Life is Short, So Please take care of yourself and the ones you Love!
My mother recently suffered a major heart attack a few weeks ago and thanks to God, she survived. Her back arteries in her heart were blocked due to plaque build up caused by bad cholesterol build up and smoking for 55+ years. My mothers cardiologist told her to quit smoking and she did, cold turkey and he also told her to treat her food as medicine for her body. Let's back up a bit, to give you a little bit of background on my mom, I love her dearly and I am trying to help her eat healthier to lower her cholesterol and her blood pressure since she has been on medication for both medical issues for over a year now and since her heart attack she is also on a blood thinner, baby aspirin and another pill for her blood pressure.
My mom is stubborn and set in her own ways since she is 71 going on 72 she should not be lying around on the couch all day watching tv and doing nothing else? She will start cardio rehab next week and I hope she is just scared or a little nervous to do any kind of exercise until then? One year ago my mom had also lost her taste buds, had thrush in her mouth and now has hairy tongue? When she eats most foods, it turns sour in her mouth which is really hard for her to enjoy or even taste anything for that matter. I am doing my best for her with cooking all the healthier food choices for her and using garlic powder and many other seasonings since she can no longer use the salt shaker which she is addicted to as well as soda/pop, she will not give that up either :( I was raised on red meat and potatoes hardly any fruits or vegetable because my mom only fed me what she ate and that was pretty much it meat and potatoes, let alone i never had chicken or fish until I became an adult because my mom hated both so face it our parents only fed us what they like to eat.
I love to cook and I became a vegetarian about 10 years ago due to finding out my triglycerides were way overboard and cholesterol was really bad, I new right away I did not want to live my life on medication for that so i changed my whole eating habits/lifestyle to live a healthier life. I had no idea how much i would enjoy fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and plant protein. I feel better, have more energy and I exercise (pilates, yoga and kickboxing). Meditation is a key factor in reducing stress and you should try to meditate daily. I explained to my mom that now is the time to take action that she has been given a second chance at life and she looks at me like i am crazy and I don't know what I am talking about, she never listens to her loved ones let alone her doctor except for the quitting smoking part. I am so worried about her and I am glad that I moved her in with me 6 months ago when my sister and I decided she should not live alone anymore.
What I say to you my friends, Please take care of yourself, exercise, eat healthier, educate yourself on the foods you consume, stay away from excessive amounts of processed foods, fried foods, sugar and salt! Your body is your temple, just like a car that needs fuel to run, your body needs the proper food/nutrients to run properly. If you have a stubborn friend or family member, hang in there and continue to do your best to help them live a better life, a quality life, and make sure you let them know that you love them because you never know if you or they will have a second chance at life :)
