STENT BY ME PART 2

STENT BY ME PART 2

Almost two months have passed by since the Feb procedure date and soon I will be seeing my cardiologist again for a review. I have been on the meds for  many weeks now and dun feel any none teh worse for waer. The initial discomfort of the bruising on my groin area where the cathether was inserted has cleared; and teh imagined feeling it the two stents valiantly propping up two of my LAD arteries have all but dissipated. I feel as tho nothing has happened. But somethgs  did!

I knocked myself into a side of some obstacle or furniture - cant quite remember - and I got a HUGE royal bruise the size of a coffee cup saucer! That made me painfully  and MOST VISUALLY aware that I am going to bruise easily! Must be careful - haematomas like this are scary!

I had a bit of a piles prob whilst on holiday and sitting in the coach for extended hours and the blood letting  due to the aspirin meds was scary as well. I am ever now so conscious about knocks, cuts, what have u...and need to be very mindful about how I conduct my life - no more rough and tumble; no more cheonging to get the heartbeat up beyond zone 2 or whatever the gd doctors advise to be wary of.  I must also defiitely learn how to handle stress. Amazingly my blood pressure isnt letetg up...its still hypertensively high. Ebven higher sometimes then pre-stents - and I am not talking about readings taken after exercise. It's readings at rest taken in office; or even in bed at home! What gives?

I attribute some of that to trying times I am experiencing at work, in my personal life for sure, and the natural predisposition to have elevated pressure readings from any extraneous stimuli like work deadlines, conflict management, my ever active mind that thinks too much, the worry about whr I can still make it to CEBU 70.3 Ironman, my continued but lower key training - just thinking and experiencing all these has prob led to still elevated BP readings!

More later. weekend beckons!!

SELFIES n GROUPIES - JUST DO IT! Or NOT?

Not to be OUTDONE 

by the record breaking SELFIE sponsored by SAMSUNG in the hands of ELLEN DG and BRADLEY  C at the  recent  OSCARS, here are some great shots of TEAM EPO in training after a hiatus over the  Christmas and New Year festivities.

Black White/Sepia tone rendering of the gd Team Epo @

Lollipop bus stop - Ok ok - this is not a selfie but taken by Lorenzo Pimental, our Team ASG bro.

Watch this space when we next unleash and reveal our brand new sponsored kits!!

In the meanwhile:

.SELFIE!!! :)

 Willing smiles after a quick tempo run at a Yishun park next to Lilydale

STENT BY ME - and keeping this old ticker ticking well!

OH well well...so much has transpired since the last post regarding  High Blood Pressure readings.
Suffice to say now I have experienced first hand CT Scans, being infused with contrast dyes, and the grand overture of them all - a double Stent angioplasty plus one balloon to boot!

Imagine these contraptions in your heart! Amazing!!

All these were undertaken by my gd Dr Eric and the procedures conducted at Mt Elizabeth.... yes - the angiogram /angioplasty is technically a procedure and not an operation, even tho' I was under sedation and knocked out on Propafol the infamous Michael Jackson drug) and had to be in ICU for the whole night....

I was laid out on the operating  (I mean procedure) table , infused  with  great stuff thru my  branula by the  anaesthetist Dr See Toh, and whilst blissfully asleep and unconscious was prodded with a fine catheter inserted thru' my right femoral artery (just to right of my groin) which gingerly made its way all  the way to my ailing heart.

In the LAD (Left Anterior Descending) artery, where  Dr Eric had previously found 50% or so blockage from the CT  and Ultrasound scans done a few weeks prior, the  clinical evidence  now revealed a far worse 80% blockage and the pre-consent  given was to  insert the stents! And yes - one balloon too. I had two ABSORB stents put in  - the new fangled ones which are biodegradable  and will slowly be absorbed into the body in about two years.  (as opposed to the metal mesh variety which will stay there till kingdom come!)

