muscle Tremors
Sleeplessness
Headaches
Nause, diarrha or other gastrointestional symptoms
Abnormal Heart Rhythms
Caffeine can be habit-forming, so any attempts to stop or lessen the amount you normally consume can be challenging. An abrupt decrease in caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability and nervousness. These symptoms usually resolve after several days.
To adopt new caffeine habits, try these tips:
Know how much caffeine is in the foods and beverages you consume. You may be consuming more than you think.
Gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. For example, drink one less can of soda or drink a smaller cup of coffee each day. This will help your body get used to the lower levels of caffeine and thereby lessen the withdrawal effects.
Replace caffeinated coffee, tea and soda with their decaffeinated counterparts. Most decaffeinated beverages look and taste the same.
When preparing tea, brew for less time. This cuts down on its caffeine content. Or choose herbal teas, which don't contain this stimulant.
Check the caffeine content in over-the-counter medications that you take. Pain relief or headache medications, such as Excedrin or Anacin, can contain from 65 mg to 130 mg of caffeine in one dose. Switch to caffeine-free versions, if possible.
Do something good for yourself today! LOVE YOUR HEART!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)