Your Healthy Heart

"In an average lifetime, the heart beats more than two and a half billion times, without ever pausing to rest. Like a pumping machine, the heart provides the power needed for life." - from The Human Heart

Several years ago I went in for tests to check on the condition of my heart. The doctor had decided to perform a Nuclear Isotope Stress Test and an Echocardiogram which are meant to better understand how well my heart is functioning. There had been a few small warning signs and I do have factors which also increase my chances for heart disease or worse yet a heart attack.

After testing, a few days passed before I received the results and until then I let life go on normally. The 'normal' I refer to meant continuing to train for the Peachtree 10K Roadrace on July 4th back in 2010. My wife Laura and I have run/walked/volunteered in this event for many years.

We get immense enjoyment from doing so.

This particular year the training had exposed some pains I had never noticed before. I would like to say I decided myself, but with the encouragement of my wife a visit to the doctor was planned.

And what were those signs of something being wrong?

The following symptoms are those which you should pay attention to. I did and actually had a few of these which triggered my visit to see a doctor to catch any problems ahead of falling face first on the running course at Cardiac Hill. Yes, actually referred to with that name.

- Angina; feeling of tightness, pressure, or pain which appears with exertion or stress and disappears with rest. Usually felt in the chest, throat, upper abdomen, or arms.
-- ANSWER: Yes, not terribly bad but it was there and I paid attention to it.

- Shortness of breath; difficulty breathing when exerting yourself, resting or asleep.
-- ANSWER: Yes, sort of. I tried to explain it away with the exercise, but it would appear at other times when it should not have.

- Edema; swelling of your ankles, usually at the end of the day.
-- ANSWER: Yes, a weird symptom that I would not have expected.

- Palpitations; forceful, rapid, or irregular heartbeat.
-- ANSWER: No, this is one I would have expected to have.

- Fatigue; decreased ability to exercise, tiring easily.
-- ANSWER: Yes, the most frustrating one of all. I get plenty of sleep but fatigue creeps up on me quickly.

- Fainting; sudden loss of consciousness or light-headedness.
-- ANSWER: No, none of this.

So here I was not trying to be 'He-Man' and kept pushing through. I chose the route of "Einstein-Man" or in other words, smart about my health.

I talked to my doctor about my symptoms.

We discussed it and given the symptoms, more tests. The certainty of those test results had me wondering what my new normal would become. But fair enough to say that I ended up being okay. The usual of course, exercise more, lose more weight, and all of those things I thought I was doing.

I remain positive though after all these years since that time to do the best I can. I look forward to fifty more years of encouraging and inspiring others greater heights. And more so seeing my children, grand-children and great-grand children experience great lives.

So be smart about your health folks.

Exercise just a bit more, maybe join a gym and talk to a doctor when you can about your health. Find out more about being healthy. The internet has a HUGE amount of information for you to read about staying healthy.

So learn, act and realize great health. Have a healthy life and a great life; your best life possible.

Stay inspired my friends!

Revealing Heart

"The heart does not lie." - Vittorio Alfieri

Our true self is revealed by the actions of our heart.

No more true does this happen then when we have difficult times in our life.

In Sanskrit, the “heart” is referred to as Hridayam which means, “Here is the Center”. Hridayam or the Heart in this definition is thought of as the center of our existence. In ancient Eastern texts and scriptures, the heart is talked about in the context of physical health, mental health, spiritual health and vitality.

It is rare if ever we ask, “What is in your brain?”.

It is possible we might ask, “What is on your mind?”

Neither of these statements have the warmth of asking “What is in your heart?”

If we ask someone, “what is in your heart,” we are looking for true and direct communication with the other person. You might call this having a "heart to heart talk.” Which means having an open, truthful and mutually respectful conversation.

It is said the term heart literally means truth.

When we want to know the truth, we go to the heart of the matter. When I say to someone, “I want to speak my heart”, it means I want to speak my truth. I want to give my true feelings.