So to ICU for the rest of the night after the successful procedure. (During which after about 6 hrs  the affable Dr Justinian came to remove the catheter stuck in my groin and I experienced plummeting Low Blood Pressure that really was quite a frightful affair..... I was discharged the next day (none the worse for wera except for HUGE welts/ haematoma marks on my groin where the blood pooled post catheher withdrawal) and given a daily cocktail regime of Aspirin , Approvel, Simvastatin..etc - all to ensure anti-clotting, anti-thrombotic events and also to treat the high cholesterol as well as build up the heart again and address the hypertension. I hear I have to be on these drugs long term and have to deal with the side effects as best I can. :)

MY ICU STAY with loads of TLC

The shocking revelation here is that I have coronary heart disease (CAD). at 80% blockage, any higher and I wld be a  fitting candidate for a by pass surgery. But I count myself lucky that this was averted  and found out in the course of my stress test. So all that panting and wheezing when I exerted myself in endurance races all those years prior were a direct result of a bad heart! Those niggling pains I had were not heart burn but prob small little heart attacks! Oh my - reality sets in really deep and i am so lucky to have discovered this early enough in my active life.

Someone told me a blog about  active aging wld garner quite a gd following - how to make the best of what you have  and staying fit, active and pursuing healthy pursuits. I guess the buzzword now is everthing in moderation. You have only one heart, and one has gotta take care of it. regular exercise is good, and staying active aerobically will also go a long way to keep the ticker healthy. Alas, the CAD is irreversible in the other arteries, and it has to be a regimen of better diet , with judicious food intake so as not to hasten the CAD any faster than it shld be. Still , I believe we can still forge a meaningful existence balancing work , play and even my pursuits of sailing and triathlon. The gd cardiologist acknowledged this and fd me to be a prime candidate for the absorbable stent.

Living is Believing  - I say - and I will go on living as best I can  in the circumstances as Life is meant o be lived and lived abundantly. I will share my life's journey with all who wish to read and travel this road with me post-stent.

Till then , gd health to all - and go for check ups if you  can. It is never too early!

Go PRO Studio Shots!

No - no - not talking about going Pro but just wanted to share  some great pics we took with the Lumiere Photography guys at their Studio in Yishun  when I was with the ASG guys.
 Team ASG is Ace Sports Group, fronted by Raymond who runs it from Orchid Country Club. They also help run the sports initiatives at the said country club. We have a group of cycling enthusiasts affiliated with ASG and had been riding together on most weekends starting from the HQ in OCC. When the opportunity came to showcase the Team's latest jersey colours from QuickSpeed , I got a few of the intrepid modelly cyclists together for some posterity shoots at the studio. Here are are the results - I think they came out brilliant!! And as in all good things - here's the share!!

Looking all formal and tight lipped - from L-R, yours truly, Jian Ming, Daniel, Aidil and Inigo
This is the 2013 cycling jersey set

Here we have the Speed Suit - super hard to put on cos it' s  a super tight and sticky-clingy-body hugging set. The suit leaves nothing to the imagination  (which is why we are all like bending down...LOL) but hey - with a lower drag co-efficient - that's a small price to pay! LOL
Note the matching shoes from Specialized - only mine are red. Whoopee!!

Speed Suit Demons in action in TT hell-mets. LOL.

Bikes are both Neil Pryde, which was the brand ASG fronted in Singapore.

A moment of levity as we showcase the 2012 jersey and polo, 2013  jersey and speed suit.

I am wearing the 2012 cap. There is evidently continuity in design execution..and you can appreciate the cohesive collection here in the pic.  Jian Ming obviously is the lightest weight here. LOL.

The Unbearable Lightness of being - models for the evening.

I personally like this shot  - carefree and fun!

Taking the fun to another level altogether we get happy with our toys!

Inigo thinks its a jungle out there and brandishes his double swords!

The de riguer family portrait....

 The Formal Arty black and white...

...and finally the postscript : watch our backs! (ok ok..we are now peeing in a row wor!!)

STRETCHING YOUR LIMITS!

STRETCHING IS ALSO AN INTEGRAL PART OF EXERCISE!

