You know it is hard to think that it has been four years since that day in late July 2008 that I couldn’t quite catch my breath at the gym after a workout, and I had this “weird squeezing feeling” around the area of my heart.

Just one little area of plaque had decided not to behave itself in my left anterior descending artery, and a coupla hours and one drug alluding stent later, I had my second chance at life.

And I never had even heard of a myocardial infarction or a coronary thrombosis up until that day! A Myocardial infarction MI or acute myocardial infarction AMI commonly known as a heart attack results from the interruption of blood.…

So, let me answer the question of four years after a heart attack, how do I feel?

Pretty bloody amazing actually

I mean let’s not get too carried away, I could get run over by a bus any day, or get hit by a meteorite, but when it comes to how I feel and what the numbers say I am pretty happy.

I did start off on the normal after a heart attack drugs, which is the statin (lasted 3 months), beta blocker (lasted about 13 months) and the aspirin (last about 18 months) but after they made me feel like something out of a zombie movie I knew there had to be a different way to approach this whole after a heart attack health plan.

It is scary just after the event when everyone tells you what you have to do – I think the scariest thing about it all was it seemed to me to be a ‘boiler plate one size fits all” approach – and if the doctors and cardiologists don’t understand why you are there in the first place how can they tell you what is best for the future?

So this whole journey of constantly drilling down to the cause of what caused it all in the first place has carried my to where I am today, and my journey has introduced me to people and companies/organizations like Warren Matthews and Xtend-Life Natural Products, Al Sears and Primal Force and the PACE exercise program, Dr Stephen Sinatra who is an amazing integrative cardiologist, Dr Dwight Lundell, Dr Caldwell Esselstyn, T Colin Campbell, Isabel de los Rios, Sherry Brescia and the “Great Taste No Pain System” etc, etc, etc.

Some of the highlights and specifics which I have hyperlinked to;

Al Sears and his Accel CoQ10 Ubiquinol – The Ubiquinol form of Co-enyme Q10 is one of the best assistants to heart health and energy that there is.

Xtend-Life Natural Products Heart Health Page – this is a great company and they are very advanced when it comes to effective nutrional through products such as Total Balance, their fish oil range, etc.

The PACE Express exercise program – if there is one program that makes sense when it comes to heart health it is this one program.

I could go on for ever, please just go to my my site URL at http://heartattackprofessor.com and take a look at the left hand menu conveniently departmentalized.

You can also view this video which goes through a heart attack anatomy

So where to from now? My knowledge does not stop, and my quest to carry on learning will not cease. I know one day it will all catch up, I am not immortal, but I would rather that be suddenly at least 40 years from now than slowly watching myself slip into the abyss by getting sicker and sicker every day.

Related articles

• Myocardial Infarction and Heart Disease: What Everyone Should Know
• New Heart Attack Test Takes Only One Hour To Determine If Someone Is Having Cardiac Event, Researchers Say

Related articles

I never thought I would be the one to give write a blog post about a fitness and health program.

To me at the moment it seems almost surreal that I purchased a program such as the PACE Express and not only have I completed at from week one to week six I am actually going through a second time and I start week five which I will start on Monday.

The follows on since my last Post PACE Express Review – I Just Finished The First Week DVD

So what would I describe what I found since starting PACE Express?

Firstly, I’ve noticed an incredible change the way that a measure my fitness. I measured my resting heart rate the other day and it was 62 beats per minute. This was down from as high as 90+ resting heart rate a few years ago and around late 70’s a couple of months back.

Appearance wise I also look in the mirror and staring back at me as someone else that I never thought I would be.

What is incredible that the PACE Express system is how simple the whole process is. What we are talking about is 12 min per day total of exercise.

The 12 min is broken into three lots of 4 min, and each one of the 4 minute exercise groups is done at a slightly more intense level than the previous 4 minute group. Of course there is a rest between each set, and this is to allow your heart rate to return to within 30 beats of the starting heart rate.

About the only thing I can say which I struggle with, and this certainly is not a criticism, is that a couple of the exercises are a triumph over coordination rather than fitness. When I do a “Scissor Jack” I look like I am having a seizure and a “Warrior Lunge with a High Knee Pull” looks like the blooper tape from the rejects of Travolta’s “Saturday Night Fever”!

So what do I like about PACE Express?

