February is American Heart Month. Seeing as how I'm an American, I should probably take the time to check in with my heart health. Last year, after what I thought was a routine echocardiogram, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Diastolic Dysfunction. This diagnosis was a complete surprise to me as I have no symptoms. Two internal medicine doctors, one cardiologist and my Dad's doctor (a family friend), told me not to worry about it. They said to eat a low sodium diet and try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio every day. The cardiologist said he'd also like for me to begin a regular yoga practice.
Clearly, the first thing I did was Google "Stage 2 Diastolic Dysfunction". Immediately, I started to plan my funeral. My doctors have told me that my 2DD is most likely from extreme stress and could possibly be reversible. The internet tells me that I am in heart failure and things are going to get much worse. I recently noted on my online health chart that my cardiologist listed "chronic diastolic heart failure" as one of my health issues. I know that heart failure doesn't mean exactly what it sounds like; however, it isn't something I should take lightly.
My heart pledge as of February 9:
- TRY to get in 4 days of at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise.
- Make better choices when it comes to diet which includes eating daily fruits and vegetables
- Yoga and/or meditation most days of the week
- Be mindful and recognize stress
- Track my vitals regularly in a log