I suppose too often we run headlong into our sports activities and gym work even without a pause to even think about pre and post activity stretching. This should be as important as the undertaken activity itself, and even more so when the activity  is strenuous and taxes the core and muscular system of our bodies.

Regular stretching should be incorporated as part of any athlete's regime, and especially so in endurance sports like Triathlons. There should be a set protocol of moves to follow which may be sports specific and when undertaken correctly, will go a long way to improve performance and minimize injuries. Even post exercise, the stretching should be done to ensure and promote post workout recovery by limbering down and promoting the removal of the lactic acid build up so that the body recovers in as short a time as possible and ready to hit t e grind again !

There are set great stretching moves  and routines you can follow; trigger balls and foam rollers that u can incorporate into the routine to really get down into the area of myofascial release et al; and also passive stretching remedies like  sports massages that you can treat your body to.

Try to save INTENSE stretching sessions like yoga moves to after u have had a good warm up. The more you exercise or warm up before you stretch, the more blood flow your muscles will have, which decreases the risk of suffering strains or tears.

Focus on the Stretch and get your body limbered up or down as the case may be.

In Triathlon Training, stretching is one of the most important things that you need to do to make sure that your body is at its optimum flexibility and strength. 

I have seen triguys who just engage in running, biking or swimming who tend to  skip stretching because it doesn't seem necessary. After all, you're already going to get a good workout by going thru the actual exercise, so stretching just seems to be something that takes up too much pre-workout time right? Cant one just ease into the training by swimming or running or cycling slow and then up the pace after the so called warm up? I would like to help point up that stretching is pre-warm up even. Or post warm down as the case may be. So in the case of say a running race, you would go through the routine of stretching your muscles; before the  warmup which is before the actual race. geddit?? These should then be the two opening acts before the real thing.  the warm up could be as easy as a slower staring pace as u get your engines warmed up for the race tempo.

So the word is out that stretching can actually further  improve your triathlon training and give you an advantage as opposed to no stretching at all.As it is, training for a triathlon isn't easy. It requires your muscles to endure many repetitive motions. 

Every time you stretch the muscles in your body you are getting the muscle fibres to  become more elastic. This encourages flexibility of the muscles over time.  

Muscle Flexibility is key component during a triathlon for a number of reasons:

First, your muscles are super prone to tightening up  and cramping during a triathlon because of the repetitive motions that you put it through. If you have more elasticity and flexibility in your muscles, the incidence of cramping is decreased . In most cases, you won't  even feel any tightness until after the race. How's that for some value add?

Second, flexibility is also important for your your muscles, which, when flexible, have a greater range of motion which for example:
* in the case of shoulder muscles, can propel you forward more quickly in your swimming.
* in the case of  your glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves , gives you power and greater strides in running
* in the case of your lower back muscles, the ability to adopt the aero position in bike mode for a longer      time before the muscles ache too badly.

The list goes on.

Staying in Peak Form

Outside of gaining flexibility ,elasticityand a greater range of motion in your muscles, stretching is important because triathlon training is something that takes time. Over time, you build up your endurance and learn how to run farther, swim longer and cycle faster. Stretching allows your muscles to continue to stay in peak form. 

Without stretching, you put yourself at risk for muscle pulls, tears and cramps during training. All of these could set you back to square one when it comes to triathlon training. Stretching out properly pre and post training sessions preps your muscles for the challenges that await. 

So it is gonna be really  helpful to learn the proper stretching techniques. It can help prevent muscles from tightening up and prevent injury. By taking the time to stretch, your muscles will be flexible enough to handle anything that you throw at them during your training sessions.  It will help avoid cramps; aid in better flexibility  during the race and post event it will aid in faster recovery .

For cycling warriors,  and in my particular case, my friend Tim  of LOUE BICYCLES has recommended the four stretches to support the pelvic region  - a great article by Dr Ben Kim - please look http://drbenkim.com/streches-pelvic-health.htm

It is worthwhile to take in stretches for your inner and outer hip muscles,  quadriceps and hamstrings.