Simple really, it is basic in its extreme and it makes good common sense. There is good old fashioned calisthenics given a new lease of thinking by Dr Al Sears.

In my opinion Dr Al Sears is completely correct. He makes sense. We are not and were not designed as human beings to do long endurance type exercise; rather we were designed to do short high intensity bursts of exertion.

If I can be honest, I did not buy the PACE Express program to lose weight; I bought it to give me a solid foundation for heart health. As I may have already mentioned I have read a lot of information and education by out by Dr Al Sears, and do believe he is on the mark when it comes to a complete approach to human wellness.

Can I say though I have lost weight since starting the PACE Express program, at last weigh in it was around 17 pounds lost since I started and I have significantly toned up.

Difference in my belt

I have to cut myself a new belt hole; this is from being towards the end of the row of holes on my belt, basically my belt has come in just under 5 inches.

I look down now and can see my feet without looking in a mirror.

I walk differently – I actually walk now and I don’t waddle.

My clothes fit me. I sleep all night. I don’t wake up gasping for air. My blood sugar is normal (last time taken a couple of days ago it was 4.8 or 86 depending on how you read it). My blood pressure is normalising from being at 150/90 at the beginning of the year (took it yesterday and it was 124/78).

However, I can’t say all of this is down to PACE Express, I have changed markedly what I eat, no processed food, natural as possible, limited lean meat, 60-70% of my daily food intake is either raw or fresh fruit and vege, nuts, seeds, etc.

The most amazing thing though is that people tell me how fresh faced I look, and how clear my eyes are! In a social setting the other day I had a person tell me that they couldn’t believe is was 46, I looked mid 30’s….

I could go on and on, I think you get the picture.

Here is Amanda’s story as an example:

Also I love Elida’s video as well:

I can’t speak highly enough of this program. It is now part of my ongoing life. This simple quick and effective PACE express concept is how I will view exercise from now on.

This has been life changing for me…..

As a footnote, if you are looking to ask about PACE Express actually talk to someone who has done it, and not someone putting crappy information up that hasn’t even viewed it!

Feel free to ask me questions or leave a comment below, I will happily answer, but if you want to go to Dr Sear’s official PACE Express page to find out more please click on this link here Official PACE Express website (opens in new window)

Please note if you do click on the link and you do purchase the PACE Express Program, the folks that sell it will pay a fee to this website, but I did not get a free copy of the program, I purchased it myself

PACE Express Review number 1!

UPDATE 24 March 2012, just finished WEEK 5! Keep an eye out for a new blog post soon!

I started last Monday with the week 1 DVD, and I thought I would give a progress report to tell what I think.

PACE Express Review Week 1 DVD

I looked around the web to see who else had written a PACE Express Review, apart from the PACE Express website itself, I haven’t found any at all. So are other people writing their reviews about? If I am wrong, and there is an actual bona-fide review that you have seen and can refer me to, please leave a link in the comments section below, I would be happy to link to it to helps others gather information.

This is a follow on from my last PACE Express Post What is in the Dr Sears PACE Express Program Box?

So what did I think after week 1? Is it a positive PACE Express Review, or an overwhelming “MEH”?

It is an total, unequivocal, no-holds barred WOW!

If this is exercise, there is no excuse why everyone can’t do it! I am impressed beyond words at what I saw, how it was produced, the fact that there is no, repeat no Personal Instructor type “rah rah” “pump it up” “feel the burn” type crap which drove me mad with other DVD’s I have seen.

Rob Iannuccilli is great, makes it simple to follow and understand, actually does the work out sets from beginning to end (unlike other “cut and paste” type work out DVD’s I have seen) and Rob has a great group of people that are working out in the sessions as well, either at a standard, modified (low impact), or advanced (really going for it) levels. Having someone who is as a quality instructor as Rob makes this PACE Express Review easy!

I understood the system and the concepts after the first day, but I guess it helped to have read about Dr Al Sears PACE Program, and actually did some PACE exercising a year or so ago. I always wanted to write something like this PACE express Review, but I guess I didn’t know whether I was doing PACE correctly or not.

It is simple to follow though, and from the time of turning the DVD on to heading for the shower and to get dressed for work is around 15 minutes.

So, did I find any results in the first week? Can I make a confession?

