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Berwick Area Heart Support Group
April 2004 Newsletter
Next meeting Wednesday 7th April at the Day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 7.00 pm until 9.00pm Guest
speaker Michael Redican
Michael’s talk and demonstration will include treatment that will involve Reiki, aromatherapy, reflexology and the use of crystals. Reiki is the use of a natural energy to balance the body, and assist in the healing processes. The practitioner does not claim to be the healer, only that he/she is the channel, through which the energy flows, Practioners are attuned to the energy, and can transfer it to the client.The use of crystals is to enhance Reiki - Reiki to enchance aromatherapy - and reflexology to assist in the overall relaxation process.Michaels’s major aim is to emphasis the importance of relaxation, in an effort to reduce the stress in everyday life
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At our meeting on 3rd. March 2004, Graeme Gillespie, a Clinical Psychologist, based at North Tyneside Hospital and having responsibility for patients in the Northuberland NHS area, gave us a talk, and gave some advice on some of the psychological problems associated with illness in general, and where applicable to heart matters.
He opened by saying that there were a number of experiences felt by heart patients. Mainly along the lines of, ‘Why Me?’ ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ ‘What’s for me in the future?’ the list is endless, and all of us with heart problems may feel our problem is worse than is the next persons.
Graeme said that all these feelings are entirely normal. If we could understand what is happening to us, then by understanding, hopefully these thoughts and worries would not get out of hand. As it is, misunderstanding what is happening to us makes things worse. We get ‘negative thoughts’ which go round and round. ‘What if…?’.
Graeme suggested that normally when we meet someone in the street, and they ask ‘How are you today?’ We usually say something like, ‘Fine Thanks’. Many times this is not strictly true and fine can often mean:-
F fed up
I irritated
N normal, ‘nackered (Grahame said it)
E emotional, exhausted
Of course these are only suggestions; you can make your own list of what ‘FINE’ means. Sometimes ‘fine’ is the last thing you are feeling, but also you don’t feel like stopping and discussing it either. (There you go you are not the only person that feels that way sometimes)
By its very nature heart problems bring big changes to our lifestyle, and doubt for the future. These can include not working, being unable to return to the previous job, reduction in income, restriction of activities, frustration and loss of confidence. All magnified because of medical investigations, treatments, assessments, travelling and waiting times, with thoughts of possible operation, and doubts about the vulnerability of your heart.
All this can be the starting point for many of the psychological problems associated with heart problems.
The biggest one being STRESS
To help understand stress, we have to remember that our bodies were designed 1000s of years ago, when our ancestors live in caves, (When according to cartoonists, sexual foreplay consisted of a bump over the head with a club, and then being dragged by the hair to the nearest cave)
Stress starts as some form of threat, in reply to which our bodies release a hormone called adrenaline. This gives our bodies an immediate boost of power or energy. Threats to our early ancestor usually came in the form of another predatory animal, and the boost of energy was to give him the strength to either run away, or to stay and fight, and possibly have the predator for his tea. It is called the fight or flight syndrome, but when the danger was past, our caveman could relax, and contemplate his actions.
Today we get stressed for different reasons,(allthe dinosaurs and sabre tooth tigers have gone), but when we do, changes occur in our bodies, just the same as the caveman. We breathe harder, to give the muscles more oxygen. (If we breathe too heavily, we breathe in more oxygen than we breathe out, and we hyperventilate). Our heart beats harder, to get the oxygen in the blood to the big muscles. Our muscles tense up, because of all the extra blood, ready for this sudden burst of power. We begin to sweat,(ladies perspireelegantly) this is to cool our bodies, and our blood. Eyes focus more intently, and because all this extra blood is needed in the big muscles, the lesser ones become depleted and we get this feeling of ‘butterflies in the stomach’. Do you recognise these feelings?
These are some of the major changes to our body, but meantime the brain is also in overdrive, thinking of the best moves to solve the problem.
Our cave man only had to decide if to run or fight, and even if he chose to fight and things got too much, he could maybe still angle an escape. Our problems are not so black and white, regardless of what decision we make it does not happen straight away. It can take days, weeks and months to get resolved, especially when medical treatment is involved, during which time our thoughts take over, and especially when the negative thoughts creep in, it can, and often does send our bodies into another stressful if not a panic situation. What happens then? yes you’ve guessed it, we produce more adrenaline, and again we can’t use it up, it does all the same things it is meant to do, fight or flight remember, and all these things are happening to our bodies, sometimes the feeling gets that bad that it’s difficult to tell the difference between the effects of the adrenaline or the feelings of another heart attack. i.e. raised heartbeat, heavy breathing, pumped up muscles, chest pain, and sweating. So what does our body do this time it’s under stress? Of course it does, it produces even more adrenaline and round and round we go, in a vicious circle of going nowhere, apart from felling very unwell. With anxiety and feeling very down, depression can soon set in.