Other Recommended Readings by Tim  for Structural Fitness (more information can be found online):
1. Flexibility for cyclists by Fred and Kele McDaniel
2. Core Strength Graduate Project by Sarah Hoffman
3. Stretching and Flexibility by Kit Laughlin (Check out Youtube for free Videos)

4. Pilates for Dummies

HIGH ANXIETY and BLOOD PRESSURE

HIGH ANXIETY

Watching That Blood Pressure!

 

My recent stress treadmill test threw up a  fact I didn't have any inkling about before! My  systolic Blood Pressure climbed up and was a cause of concern for  ever anxious me! 
Earlier, on  our Team Dr’s advice, three of us from Team Epower had signed up for the said test  to determine our heart’s fitness levels as we were undertaking quite a fair bit of sporting exertions in 2014, and as careful responsible adults, we wanted to ensure our heart’s state of well being before we go all out and enjoy our physical….and mental exertions.

Perhaps more about the Treadmill test later – when the Cardiologist report is out where my ECG readings are explained. It's good to know where one stands as far your internals are concerned before embarking full steam ahaed on any exercise regime!

I'm all Hooked Up!! Stressed!!

As regards Blood Pressure readings, I confess that  I never quite understood well what it really all meant,  and in previous years had quite a la-di-da attitude to things outside my immediate spheres of interest and affect; but with the looming exertions of tougher and longer races on the immediate horizon, it was imperative now (better late than never?) to really understand for myself the numbers, its meanings and the management, if needed. And do a blog about it for all and sundry… as a way of learning and sharing.

I believe  even more so now that it is  of paramount importance and  exceedingly crucial that we all  learn to take charge and be responsible for our own  health  issues and seek to understand fully as best we can .... nothing quite like doing your own pace study and research of the condition and its  attendant ramifications;  in addition to working with our health care providers and other experts in the field; and of course even sharing and learning with your fellow athletes through first hand experiences. 
As we get older and wiser, and even more so now as an endurance athlete, you have to understand your own body and make the judgment calls first as it's all about you when you are pounding away and gasping - you should be able to realize  your limits and race smart, race safe! If u don't look out for yourself, it just doesn't cut it! too many weekend warriors are coming out adn getting active...and it is our responsibility to be educated and cognisant of the various factors that we should consider and be totally appraised of.

Listen to your body! You are your own best whistle blower of what could be wrong! 

So now I have managed to glean the following information and reproduce the facts and figures  that I feel is relevant to my particular case. Knowledge is power and power should be harnessed. It is sooo impt to  take regular readings! So here goes!

Testing BP after a 1000m swim training in pool
Always pays to be vigilant! Even my  Dr himself gets checked !

DO I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?

The scary fact is that having high blood pressure (hypertension) is not usually something that you feel or notice. There are no obvious signs or symptoms. …ya tell me about it! The only way to know what your blood pressure is, is to have it properly measured!

Blood pressure is measured in ‘millimetres of mercury’ (mmHg) and is written as two numbers. For eg, if your reading is 120/80mmHg, your blood pressure is ‘120 over 80’.

HOW TO READ THE SCORE?

Every blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. They are shown as one number on top of the other.

The top number is your systolic blood pressure. It is the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart beats.

The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure. It is the lowest level your blood pressure reaches as your heart relaxes between beats.

So what is normal blood pressure?

Ideally, the healthy adult blood pressure should be below 120 over 80 (120/80). The science is  that there is arguably a much lower risk of heart disease or stroke at this normal levels.

So if your blood pressure is  this normal, then please  maintain this! You are doing something right!

If your blood pressure is above 120/80mmHg, you will need to bring it down. The higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of health problems. For eg, someone with a blood pressure level of 135 over 85 (135/85) is twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as someone with a reading of 115 over 75 (115/75). This boggles the mind, does it not? Of course, the verdict is all over teh shop when it comes to what is normal BP - apparently, it could be anything from 110-130 even for systolic so it really all depends.

So what then really is high blood pressure?

You probably have high blood pressure (hypertension) if your blood pressure readings are consistently 140 over 90, or higher, over a number of weeks.