I have been seriously watching my food intake and what I put in my mouth since about the beginning of December last year, because I was starting to feel a bit off color, my weight and body fat percentage had ballooned, so I have been eating on fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats at quite low levels, staying away from the starches, increasing my nuts and seeds intake, etc.

Click Here To Go To The Official PACE Express Website

However in saying that, the last week has been a week from hell food wise. Monday I had to go to a relatives for dinner, and they believe in the concept of eating till you burst, I was out to a Mexican restaurant with friends on Wednesday, and my workplace had a morning tea for some good results on Friday, so I probably ate more that I normally did over the last few weeks.

I wonder if I can get them to read this PACE Express Review? Mmmmmm, probably not…..

End result? A 4 pound loss from Monday to Saturday, and I have noticed a warm thermogenic heat effect all over my body too since starting.

My stomach is flatter, I feel great!

I will keep posting on a regular basis to let you know how I get on, and hopefully the next PACE Express Review is as positive as this one – I don’t see why it wouldn’t though with what I see and feel so far!

Also check out Greg at his PACE Express Review for his progress as well, he was good enough to get in contact, support him too! Also check out My First PACE Express Workout HB’s Soap Box go to HB’s Blog and see how well HB goes!

And this is the official PACE promotional video

Click Here To Go To The Official PACE Express Website

I thought it would be helpful to report on the contents of the PACE Express Program box.

This is a follow on Post from my previous Post Dr Sears PACE Express Program – Is It Worth The Investment?

The PACE Express Program is the latest offering from Dr Al Sears with his very successful PACE Program, something which I have been following on and off for the last few years.

Whilst I mentioned that I was a bit disappointed in the size of the PACE Express Postage box – although it is professionally done by a professional marketing and packaging company obviously, I did find that what was promised what was in the box, was actually there.

First of all there was the “Read This First” Insert:

Then the standard Pace Express Introductory Letter:

Both of which you would expect, as this helps you to understand what to do next, and also a few words from Dr Sears himself.

The two pieces of information are ok, but to my mind it is should be more just a quick couple of pieces of paper, rather it should be a good step by step guide to PACE Express, but in saying this, there is enough there to get things going and for you to understand what to do next.

There is also the 7 steps to High Speed Fat Loss:

The Kick Start Your Fat Loss In Just 6 Days Booklet:

Dr Sears Gourmet Cookbook, which in itself is quite fine, and has a really handy Glycemic Guide in the back showing both Glycemic Load and the Glycemic Index of popular foods, and a helpful color coding to show what you should be eating:

The “How To Use The PACE Caliper” guide, which is quite comprehensive, but does not make it completely clear how many skin folds needs to be taken and in what areas. This guide just shows one area that should be calipered, but I was sure that Dr Sears talked about taking it in 3 areas on the bonus DVD? Anyway the guide is 2 sided, and as such here is the front of it, the back of it shows the measurement guide once you take the skin fold:

And also, how could we forget, the PACE Skin Fold Caliper itself:

There is also a bonus DVD with an interview with Dr Al Sears and the features and benefits of the PACE Program, which I found very good and I have to  say also, I think if I remember rightly Dr Sears in in his mid 50′s, and he looks pretty good for that age. Sure, it was clear he was wearing make up for the camera, but it was not so much make up that it filled up the cracks! Dr Al Sears looks very, very lean and healthy!

There is also extra flexibility workouts on the DVD, with an Advanced Ab workout, and a Hips, Buns, and Thighs Workout.

There was the main PACE Express presentation folder itself:

When it is opened up it all looks like this:

A couple more close ups, firstly the left hand side of the opened PACE Express presentation folder:

With this photo here:

And when you put it all together it looks like this:

So how would I sum all this up?

Simple really, this is one heck of a lot of value to put into one package to do with your fitness and health. You cannot argue with the value that has been given here, and whilst I may have small constructive critical comments to make about individual components, and over the next couple of weeks I may review each of these in detail, I am very happy with what I got

The main question that is asked though is: “Yes, this is all fine, but does it work – Is what Dr Al Sears say about his PACE Express Program right, or is it a load of nonsense”

To be fair, I don’t anything Dr Al Sears does is worthy of the “nonsense” tag – but I will report back over the weeks ahead over my progress

To visit Dr Al Sears official PACE Express website (I really like this website too, it is easy to follow, and if you want to order, that is easy too) please click on the banner under here:

A couple of weeks back I received the latest offering that I ordered from Dr Al Sears and his PACE program, which is “PACE Express”.

