Entry:-100315
Although it was daylight when I tipped out on to the street at 6:50 the moon was still clearly visible; in fact, the rising sun had illuminated it brighter than usual and I stood for a while admiring the spectacle. Coming back to reality, I set off at a jog, and suddenly realised, how cold it was. Running was not fluid, more like bounding along, unbalanced, with arms and legs flailing, I decided to take it easy this morning and not push. The stiffness of the night had dissipated as I crossed the field and ran through the wood, with the dawn chorus for company. I was running freely now, although my Quads felt tired; probably not recovered from Sunday’s effort. As I get older I find small changes in running habits have bigger consequences than they used to, and it takes a lot longer to recover. By the time I reached the Cul-de-Sac most of the muscles in my legs were complaining, I made the phone call and dug in for the last mile and a half. The last half mile was such a struggle, and I abandoned all hope of putting in a sprint finish. I entered the drive and stopped the watch expecting to see an embarrassing row of numbers…49.51…third fastest time on that course this year…The tower is stronger than I thought…
Thanks FF, I feel comfy here and it’s nice to see all the old faces [excuse the ‘old’]
Perhaps when people look in, it might inspire them to take up running like yourself.
Not excused for the ‘old’ bit I’m not really into exercise other than the daily grind, which is beginning to grind to a halt now. I did a lot of DIY and thought nothing of fairly heavy gardening, like digging up shrubs and small trees, re-felting the garage or hut. I did get a buzz from the sense of achievement if I did do something on my own but I don’t have the strength or energy for that now and have to depend on getting help when I can. My walker friend, is older than I am, walks for miles and can’t settle for long before she’s off again. Added to that she loves dancing so between line dancing and jazz clubs no wonder I think she’s metamorphed from a whippet.
I used to do quite a bit of walking but somehow seemed to lose my puff, probably something to do with being put onto statins, but I try to get to the gym 3 or 4 times a week and put in a walk perhaps to town during the week. I think it is definitely a case of use it or lose it…
Don’t get me started on Statins Penny.
Following my recent Heart Attack [last April] they put me on 80 mg of Atorvastatin, after a couple of days I was kept awake in the night with serious acid reflux, I immediately ceased taking them and the problem did not return. I have not taken them since. Something to do with the action of a statin on the production of bile in the gall bladder; Bile is used by the body to process the fat we eat. After reading several articles reffering to Cholesterol and Statins, it seems that a: The link between cholesterol and heart disease is a tenuous one to say the least, and any kind of physical activity requires Cholesterol in the rebuilding and manufacture of new cells.
b: Overall Cholesterol levels tell you nothing about the ratio between good and bad Cholesterol, so are worthless on their own.
and c: After conducting a poll of friends, family members and contributors of some over fifties forums, I have found that there are some people with readings of 12 and over, who have never suffered Heart Attacks or strokes, and some [like me] who have a reading of less than 5 and have.
Apparently all Doctors get paid for the amount of people they put on statins… I heard this from a Paramedic recently. Whether thats true or not; perhaps someone can corroborate that fact.
Also: following a Heart Attack, patients have been found to have high levels of Cholesterol, this could be due to the fact that after a HA there has been large amounts of cell destruction, so the body steps up production of Cholesterol to try and repair the damage.
I am not a Doctor, and the decision to take or not take statins should be taken very seriously. After a couple of years of research, I have decided not to take a statin. But the responsibility lies with the individual.
OGF and Penny, I’ve been on statins for a few years now and didn’t think I had any side effects, however, like Penny I soon get out of breath so maybe they are to blame for that.
I don’t always comment but I do enjoy reading your blogs OGF.
I was on statins, then in my infinite wisdom decided to stop taking them. Yes Robert, it’s the luck of the draw with heart attacks in some cases. I think some people’s cholesterol levels are naturally low/high.
FF I laughed reading about your friend metamorphosing from a whippet
Have a nice day all. You out running today Robert?
Good morning it’s a bit overcast and dull here but not bad for March.
Rob you’re proving inspirational to us ladies I think. Seriously it’s the way you’ve got back into running so well following major health scares that is inspirational. It would be great if everyone took responsibility for their health that way.