You may also have high blood pressure if just one of the numbers is higher than it should be over a period of time. I have been told that anything above 200/100 is a no no....whatever your age or condition.

Ok – so I now have my trusty portable BP reading machine and have been advised by my Dr to take 3-4 regular readings EVERYDAY so that we can observe whether I do really have HBP!

Blood pressure chart

Have a look at the blood pressure chart below to see what your blood pressure means. The blood pressure chart is suitable for adults of any age. (  Note that the level for high blood pressure does not change with age.)

Have A look At this Chart!

Using this  sample blood pressure chart: To work out what your blood pressure readings mean, just find your top number (systolic) on the left side of the blood pressure chart and read across, and your bottom number (diastolic) on the bottom of the blood pressure chart. Where the two meet is your blood pressure.

So what do the blood pressure readings mean?

As you can see from the blood pressure chart, only one of the numbers has to be higher or lower than it should be to count as either high blood pressure or low blood pressure:

·         90 over 60 (90/60) or less: You may have low blood pressure. 

·          More than 90 over 60 (90/60) and less than 120 over 80 (120/80): Your blood pressure reading is ideal and healthy

·         More than 120 over 80 and less than 140 over 90 (120/80-140/90): You have a normal blood pressure reading but it is a little higher than it should be, and you should try to lower it. 

·         140 over 90 (140/90) or higher (over a number of weeks): You may have high blood pressure (hypertension).

So:

·         if your top number is 140 or more - then you may have high blood pressure, regardless of your bottom number.

·         if your bottom number is 90 or more - then you may havehigh blood pressure, regardless your top number.

·         if your top number is 90 or less - then you may have low blood pressure, regardless of your bottom number.

·         if your bottom number is 60 or less - then you may havelow blood pressure, regardless of your top number.

What high blood pressure ( aka hypertension) can do

 High blood pressure (hypertension) puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. This can cause them to become weaker or damaged.

The higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of serious health problems in the future. High blood pressure can affect your body in a number of ways:

·         Your heart: high blood pressure can cause you to have a heart attack. It can also cause heart failure.

·         Your brain: high blood pressure is a leading cause of strokes.

·         Your kidneys: high blood pressure can cause kidney disease.

·         Your limbs: high blood pressure can cause peripheral arterial disease, which can affect your legs.

If you have other health conditions, such as diabetes or high cholesterol, this increases your risk of health problems even more. It is then even more important to lower your high blood pressure.

Now this then begs the question topmost on my mind: How much higher should the blood pressure go up during intense prolonged exercise??

When you start to exercise, the heart has to work harder to pump enough blood to working muscles, increasing systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure can safely rise as high as 220mm Hg  , but if diastolic blood pressure increases past 20mm Hg above resting or over 115mm Hg, exercise should be stopped immediately as a matter of protocol. (Conversely, if systolic blood pressure does not rise during exercise, it may indicate cardiovascular problems.)

Well  the good news is that I didn't reach those levels! ....although with some protestrations the Dr in attendance only allowed me to stress out  into further stages till I reached 163 heart rate  as originally he said that a person of my age only needed to reach 85% of my target Heart rate for the stress test.....I had at the start informed the Dr that I was doing the test to check out the further parameters and needed to know the readings of my hear as I pushed to 100% of my target heart rate and not 'idle' as it were at 85% which was only 138 bpm. That's like only Zone 1 for me!

Ok , I digress - back to blood pressure The systolic blood pressure will gradually decline during active recovery. Active recovery involves a decline in the intensity of physical activity, such as running to walking. Systolic blood pressure may drop immediately during passive seated recovery due to blood pooling in the peripheral limbs on the body. Diastolic blood pressure may also drop during exercise to rest transition due to the dilation of the veins during exercise.

So what can abnormal changes in blood pressure indicate?