The PACE Express Program

Before I start, do you know what is annoying? When you look up a product review on the web and it is clear the reviewer has never even seen the product! I ordered this PACE Express Program, and that is the only reason I write now with this review is that I actually got it.

Firstly, I don’t want to call this a weight loss series of DVD’s because they are not, although losing fat is one of the benefits of following this PACE Express Program; and I think it is relevant to distinguish the difference between losing fat, and weight loss. The former is getting rid of what you don’t necessarily need, whilst weight loss can come from muscle, organ weight, water retention, etc, and this important point is in the words of Dr Al Sears himself, and I totally agree.

We get obsessed with losing weight, when we should be looking at losing fat. If one of the benefits of losing fat is losing weight then so be it, not vice-versa.

I ordered the PACE Express package online, and selected the 1 payment process, I think at USD59.85 (including free shipping worldwide)it is very good value, and after I spent over 200.00 of my own local currency on another program, Kettleworx recently, I thought the 59.85 stacked up exceptionally well.

A quick word on Kettleworx also, I am still looking at it and following some of the workouts every once in a while, but I have to say I am 50/50 on its value. I am not a fan of the “Ra-Ra” approach to fitness, nor am I a fan of the “cut and paste” method of creating workout DVD’s. Get the Kettleworx program and see what I mean.

To be fair, the time from ordering to getting me here in New Zealand was quite quick, I was kept up to date on when it shipped, and I think off hand it took just over a week to be here in my Post Office Box. So no grumbles here!

The box when it arrived, was, to be honest, quite big, so the excitement level grew quite a lot, and when I got it home I found that the majority of it was “dead packaging” it felt like there was a lot missing, but there wasn’t for some reason they pack it in a great big box, when what has been purchased only takes up the top 20% of it!

So, there was a slight disappointment here – the packaging was a bit over the top, it was professional, and very attractive, but in the end, probably a bit pointless.

The actual program itself is done and presented in a two-fold type folder as per this picture here:

And when you open it up, this is how it is presented:

As you can see it has 3 DVD’s on one side, and another 3 DVD’s on the other. There is also a pocket with the “bonus gifts” in there as well.

Please go to my next Post – What is in the Dr Sears PACE Express Program Box?

I have just finished reading The Sinatra Solution – Metabolic Cardiology by Dr Stephen Sinatra, and I have got to say, for all my knowledge on heart health, I learned a huge amount from this book.

Cover of The Sinatra Solution - Metabolic Cardiology

I know this will probably sound corny, but I thank the stars for people like Dr Sinatra and his ability to come out and speak such volumes on the proper approach to heart health.

And Dr Sinatra is no quack either, this is a 3 decades plus Cardiologist that has got some of the most impressive credentials in the history of Cardiology, so no-one can say that he doesn’t know what he is talking about.

Dr Sinatra talks a lot about the 4 important nutrients for heart health that we should all be supplementing with – D-ribose, CoQ10, L-Carnitine, and last, but certainly not least, Magnesium.

The evidence that Dr Sinatra produces in support of these 4 nutrients is overwhelming, and there is also a wealth of real life examples of the Sinatra approach to Cardiac Health in the book as well.

Here’s one where Dr Sinatra talks about Joan (just over 7 minutes but worth the viewing)

Most of the stories are stories of people that were written off by their own Cardiologists and Doctors, people that needed heart transplants, or had such poor heart function that they needed to get their affairs in order.

This is such a comprehensive book that is written in plain language and thank you for that Dr Sinatra, that anyone should be able to read and understand it – but not only understand it, but be motivated by it as well.

The good thing also is that Dr Sinatra updates it on a regular basis with extra narratives and introductions – the original message however, still remains the same since when he wrote it. There also simple instructions on the level of nutrients needed depending on your present health state.

To get this book through Amazon at the best possible price, please go to this short Amazon link here http://amzn.to/x3iAI7

You can also view Dr Sinatra himself taking about Metabolic Cardiology through this video here:

Some other related links on heart disease:

Cardiovascular disease risk of high normal blood pressure decreases in old age Medical Xpress

Mediterranean Diet with Exercise Ideal for Metabolic Syndrome Olive Oil Times

The area of anxiety and heart attack is a “two approach” type of subject. It’s a bit like the chicken and the egg.