Jill Sweetman, Counselor and Life Coach, has said "Tough times expose our true heart." This is true and the nature of our heart is less surprising if we examine our own heart. It means looking inside and understanding what and who we are.

One's true heart will reveal itself eventually.

More times than not it does so during times when we are having difficulty. If your true heart is weak and hard, there is work to do in order to strengthen it. We prepare ourselves by understanding who we are. And it is our heart which reveals the true person inside of us.

Stay inspired my friends!

Where Your Heart Goes

"Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Once upon a time, there was a large mountainside, where an eagle's nest rested and it contained four large eagle eggs.

One day an earthquake rocked the mountain causing one of the eggs to roll down the mountain, to a chicken farm, located in the valley below. The chickens knew that they must protect and care for the eagle's egg, so an old hen volunteered to nurture and raise the large egg.

One day, the egg hatched and a beautiful eagle was born. Sadly, however, the eagle was raised to be a chicken. Soon, the eagle believed he was nothing more than a chicken. The eagle loved his home and family, but his spirit cried out for more.

While playing a game on the farm one day, the eagle looked to the skies above and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring in the skies.

"Oh," the eagle cried, "I wish I could soar like those birds."

The chickens roared with laughter, "You cannot soar with those birds. You are a chicken and chickens do not soar."

The eagle continued staring, at his real family up above, dreaming that he could be with them. Each time the eagle would let his dreams be known, he was told it couldn't be done.

That is what the eagle learned to believe.

The eagle, after time, stopped dreaming and continued to live his life like a chicken. Finally, after a long life as a chicken, the eagle passed away.

Each of us has dreams and goals that our heart wants to lead us to. But many times we let ourselves be dictated by those around us. We allow others to determine our destiny.

Eventually we allow it to destroy our dream by quieting our heart.

Yet if you dream to become an eagle, follow the dream and not the words of a chicken. Send your heart after your dreams and your body will have no choice but to come along as well.

Stay inspired my friends.

After Christmas Returns

“A gift consists not in what is done or given, but in the intention of the giver or doer.” ― Seneca

A recent news article detailed the five top reasons people return or exchange gifts after Christmas.

1. It is not the recipient’s taste.
    Did you really think I would look good in aqua pink green?
2. It is the wrong size.
    Do I really look that thin to you?
3. It will never be used.
    The chimney umbrella seems like a neat idea!
4. It is too personal.
    Thank you for the thong swimsuit!
5. It suggests you think the recipient should change something about themself.
    Twelve steps to what?

There may have been the odd one or two presents under the tree yesterday, but just remember that most people give from the heart and that was the intent of the "dogs playing poker" velvet tie you received.

Enjoy the after Christmas after-glow.

Stay inspired my friends!

Where Love Resides

"When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God." -Kahlil Gibran

There is one week to go before we celebrate the Christmas holiday. A time of celebration and good cheer. It is a time of new birth and new beginning, a gift for all of time to mankind.

Through out the year we experience pain, heartache and disappointment. But as the year draws near to a close, Christmas provides us with the promise of love. And love is many things but mostly love is being in the heart of God.

There are many things that have occurred lately and have happened all year long. The one thing that remains, that can heal, is love. I wrote of the power of love in my book Love Is. It is a very simple concept that can be very hard to understand. Maybe that is because we over think and over analyze it.

Yet in the end when all else is stripped away. When all the money, power, ego, possessions, humility and life itself are gone; love can endure and heal us.

May your Christmas holiday, you New Year celebrations, and everything around you be filled with love. And not only during these next two weeks, but throughout the coming years.

Stay inspired my friends.

Laughter

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Ears!
Ears who?
Ears some more knock knock jokes for you!

or how about;

Q: Why did the man put his money into the freezer?
A: He wanted cold, hard cash.