High increases in systolic blood pressure over 220mm Hg during exercise in people with normal resting blood pressure may indicate signs of heart disease. Researchers  who tested the affects of exercise on older adults with normal blood pressure found that those with raised systolic blood pressure over 220mm Hg during exercise exhibited signs of left ventricular hypertrophy. Left ventricular hypertrophy occurs when the heart has to pump harder than normal to get blood out, typical in people with chronic high blood pressure, and is a dangerous condition that can lead to heart failure. Oh ..oh!!! Ok - thankfully I am not near those levels..phew!

How to lower your blood pressure

The good news is that if you have high blood pressure, healthy changes will help to bring it down. And you don't have to wait until you have high blood pressure to make healthy lifestyle changes. The more you can reduce your blood pressure, the lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke will be. Ok – ok – a compelling reminder!

1. Blood Pressure Diet - Eat less salt

Too much salt raises your blood pressure, so it is important to eat as little as possible. In fact, some people with high blood pressure may be able to avoid blood pressure medicines by cutting down on salt.

FACTOID: Most of the salt you eat is not what you add to your food, but is in prepared foods like bread, breakfast cereals and ready meals. Ok – I think I am guilty here cos although I have no table sait or teocheng in my kitchen, I do use bottled and prepared store bought sauces as bases for my culinary creations! Hmmm…have to do it au naturel  and limit the intake of processed food.

Rich and flavouful Christmas Dinners a thing of the past??

2. Blood Pressure Diet - Eat more fruit and vegetables

Eating more natural fruit and vegetables helps to lower your blood pressure. Adults should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. A portion is 80 grams, or roughly the size of your fist.

Try to eat a range of different fruits and vegetables. Dried, frozen and tinned are fine, but watch out for added salt, sugar or fats.

3. Blood Pressure Diet - Keep to a healthy weight

Losing weight, if you need to, will help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of health problems. The best way to lose weight is to choose more low-fat and low-calorie foods, and increase your physical activity.

FACTOID:  this should be the least of my problems – I have been and am steadily upping the physical activity as part of my ongoing regime and I dare say the BP would been HIGHER if in fact I DIDN’T have these activities!??

4. Blood Pressure Diet - Drink less alcohol

If you drink too much alcohol, this will raise your blood pressure over time. The current recommended limits are 21 units of alcohol a week for men, and 14 units a week for women. A unit is roughly half a pint of beer or cider, a small glass of wine, or a single pub measure of spirits.

If you keep to the recommended alcohol limits, this should help keep your blood pressure down. Hmm – not a problem here at all. But u know who u are. Binges are so out! Again moderation is the key!

5. Blood Pressure and Exercise - Get more active

The advice: to be moderately active for 30 minutes five times a week to eep your heart healthy, and help lower your blood pressure.

Think about how you can be more active in your daily life. Any activity that leaves you feeling warm and slightly out of breath is ideal. I suppose for most pple it’s working your heart between Zone 2-Zone 3. (see previous blog on target heart rate zoning)

So the take out here is to get active, and in my case – continue to do so, but for sure in moderation as I do not want the heart to work TOO hard given its high pressure proclivities. There is a real worry that regular exercise will increase your blood pressure to dangerous levels. It is true that physical activity (exercise) will cause your blood pressure to rise for a short time. However, when you stop the activity, your blood pressure should soon return to normal. The quicker it resolves back to resting levels, the fitter you are likely to be. 
I have some reservations about then engaging prolonged endurance races that takes me into heart pounding performance over 3,4, or even 7 hours as in the half IRONMAN distance that I am envisaging. At what target heart zone then would it be safe?  

A suggestion  from my minders was to take things from slow and easy. Do the long workout. Work in Zone 2 and watch it. Listen to your body. Finish it low and steady. Take a reading and see how high the BP is and how long it takes to come back down. Check your heart rate as well. Breathe!!Focus. Destress! Visualize!

The idea then is to  also control the OTHER variables from diet and even stress…and see how these other factors can be better managed. And then, and only then, if it comes to the crunch, there would be a real need to take medication to bring down the HBP.

The table below gives a general idea of what levels you need to be concerned about, but bear in mind that every person is different, and your doctor or nurse may decide differently.