Unfortunately too many have an unhealthy lifestyle and rely on the NHS to get them out of trouble.
Having said that as Rob said nobody should take the decision to come off a medication lightly, and without telling their doctor first that they intend to do so. It’s a personal decision but if you are being treated by a doctor they need to know as it will alter what other medication you take and are prescribed in future.
Have a good Thursday all.
Just got back from my Thursday five Myra, an exciting run, and the second fastest over that course this year; ‘49:31’ I was trying to take it steady… Maybe we should learn something from that. [Patience will be rewarded]
Comments are not compulsory Val,Sometimes, it’s only when I’m not here that I realise how many friends I have.
Concerning the statins Val, I didn’t associate them with shortness of breath, the usual side effects are joint and muscle pain; which I have to be honest, never got. Perhaps I didn’t take them for long enough. An article I read, said that the muscle damage would be permanent, so I won’t take the risk.
Have a super day everyone…let Thursday begin…
Wise words Anita, nice to see you…
The Fool
After catching up with the news and views on the internet this morning, I retreated to the shower, [one of the best bits of a five mile run] and as I bobbed about in the bubbles I got to thinking about Myra’s post [I do my best thinking in the shower, no distractions, and just the embrace of the hot water restoring what the run took out. It’s a sort of ‘Personal think tank’] The part where she said ‘It’s the luck of the draw’ concerning Cholesterol levels and Heart Disease. And it got me thinking, do we have the power to change our destiny? Is it indeed ‘the luck of the draw?’ or can we influence the future? I am only experienced to speak for the choices in life that I have made, and now at sixty four, I can observe the outcome of some of those choices.
I was a fool! The same as most young people from my generation, when we decided it would be cool to smoke. It started by being part of the ‘In Crowd’ and after a while, the body craved the stimulating effect that smoking delivers: That’s how our bodies work; Take riding a bike for example, do it often enough and the body learns to balance and ride, it’s something that you will never forget once learned. Same as Swimming, Driving, Playing a piano; the list is endless, remember the old saying ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ do it often enough and the brain says ‘I’ll make an App for that’ and it will be written in stone and very difficult to erase. Most of our generation have an app for the times table, learnt when we were young [the best time to make apps] and I could still do a good job of reciting it now. But ‘Apps’ have a downside too, and smoking is just one example of this. Fortunately, a Heart Attack in 2004 destroyed my smoking App, and I have remained smoke free ever since.
The reason I had a Heart Attack was the build up of Plaques in a couple of arteries. I believe these plaques are not formed overnight, it’s taken sixty four years to get to this stage, and I also believe that smoking was the main contributor: Other than smoking, I have led a fairly healthy life style. Plenty of exercise, I don’t like eating fatty things, and although as a young man I drank alcohol, I never did like the taste, so I drink very little now. If I do have a dietry weakness it would be from a sweet tooth and the rather generous application of sugar on breakfast cerials.
So ‘FOOL’ should be engraved on my tombstone for taking up smoking, but I hope it will be a while yet before I require the services of a stonemason, and I think that my running App might just help.
Robert, you are indeed a great thinker. Lots of wisdom lies in that there brain of yours! Apparently, if you stop smoking, then after so many years it’s almost as if you’ve never smoked. So don’t be too harsh on yourself young man! Some folk are puffing at fags in their 90’s.
With regards to the comment about stopping meds. Certain meds can be stopped of your own accord You don’t HAVE to take them. They’re not life threatening meds. So you have the choice. Helps if you work in a hospital like I do and you have pharmacists working at the same desk as you So handy.
Some people like to mollycoddle themselves if they’ve had a heart attack. The totally wrong thing to do. But sort of undertanding in some cases. You are wise Robert that you know exercise actually helps the heart.
It’s not all down to smoking Rob, that is a factor and a significant one, but I believe that the genes you inherit or rather the combination of them is probably the most important thing. You can inherit a combination which is not great even if your parents didn’t have heart disease or not diagnosed anyway.
You know how some people can smoke and drink and have an unhealthy lifestyle and live to be in their 90’s and are never ill, lucky gene combination.
