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On a cool morning, 58-year-old Li Qinghua, dressed in sports gear as usual, stepped out of the house to go for a run in the park.
As a retired middle school history teacher, she has maintained an active lifestyle, which she believes is the secret to staying young. And today, it was the last morning of her life.
"Gee, I feel like something wasn't right today. She said to herself. Despite some discomfort, Li Qinghua decided to stick with her morning workout. Unfortunately, she suddenly collapsed on the treadmill and when she was taken to the hospital, doctors announced that she had died suddenly of a heart attack.
The news made her husband, Chen Daming, miserable and regretted that he had not paid more attention to his wife's physical condition. Li Qinghua did not smoke before his death, exercised regularly, and was reasonably said to be a model of healthy life.
In the days that followed, Chen Daming was determined to find out the true cause of his wife's death. He took Li Qinghua's past medical records to find her family doctor for many years, Dr. Tan. Dr. Tan made a point after carefully examining Li Qinghua's medical history.
Under normal circumstances, it seems to have nothing to do with heart disease: long-term low-intensity exercise may not have provided enough challenge for her heart, resulting in her heart being less able to cope with unexpected events.
Although Ms. Li's daily exercise is stable, the intensity is low, and although such exercise can maintain basic cardiovascular function, it is not enough to improve the heart's adaptability to acute loads. ”
Dr Tan explains that this is medically known as "acclimatization training of the heart". "For middle-aged and older people, they need to include some intermittent high-intensity training," he says.
This training promotes the strengthening of the heart muscles and improves the heart's ability to cope with sudden intense activity. An exercise program that combines high-intensity and low-intensity training improves the heart's emergency response capacity more than a single low-intensity exercise. ”
After hearing this, although Chen Daming had some answers in his heart, he also became more aware of the complexity of health management. "So, for an elderly person like me, how exactly should exercise be arranged?" he asked.
Dr. Tan patiently replied, "It is recommended that you do moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, swimming, or cycling at least three times a week. Additionally, it's important to incorporate some muscle training, which can help improve overall metabolic rate and heart health. ”
With Dr. Tan's advice, Chen Daming began to re-plan his and his family's health plan, and he decided to devote more time to researching and practicing more scientific ways of exercising. Although he can't undo his wife's loss, he hopes to help those around him avoid it.
After redesigning his own and his family's health plans, Chen Daming began to gradually understand that maintaining heart health is far more complex and diverse than he imagined. He learned that in addition to adjusting the intensity of exercise, mental health is also important.
For the next follow-up visit, he returned to Dr. Tan's clinic with more questions and an open mind. Dr Tam was relieved to see the changes and efforts of Tan Tai Ming and began to talk about the importance of mental health and a balanced diet for heart health.
"Psychological stress can also affect your dietary choices, and many people choose foods that are high in sugar or fat when they are stressed, which is very bad for the heart," he explains. ”
Dr Tam went on to emphasise the role of diet: "A diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and selected protein can not only help lower blood pressure, but also control weight and improve blood lipid levels. ”
On top of that, Dr. Tan also singled out the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, explaining, "Omega-3 fatty acids are a healthy fat that is especially good for the heart, it can reduce irregular heartbeats and may help lower blood pressure. ”
These rich and specific recommendations have given Chen Daming a clearer course of action for the future, and he realizes that improving heart health is a multi-faceted project that involves physical, mental and lifestyle adjustments.
At the end of the discussion, Chen asked a practical question: "If I start adjusting my diet and exercise plan, how should I monitor whether these changes are actually good for my heart?"
"You can record it every day and observe it at any time to make adjustments," says Dr Tam. ”
Through this study and adjustment, Chen Daming not only found a healthier life path for himself, but also built a healthier living environment for the whole family.
What do you think about heart disease?