So with that old analogy in mind what comes first? The Heart Attack or the Anxiety?

Does Anxiety cause a Heart Attack, or does a Heart Attack cause Anxiety?

I’m guessing that you are reading this because you have had a Heart Attack, or someone close to you has. So that’s the angle I would like to talk you today in this newsletter.

Oh, and to answer the question from a couple of paragraphs back, I think the answer to the question to both angles is yes. There is enough evidence and studies to support both sides of the question.

To get back to the subject though, I’m guessing you may be feeling or may have felt in the past either delicate, nervous, panicky, jumpy, like “broken goods”, or any other description of someone who is in a dark emotional place after a dark emotional event.

Heck, it happened to me, and there are days that I could quite easily slip back in the negative thoughts, and the feelings of overwhelming woe and malaise. This is normal for someone who has had a Heart Attack.

I used to be jealous of those that could live their lives without the thought of something going wrong with their heart…like I used to before I had my Heart Attack.

I used to go to the gym and watch my heart rate rise and rise, and get pleasure from that! I used to run and get the ‘stitch’ feeling and not give it a second thought. I used to drink till I got palpitations and laugh it off.

I have sat in restaurants and looked at younger people eating everything not nailed down followed by copious quantities of liquid and thought “you lucky b…. , I wish I could do that!”.

But the single worst thing that I did to myself was tell myself constantly that I was sick still, that they had missed something in the angioplasty and it will hit me sooner or later, that I had galloping Arteriolosclerosis and I could almost feel the plaque settling on my arteries as they hardened before my very eyes.

I used to hate the thought of my heart beating faster or being under load when I exercised, after all, it had been damaged in the past, “I have to look after the poor thing” and any number of irrational thoughts.

All of which contributed to a rising sense of anxiety, mild panic, and feeling unwell, WHICH THEN made me fell even more anxious, panicky, with borderline depressive thoughts. It was a cycle of destruction, and worse still, if I didn’t get a handle on it, a self fulfilling prophecy.
So what was the big secret that stopped all this stuff?

If there is one email or contact that I get from people it is the one about “how do I get out of the dark place”. And that’s the first secret. Call it your dark place.

The worst thing I did to myself was to say that I was depressed. I wasn’t. I was in a dark place. Do you understand the difference?
There is nothing more depressing than saying you are depressed. If you weren’t depressed before your heart attack, and the heart attack happened recently, it is unlikely you aren’t there now. If you were depressed before your heart attack, and that caused the whole episode, then only close sympathetic counselling is for you.

Because that is the cycle, I believe. You feel anxious, you get panicky, and if you can’t get past those feelings, you become depressive. Depression is an illness. Panic and Anxiety are states of mind.

One product that I strongly recommend is “Panic Away” from Joe Barry. This is one of the world’s best selling anti-anxiety and panic programs, and there is only one reason for that, it works. The situation of Panic and Anxiety is not restricted just to a small proportion of the population, lots of people feel anxious, and most can control it because they aren’t there in that state constantly, but some find it overwhelming.

That’s where Panic Away comes in. It teaches you to recognise the signs, and it teaches you a “one-move” self help technique that you can administer any time you feel it necessary. Read my review here on this excellent product http://www.heartattackprofessor.com/heart-attack-and-anxiety.html

In this newsletter I am going to talk about and link you to some of the best Heart Health Books available.

Most of these recommendations will link directly to their page on Amazon so if you decide to buy them, you can get the absolute best deal when it comes to getting these books on your table .

I know that I haven’t been firm in my Blog Posts thus far, but I would like to be firm just for a moment.

The ‘moment of firmness’ starts now and finishes at the end of the next paragraph.

Please don’t buy these books and read them for entertainment value, because they aren’t meant to be entertaining, they are meant to give you a significant blueprint to live your life by and to give your heart the very best of treatment and respect.

The firmness has now ceased.

The following books I have found to be very, very, good. They are essential reading, and you will find that after reading them all you will have a great understanding of the causes of heart disease and what the best approach is to keep your heart going for many years to come.