Okay, so maybe it didn't make you roll over with laughter, but there was a small smile within your grimace. And it did make you feel just a little better didn't it?

In fact, chances are it did make you feel a little better. In an article on HelpGuide.org with the help of Melinda Smith, M.A., Gina Kemp, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D, "in addition to the domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body."

- Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.

- Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.

- Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

- Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

There are studies performed by others. William Fry, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Stanford University Medical School and an expert on health and laughter, reports the average kindergarten student laughs 300 times a day. Yet, adults average just 17 laughs a day. Why the difference? Are we too uptight, too tense? Do we take life too seriously? Isn't it time we learned how to relax?

Are we too serious in life? I'm not here to say that we shouldn't be serious. But we should learn to lighten up a bit. The tension in our politics, in our jobs and flowing down into our family life is tremendous.

All of this tension can lead to an unhealthy heart condition according to Michael Miller, M.D., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

So maybe we should laugh just a little more often each day. Maybe the laughter will be music from our heart. Just maybe a dumb joke will save your life.

Healthy Heart

"According to the American Heart Association, about 785,000 Americans have an initial heart attack and another 470,000 have a recurrent heart attack each year." -Centers for Disease Control

It takes years and habits to clog your arteries but it takes only minutes for death to occur from it. Yes, I'm talking about taking care of yourself. Health is one of the Six Spokes we have in life that has to have attention paid to it.

The symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease occur when a substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries). Plaque is made up of cholesterol deposits, which can accumulate in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time.

Plaque buildup can cause angina, the most common symptom of CAD. This condition causes chest pain or discomfort because the heart muscle doesn't get enough blood. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle. This may lead to heart failure, a serious condition where the heart can't pump blood the way that it should. An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can also develop.

It can get ugly, it can make your life miserable, it can make your life go away. Pay attention to your health, pay attention to your heart. The picture above might make your stomach turn a little bit. But that is what can happen inside the myriad of arteries and veins that traverse our body.

When the big ones near your heart get clogged, the heart weakens and as the heart goes, so goes the rest of the body. I have seen it first hand in watching my father battle it and win. I have seen it first hand through losing a brother to it.

Do I stand here and implore you to pay attention to your heart health? Does it sound like I'm harping upon you to do so? Do I watch my own heart health?

YES - YES - YES

Stay around for a while, don't let yourself fall to a preventable disease. I'll pester you from time to time and by all means feel free to pester me about it.

Happy "insert holiday here"

"Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart." ~Washington Irving

When do you mark the start of the holiday season? Is it at Thanksgiving? Is it as early as Halloween? Or do you mark it when you see the first Christmas display in a store?

I for one tend to mark it privately as the time when we actually put the Christmas tree up in our home. That normally coincides with the weekend or two after Thanksgiving. For Christians, Christmas Eve marks the birth of Jesus. But the holiday season isn't just the Christian holiday of Christmas.

Traditionally, there is Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and Epiphany. There are also the celebrations of Yule, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. There are probably others that I am missing as well.

The holiday season encompasses a lot of different ways in which peoples, religions and cultures celebrate this time of year. It is also a time of the year to 'ease off a bit' on the political correctness of it all. By declaring "Happy Holidays", "Merry Christmas", or "Happy Hannukah" is not meant as an affront to others. The spirit of the season, religious or not is wishing kindness and happiness upon others.

It is a time of the year when we can possibly let down some of our disagreements and treat each other just a little more kindly. During the holiday season we can re-learn the idea of loving each other and hating a little bit less. The rest of the year tends to lack enough of that as it is.

During this holiday season, instead of complaining about the Christmas tree or Menorah on display at a school, why not turn your energy towards just being nicer to someone. If a kinara or a Yule Goat shows up in front of a courthouse, maybe tolerance should rule your thoughts. Maybe kindness and goodwill towards your fellow person should be the course of action.

