It's (the first) Topic Tuesday of 2024!
- siths375
- Jan 9, 2024
- 2 min read
Hello friends and family! It has been quite some time since our last Topic Tuesday together. On behalf of the entire team here at Aortic Hope, I hope you and all of your loved ones had a happy and safe Holiday season and may this year be one of the best you've ever had!
One of the most common New Year resolutions people make is a goal of exercising more and getting control of their health and for good reason! Currently the The US Department of Health and Human Services suggests all adults try to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic physical activity every week! That means that even something as small as a 25 minute walk every day will help your body stay healthy!
While exercise is always a great goal, for people living with aortic disease, it is important to ensure that you are engaging in activities that will strengthen your cardiovascular endurance without adding unnecessary strain on your heart and aorta. As most things we discuss on these posts, the best thing you could do is start by - REVIEWING WITH YOUR DOCTOR! Opening up this dialogue with your health care team will allow you to receive more tailored advice for your body and follow-up with a professional that knows you well.
For those new to exercising and interested in getting some more information on what activities may be suited for them to discuss with their doctor, we suggest looking at this incredible article posted by "Living with Aortic Dissection: - https://livingwithdissection.iradonline.org/physical-information/
They suggest several forms of mild-moderate difficulty exercises that can help lower one's blood pressure and stay in shape including:
Walking
Swimming
Light jogging
Biking
Stair climbers
Dancing
Yoga
While intense heavy weight training and contact-sports are generally not recommended in patients with a history of aortic surgery , those interested in pursuing such activities should see what their providers think and how to best incorporate them within their lives.
And remember, an exercise is only as good as it is sustainable! If you find you enjoy certain things such as walking or swimming more than other exercises such as jogging or biking that is fine! Prioritize the things that you enjoy so that exercising feels more like a hobby you look forward to than a chore you need to fit in to your busy schedule!
The article shares a very wonderful table detailing the Metabolic equivalents (METs), which helps quantify how physically-demanding different activities are. For those just starting to workout, it may be beneficial to start with lower MET activities, such as walking and gardening as you get your body conditioned to consistent activity again. Take a look!
And that's it for this week family! We hope you crush all of your goals this new year and I speak for everyone at the team when I say we are grateful to be on this journey with you. Join us back next week for more Topic Tuesday posts by Duc and I!
It's been too long since I typed these words, but I know you all remember them! Until next time - Remember to always Think Aorta, Think Family!
Your friend,
Adham
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