If you have a tendency to build up plaques in the blood vessels it does make a big difference, it’s one of the reasons why statins are so widely used in order to help prevent the plaques building up.
We all have some degree of furring up of the arteries etc but some more than others and when bits break off that’s when it can cause lots of trouble.
Staying at a healthy weight and staying fit are important and also staying away from processed food, quitting smoking and of course exercise helps.
I think that being an anxious easily stressed person is also a risk factor for heart disease.
Anyway you can’t do more than you’re doing at present, there are plenty of fools out there but I don’t think you need to count yourself among them.
Morning all. Sorry for discussing your bits Robert!
It’s a nice morning here so far. I’ll be off to lovely Ayrshire in the afternoon. We have a planned walk on 9th May from Mauchline to Catrine via the River Ayr. Followed by a BBQ at my partner’s home. You’ll know that area FF? We’ll get a recce in soon. Last year we did Catrine, via Sorn, then back to Catrine. 29 of us. It was a great day, apart from the owners of Sorn Castle forgetting their promise to leave the gates open for us. Resulting in 29 of us being seen on CCTV climbing the gates! What a great day that was. Although I can’t say the extremely steep climb up a mucky, bracken covered hill, nose to the next persons butt, was a particularly nice experience. If someone fell then a domino effect would have taken place. We had a laugh at the top and Lynn said “I feel as though I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards - no, wait a minute, I have actually been dragged through a hedge backwards”! I looked like Worzel Gummidge at the top. Ripped trousers, mucky feet, wet hair like rat’s tails. Who said rambling was easy? It was great though
I am quite familiar with that area Myra, my paternal family were from around Tarbolton, Stair, Mauchline and I’m only a few minutes away from either. There were mainly farmers so although I only have one cousin left in a Mauchline, her late hubby was a local vet. If you (or anyone else) is in the Galston, Ayrshire area and would like to see inside 12thc partly ruinous Loudoun Kirk, just let me know, it’s also included in the annual walkfest in the Irvine Valley in May, (15-17th) I don’t think the programme hasn’t been released yet. http://www.ivrp.org.uk/ They are guided walks of varying lengths. If you haven’t been you can check out some of the programmes of previous years if interested.
FF thanks for sharing that. I’ll definitely keep it in mind. I, too, have had ancestors in Mauchline, so I take a particular interest in it. I love the fact that Robert Burns children, partner and friend are buried in the cemetary there. Such an interesting place. Although I hear that Burns local pub Poosy Nancies is going to be knocked down, which is sad to hear. After all these years. It will still also have it’s regulars. Yes, there are some beautiful places in Ayrshire.
[quote=“Anita, post: 624128”] It’s not all down to smoking Rob, that is a factor and a significant one, but I believe that the genes you inherit or rather the combination of them is probably the most important thing. You can inherit a combination which is not great even if your parents didn’t have heart disease or not diagnosed anyway.
That is very disturbing news; following your post Anita I did some research, and found that Dad had his first Heart Attack in his Fifties. It was followed by another HA and a couple of strokes. [that finally saw him off]
It would appear that Dad and Me have been dealt a poor hand of cards, and whatever I do will not alter the inevitable. Could Cholesterol be OldGreyFox’s version of Green Kryptonite? Am I to be relegated to a life of hospital waiting rooms and blood tests?
I must retreat now and re-evaluate my future prospects…
Just logged in and the first thing I saw was the legs of Mr Fox!! Phew!
My gran always used to say ignorance is bliss! With regard to things like inherited genes I inclined to agree! I also tend to think that stress is a factor in lots of ailments so trying not to worry too much about any of it is really important.
I’m not really into exercise other than the daily grind, which is beginning to grind to a halt now. I did a lot of DIY and thought nothing of fairly heavy gardening, like digging up shrubs and small trees, re-felting the garage or hut. I did get a buzz from the sense of achievement if I did do something on my own but I don’t have the strength or energy for that now and have to depend on getting help when I can. My walker friend, is older than I am, walks for miles and can’t settle for long before she’s off again. Added to that she loves dancing so between line dancing and jazz clubs no wonder I think she’s metamorphed from a whippet.
So handy.