Blood pressure level	General ability to be more active
Below 90/60	You may have low blood pressure, speak to your doctor or nurse before starting any new exercise
90/60-140/90	It is safe to be more active, and it will help to keep your blood pressure in this ideal blood pressure range
140/90 – 179/99	It should be safe to start increasing your physical activity to help lower your high blood pressure
180/100 – 199/109	Speak to your doctor or nurse before starting any new exercise
200/110 or above	Do not start any new activity – speak to your doctor or nurse

To be safe, it is always a good idea to get advice from your doctor or nurse before you start any new physical activity.

POINT OF NOTE!

Our bodies react differently to different types of exercise. There are two main types of physical activity: aerobic (or dynamic) and isometric (or static) exercise.

Aerobic exercise is very good for our heart and blood vessels as it gives them a good workout, helping them to become more flexible and efficient. The heart pumps the blood harder, raising blood pressure, but the blood flows into a large number of muscles, giving more space for the blood to flow in so the blood pressure does not rise by very much. In fact regular aerobic activities will help to lower your blood pressure over time. Examples of aerobic exercises are anything that uses a large number of muscles in repeated and rhythmic movements, such as swimming, cycling and brisk walking.

Isometric exercises build muscle but such exercises can raise blood pressure during the exercise, e.g. during weight lifting. In some cases the changes in blood pressure can be rapid and large and this can put extra unwanted strain on the heart and blood vessels. This is because this form of activity involves the sustained contraction of just one set of muscles. So the heart beats harder, but only a small number of muscles are being used. Because of this, there is less space available for the blood to flow in. This results in a rapid rise in blood pressure and extra strain on the heart and blood vessels. Examples of isometric exercise are weight lifting and press ups. Hmm- DANGER!!

So for the immediate future I should:

·          aim to work at a level that is light to moderate, not hard or very hard.  If I cannot hold a conversation whilst exercising, then it’s working too hard! So that's my reality for now. Nothing to shy away from. That's my new parameter!

·          not lift heavy weights, as they can raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels for a short period of time (NOT GOOOOD!!) - so the blasts in the gym are a thing of the past, not that i was ever one to lift masochistic tonnage anyway....; or

• Undertake vigorous short bursts of exercise like boxing or squash

High blood pressure medication

Changing your diet and being more active can really help you control your blood pressure, but they may not lower it enough on their own. If that’s the case, you may need to take blood pressure medication to lower it further.

There is a wide range of blood pressure medications available. Most of these are grouped under four common types of medicine:

·         ACE inhibitors

·         Angiotensin receptor blockers

·         Calcium channel blockers

·         Thiazide diuretics

I guess each of us have  to find out first hand what  works well for our own health state – whether meds are  needed to control. And if u do have to resort to meds, please note that as an endurance athlete, there are certain drugs which are better in managing the blood pressure for your chsoen exertions in your chosen sport. Please tell your Dr and he will prescribe the ones with the least side effects/debilitations.
 I think a positive mindset helps to alleviate levels too. Undue, unnecessary stress does no one and your HIGH ANXIETY any good. that said, one needs to monitor judiciously, learn to do what is right and healthy for one's mind body and soul, and passionate pursuits in life within sensible parameters. 
In the meanwhile my good Dr has given me my own BP Omron test kit to take regular readings to monitor be in charge of making sure all's well!

No one said it was gonna be easy. But do it safe as u can!

THE REALITY:
High blood pressure cannot be cured, and if you need to take medicines, you will probably need to keep taking them for life. If you stop, your blood pressure will rise back up again.

It is very important to keep taking your medicines, even if you don’t feel unwell. By keeping your blood pressure low you are protecting your heart and blood vessels from damage and disease. This is not a life sentence if push comes to shove, but a Life Enabling reality. A matter of perspectives, I would say with all the positive optimism that I can and should muster! 

POSTSCRIPT:

I have set up my own Fit LAB in my own home in the family area...where the Spinning can be done and measurements taken in the comfort of home. There's ventilation and music and a  new motivation to take training and science to a higher level of conscious responsibilty!