These books are (and there is not a heap of them)

1. The Doctor’s Heart Cure by Dr Al Sears – as with anything out of Dr Sears, this is a revolutionary book. If you have any concerns about diabetes, high blood pressure, supplements, anything, get this book. It spells it all out all our concerns in a simple step by step process.

http://www.heartattackprofessor.com/the-doctor’s-heart-cure.html

2. The Cure For Heart Disease – Truth Will Save A Nation by Dr Dwight Lundell – Dr Lundell is a brilliant retired heart surgeon with over 5000 heart operations behind him. This guy knows what he is talking about. A highly recommended read

http://www.heartattackprofessor.com/the-cure-for-heart-disease.html

3. The Great Cholesterol Lie by Dr Dwight Lundell – another great book, but the title does nothing for the contents. I find that ‘Lie” is such a harsh and negative word. Still don’t let that small negativity go past the excellent resource that this book is.

http://www.heartattackprofessor.com/the-great-cholesterol-lie.html

These 3 books, if you can get them, are a great start to increasing your knowledge.

Because knowledge and learning is more than likely what you need, but it has to be the right knowledge spoken about by people who know what they are talking about.

I know when I started researching my own heart attack, some of the knowledge I gained actually contributed to my feeling unwell. It’s not necessarily good reading screeds and screeds of stuff from people who have no knowledge of what happens to a person after a heart attack, but whom then set themselves up as an expert.

That’s why I recommend these Doctors and their books. They have a burning desire to help as many people in the world avoid the debilitating process that is heart disease.

Incorrect knowledge, incorrect products, and incorrect thoughts contribute to the problem, and they contribute to feelings of being unwell. This causes some of the most destructive processes of all – Anxiety.

I hope you enjoy my recommendations, and please go to another Blog Post, which is ‘Anxiety After A Heart Attack’.

Now before I do start I want you to know that I am being serious here in this subject matter of sex after a heart attack. As much as society can sometimes frown upon open discussion of this subject – ‘sex’, after a heart attack one big question does almost always remain in everyone’s mind.

Image via Wikipedia

That question is:

“Sex After a Heart Attack – and Will It Kill Me or Hurt Me?”

If you were sexually active before, and you enjoyed a healthy sex life, this question is one of the questions that may be foremost on your mind after you would have survived your heart attack. It was certainly on my mind and the mind of my life partner.

The close brush with death would have made you much too aware about the fact that you might just cross the line and could possibly die at any time, unless you pay attention to your heart. The heart attack is a sign that you are mortal.

The best thing to remember though with sex after a heart attack is to take ‘One Step At A Time.’

It is quite natural after a heart attack to be fearful of the act itself, and of climaxing in particular. I think this comes down to Hollywood and other types of stereotypes where we see people reaching orgasm in acrobatic positions and with looks on their faces which clearly shows strenuous activity akin to running a marathon!

The reality is that not all sex and intimacy is like that with real people. It doesn’t have to be reminiscent of “When Harry Met Sally” and it doesn’t need as much energy output as Nadia Comaneci dismounting the parallel bars at the 1976 Olympics.

And that is why I have used the word “intimacy” as well. Sex after a heart attack is not just about the actual act of intercourse, there are other aspects to sex that can be mutually fulfilling. Don’t be afraid to explore them. Just ask President Clinton.

Jokes aside though the worst thing you can do to your soul is to think that you can’t enjoy active sex after a heart attack again. That is a bleak and depressing outlook.

The picture is not as bleak as you would think, though in the initial stages after recovery from a heart attack abstinence is probably important. The heart is capable and it would recuperate over a given period and your Cardiologist or Doctor would be the best judge in determining when it would be safe for you to resume regular sex after a heart attack.

The main thing to remember is to involve your partner.

Ummm…really? You think so Paul? Duh!

I know that comment is like stating the obvious but there is a reason I have said this.

It is very important that you share your feelings and thoughts with your partner. Remember, he or she would be just as scared as you are for your life and it would be cruel not to involve them in the healing process. Take it easy for a while and touch your partner instead of indulging in full sexual intercourse.

Talk openly about your fears and misgivings; talking is extremely therapeutic and this can check the rising fear that one usually experiences post heart attack.

If you experience pain in the chest post orgasm after your doctor has given you the okay for sex, let your doctor know. Make notes about how you feel; and the exact type of pain, intensity, area, and time you feel it. Many people are unable to accurately remember and describe the pain they felt by the time they obtain an appointment and this is very important for an accurate diagnosis.

Here are some tips that may help you resume a normal sex life:

¨ Do not have sex when you are tired, angry, or emotionally stressed. These factors would have already put stress on your heart, and sex would aggravate it.

