Go get your physical when you turn 50 they told me. It will be different than any other physical you’ve had. It is like the 100,000-mile service on your car.
I promised I would and I did; however, I was not prepared for what I would learn. I would need a whole different battery of testing, a shingles vaccination, and a mammogram and learned my blood pressure was elevated. [WHAT the F***? I have a six-pack! How is this even possible?! ]
Luckily, all my blood tests came back in the normal range, but my blood pressure on my appointment day and beyond remained elevated. The doctor says, “I would tell you to lose weight, but you have no weight to lose. I’d tell you to exercise, but you are in excellent shape and already exercise.” The plight of getting healthy, the plight of bringing my weight down, the plight of exercising regularly would leave me very few options, but to take medication to lower blood pressure. I was blindsided. I was in denial. I don’t do medicine. I take NOTHING. I eat and exercise to “heal” my body. This is not the "Welcome to 50" I had hoped for. [“I feel fine. What if I don’t take the medicine?”] “Because of your age and family history, you are at a higher risk for heart attack and/or stroke.” says my doctor. [Are you kidding me? Yesterday, I did 100 burpees and 100 kettlebell swings. This IS what I WAS trying to AVOID.]
Should be no surprise… Hypertension is rampant in my family on both my mother and father’s side of the family. Heart attacks and strokes have been frequent visitors and have stolen family members. When I found myself 200+ pounds, breathless and with knee problems, I knew I was putting myself at greater risk for the same to happen to me so I got healthy in an attempt to run as fast as I could away from my shoddy genetics. Apparently, that’s not possible. Losing weight, lifting some weights and winning some awards at bodybuilding shows do NOT change my genetics, but it makes me think: What would my situation be today IF I had not lost my weight? What would my situation be if I didn’t exercise? What would my situation be if I didn’t eat healthy? The answer is simple. WORSE. I don’t want worse. I want better for the same reason I started exercising and got on this course to get healthy -- so I have been taking my BP medicine – for longevity and more days with MY SON.
Today, I feel fortunate that with half of smallest dose of BP medicine, I am able to normalize my blood pressure and reduce my risks. If I were overweight, not exercising AND diagnosed with high BP at this juncture in my life, I’d be on medication, introducing a new exercise program AND changing my diet under doctor’s orders. I am THANKFUL I changed my lifestyle, maintained my weight and crave to exercise daily or “my plight” would be a lot more work. Cheers to 50 – things could be worse.
My point: Proactive health care is important
Just because you are thin doesn’t mean you are healthy
You cannot outrun your genetics
Exercise is not a luxury is a necessity
I promised I would and I did; however, I was not prepared for what I would learn. I would need a whole different battery of testing, a shingles vaccination, and a mammogram and learned my blood pressure was elevated. [WHAT the F***? I have a six-pack! How is this even possible?! ]
Luckily, all my blood tests came back in the normal range, but my blood pressure on my appointment day and beyond remained elevated. The doctor says, “I would tell you to lose weight, but you have no weight to lose. I’d tell you to exercise, but you are in excellent shape and already exercise.” The plight of getting healthy, the plight of bringing my weight down, the plight of exercising regularly would leave me very few options, but to take medication to lower blood pressure. I was blindsided. I was in denial. I don’t do medicine. I take NOTHING. I eat and exercise to “heal” my body. This is not the "Welcome to 50" I had hoped for. [“I feel fine. What if I don’t take the medicine?”] “Because of your age and family history, you are at a higher risk for heart attack and/or stroke.” says my doctor. [Are you kidding me? Yesterday, I did 100 burpees and 100 kettlebell swings. This IS what I WAS trying to AVOID.]
Should be no surprise… Hypertension is rampant in my family on both my mother and father’s side of the family. Heart attacks and strokes have been frequent visitors and have stolen family members. When I found myself 200+ pounds, breathless and with knee problems, I knew I was putting myself at greater risk for the same to happen to me so I got healthy in an attempt to run as fast as I could away from my shoddy genetics. Apparently, that’s not possible. Losing weight, lifting some weights and winning some awards at bodybuilding shows do NOT change my genetics, but it makes me think: What would my situation be today IF I had not lost my weight? What would my situation be if I didn’t exercise? What would my situation be if I didn’t eat healthy? The answer is simple. WORSE. I don’t want worse. I want better for the same reason I started exercising and got on this course to get healthy -- so I have been taking my BP medicine – for longevity and more days with MY SON.
Today, I feel fortunate that with half of smallest dose of BP medicine, I am able to normalize my blood pressure and reduce my risks. If I were overweight, not exercising AND diagnosed with high BP at this juncture in my life, I’d be on medication, introducing a new exercise program AND changing my diet under doctor’s orders. I am THANKFUL I changed my lifestyle, maintained my weight and crave to exercise daily or “my plight” would be a lot more work. Cheers to 50 – things could be worse.
My point: Proactive health care is important
Just because you are thin doesn’t mean you are healthy
You cannot outrun your genetics
Exercise is not a luxury is a necessity
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