Down thoughts, or depression, tell you to do the wrong things. They will make you feel you can’t be bothered, don’t want to go out, don’t want to meet people, don’t want to do things, and soon you become socially isolated. Again this can be another destructive cycle.
Fortunately there are ways to break these vicious cycles. By interrupting the effects adrenaline has on our bodies, we can feel a lot better.
Breathing If we can concentrate on our breathing in a relaxed, focused way, this will help slow our heartbeat. The heart manual gives advise on breathing exercises.
Focus our minds Try thinking of more pleasant things such as nice places to be, or your favourite holiday, or your favourite place, (spend the lottery jackpot for the umpteenth time) anything to get rid of the ‘What if’ anxiety feeling.
Change your thoughts, think positive, do a crossword, join outside groups, start doing some of the things you used to do, rekindle some old friendships that may have dwindled because of previous negative attitude; even if it means making an effort initially, it does get easier.
Relaxation Exercises
All covered in the heart manual, but anything to get rid of the tense feeling.
As I’ve said several times adrenaline produces the fight or flight syndrome, we don’t have the facilities to literally do either of these, unless you join a recognised club, but exercise in any form burns up this excess. Exercise is highly recommended for cardiac rehab.
(Personally I doa lot of walking, it’s benefits are, lowering of blood pressure, weight control, general feeling of well being, among others. For those that know me, you will know it’s not doing too much for my waist line, but I do feel pretty good, and if I feel the need to relax, my wife and I are usually fortunate enough to be able to just go for a walk, and the troubles seem far less important. by the time we get back.)
This is just my addition. I think I’ve covered everything Graeme mentioned,
Thank you Graeme.
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Wally’ Yarns
Before we go on it reminds me of a story.
Two elderly gentlemen who hadn’t seen each other for a while, met whilst out shopping.
One said ‘How are you?’
The other said ‘Oh, I have to watch what I get up to nowadays’.
The first said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, but I didn’t know you had been poorly’.
The other replied,’ I haven’t, it’s just that it’s become too exciting to watch what others are getting up to’.
The following are some more suggestions. They are little posers I’ve read at different times, but if you are stuck for something to think about, try and find the answers to some of these.
If 90% of accidents happen in the home, where do the homeless have 90% of their accidents?
If, when we mess up we say, “Back to the drawing Board”, What did the inventor of the drawing board say when he messed up?
If New Age Travellers love to travel, why do they complain when the Police move them on?
Marriage is an investment which pays dividends, if you pay interest.
What is a Geriatric? A German footballer who scores three goals.
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional.
What do gardeners do when they retire?
If I spilt some stain remover on my sleeve, what would I use to remove this stain?
Are dogs smarter than us? They never seem to tread in dog’s muck.
What is your opinion of the euthanasia debate? Personally, I don’t suppose they are any better or worse than the youth in Britain.
Two subjects Graeme did not mention, are laughter and sex. I think they play a great part in our attitude to life
I can remember Bob Monkhouse saying in one of his last TV shows, that he was still enjoying a full active, satisfying and meaningful sex life at 75. The fact that he lived at No. 74 meant the walk home was not too taxing either.
As for the power of laughter; it keeps you young, keeps troubles at bay, and does all the things that exercise does for you. It’s a great healer, and it has helped lots of people through troubled times. Britain has had many problems throughout its history, but its people have always been able to raise a laugh, and see a funny side. It doesn’t matter which political party is in power, they have not been able to stop the British public from having a good laugh. Mind you, they did get very close with the Poll Tax.
Click for Wally’s Yarns
Wally Selby
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For those who like a glass of sherry.
Researchers believe a glass of sherry a day can help protect against heart disease just like red wine. This Spanish drink contains chemicals that help reduce cholesterol levels. Researchers at the University of Seville believe the beneficial effects of a moderate intake of sherry are due to its antioxidants, chemical compounds that remove substances called free radicals that damage body tissue
We have been asked a few times if it was possible to produce a small “ healthy heart recipe booklet”. To help us achieve this we need you to send us your recipes. For now we’ll publish a recipe of the month.
Recipe of the month
Chicken & Sweet Potato salad
Serves 4
900g sweet potato, cut into 1cm slices
4 skinless chicken breast fillets, poached, cooled and sliced.
Pinch each ground cinnamon and cumin
200g mixed salad leaves
¼ cucumber, thinly sliced
4 tomatoes cut into thin wedges
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
2 spring onions, shredded
Lime & Soy Dressing
1 tbs castor sugar
juice of ½ lime
2 tbsp sunflower oil
dash soy sauce, or to taste
Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling water for 6-8 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to cool. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large serving bowl
Toss the cool potatoes and chicken with the cinnamon and cumin, Toss the salad leaves with the dressing in the bowl. Arrange the chicken and potato slices on top along with the cucumber and tomato. Scatter the coriander, sunflower seeds and spring onions over the top.
The herbs, spices and dressing can be altered to suit personal choice
Terry click for recipes
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