¨ If you aren’t on them already, you could talk to your doctor and find out whether you could be eligible to use calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers. These drugs are found to make the transition easier.

¨ Talk with your doctor and find an alternative to any medicines that are known to suppress sexual desire, erection, or arousal.

¨ Do not take any herbal medicines for increase in sexual potency or desire without explicitly talking it through with your doctor.

¨ Do not be afraid to ask questions about anything and everything you want to know or do not understand about your health.

Lastly, have patience. Your heart needs a little time to recover. Allow it the time it needs and everything can be normal again.

In this case I don’t have a link to a product because I don’t think there is one that could help. I think it is up to every one of us to go about this area at a level that we are all comfortable with.

Sex after a heart attack is quite normal

I remember reading somewhere once that prior to either the 1940’s or 1950’s Women’s Heart Disease and Heart Attacks weren’t even tracked or considered much of a problem.

I am not sure that it is true, but it sure is believable. Can you believe that?

Thank goodness we live in enlightened times and that is no longer the case.

A while ago I wrote an article on Women’s Heart Disease and Women’s Heart Problems. I reproduce that for you here:

Women’s Heart Disease and Women’s Heart Problems

What Can Be Done? What Is Different Compared To Men?

There is the common belief that women do not feel pain the same way as men, and therefore the symptoms are not as easily recognizable as with men. The point here is not the emphasis on the level of pain – which as a matter of fact, is not always high even in the case of men – but on whether this is reported when experienced.

Men tend to raise the alarm much faster than women, and therefore avail treatment faster.

Genetic Difference

Why do women not report chest pain or discomfort as soon or as promptly as men do? There are many theories on this aspect, and the findings are not yet conclusive. Some say it is because women have a higher threshold for pain, and therefore tend to ignore the discomfort or mild chest pain as of no dire consequence.

Others say that women do not usually experience chest pains, but a type of unpleasant pressure in the middle of the back between the shoulder blades, the inside of their arms, which then radiates towards the jaw. Since a heart attack is associated with pain, women tend to ignore these warning signals – often with fatal results.

There Is More

Women do indeed seem to have a higher threshold of pain. Therefore, the sudden chest pain they would feel could be or would be attributed to indigestion rather than heart problems. Women are also more shy about raising a false alarm and be branded as alarmists. They prefer to adopt the “watch and see” policy rather than jump into action at the slightest sign of danger.

Women also tend to ignore their health more than men, who after the mid forties would watch out for the symptoms of a heart attack. This could be associated with the fact that women sometimes deny to themselves that they are aging, and therefore tend to unconsciously ignore such symptoms that are usually associated with the aging process.

Women Are More Active

When comparing the physical activity levels of men and women past 45 years of age, you would find that women are far more active even if they do not exercise in the real sense of the word. They more often than not look after the household chores, the children, their family and so on, which requires a certain amount of physical exertion.

This is one more reason why women are unable to separate the discomfort they feel following a heart attack from the general tiredness and discomfort they feel after a regular day in their lives. Men, on the other hand rarely put in any physical effort at home, and that makes it easier for them to feel the ‘pain’ or ‘discomfort’ in the chest or back region.

There are many other theories about why and how women differ from men during and post a heart attack. The fact remains that women are less likely to report a heart attack and therefore receive immediate medical attention. This is one of the major factors why there are more fatalities with women than men post heart attack.

I had some great feedback from what I wrote here (particularly from my wife), and that is from what was said in that women are harder workers, complain less than us poor old men (I injured my finger on the remote control once), and because they are the original and unsung heroes of hard work, Women don’t ask for help or raise the alarm as much as men do.

That is a crying shame and it breaks my soul when I meet, talk online, or get an email from a Woman who has had a heart attack. You see, I could handle the thought of having a heart attack myself, but I find it hard to see or hear from a Woman because they are the glue that holds our society together.

If society was left up to us men the only thriving industries would be cars, beer, tv’s and sports.

That’s why if you are a man reading this, give this to your wife, girlfriend or partner and ask her to go and check out Dr Robert J Willix. He is a retired heart surgeon that speaks a lot about women and heart disease. (Actually he talks all about men’s heart disease too)

A review of his site is here http://www.heartattackprofessor.com/how-to-prevent-&-even-reverse-heart-disease.html