I celebrate Christmas as Christian and am proud and happy to say Merry Christmas. I have Jewish friends that celebrate Hanukkah and are happy to say Happy Hanukkah. I have Australian friends that are happy to say Happy Boxing Day (I would suppose). Be proud of who you are and your celebration but remember that the point is being kinder and loving your fellow man a bit more.

January 2nd will come soon enough and many will have forgotten the spirit of the season. Try to hold onto that "...genial flame of charity in the heart" well beyond the holiday season.

Christmas Travel

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is that time of year when people will travel all over to celebrate the season. There will be short car drives to Grandmother's home. There will be people travelling by bus, boat, airplanes and trains. In all, we each will travel with wishes of a happy and wonderful time.

We save our good heart for those at the far end of our travel plans. What we tend to forget is to carry that good heart in the open as we travel. If we fret and fuss at people along the path of our journey, it effects the end result. The destination will be clouded by your trip.

Everyone along the way is striving to have a happy holiday. But many along the way are either working or travelling such as yourself. There are frustrations each of us carry; the crowds, the delays, the weather and the attitude. Many of those frustrations are out of our control.

What is under our control is the attitude. We can each control our attitude when facing the inevitable obstacles. By knowing that 'life' happens ahead of time, we can better handle the circumstances that might befall us. A better attitude, a smile or carrying the beautiful feeling on the outside will spread to others. You can not change them, but you can help change the atmosphere.

In a more beautiful travel atmosphere, the possibilities are endless. The time spent travelling becomes a greater experience. It allows you to start the time at your destination on a positive note. The stories you will tell bring out the greater stories in others.

Travel in a better mood by carrying your heart on the outside. It will cause you to be a better person while spreading the beauty to those around you.

Helping Others Cheerfully

"When there are opportunities to help others, do so with a cheerful heart. In doing so, goodness will fill your heart and mind and others will see it within you." -Joe Primm

The words and advice flow easily but can be difficult to employ. Each of us are faced with these opportunities and I am no exception. We struggle with trying to understand what is the right thing to do.

The idea of helping others has been around since the beginning of time. Humans have always looked for and found ways to help each other. Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy said "if a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." But I'm not talking about welfare and government assistance. I am referring to what you as an individual can do. It isn't even just about money or the poor, its about all types of assistance to others under all conditions.

The government, the church and other well meaning organizations are out there to help people. Most of them do very good work, but the individual helping another is the most personal. I am no different in that I wonder just how far individual kindness can be taken. Some times though you have to simply go forward with the opportunity to assist someone in need.

People encounter at times in their life a loss of direction and ability. Their need is something to help them past the darkness of the situation. Albert Schweitzer is quoted saying that, "in every one's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."

So search inside yourself, figure out what the right thing to do is for the situation and do so with a cheerful heart. Consider what your need might be one day and know their are others with cheerful hearts.

Farming Hearts and Minds

The environment around you regardless of where you are is your field of influence. A field that includes the hearts and minds of other people that enter in, pass through and generally any one that you encounter through out your life. It is a field that you impact by your actions and words.

As a farmer plants seeds and tends to the field, you also have responsibility for the seeds you plant in the hearts and minds of others. You can tend to them over time and watch those people grow and move to greatness. Or you can ignore them and watch them wither. These interactions go on everyday both to you and by you.

You may be 'planting' seeds within the fields of your influence, but others are doing the same as you enter theirs. When two mindful farmers enter each others environment, a wonderful thing happens to both people. The metaphor for tending a field of influence can be difficult to follow in its concept, but the more you think about it, clarity will come to your understanding.

The basic premise for me when it comes to 'farming' your field of influence is this. Do not leave people where you find them. Help them, nurture them and bring them to a higher place. Leave them with hope and understanding that life has much to offer them.

The 'harvest' of a well tended field will yield much to you. Your life will be enriched for the experience and be more bountiful in its rewards. In all that you do, leave that which you enter better then when you found it. Leave the heart and mind of others in a better place.