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Training & Heart Disease

paules

Level 6 Valued Member
I have recently discovered I have developed heart disease (moderate not severe). I am 56, don’t smoke or drink and my diet is generally pretty good. My stress and sleep could be better. The cause of the heart disease is unclear but family history may be a contributing factor.

This post is not seeking medical advice and I am implementing a plan with my doctor but he has no expertise in strength and conditioning. As such, I would appreciate your advice on a good training program/plan/template to maintain or improve my heart health.

My current template generally consists of 2 x AXE and 2 x IC sessions a week with lots on Z1 & Z2. Every couple of weeks I have a higher intensity session but I probably wouldn’t consider it high intensity.

Would you recommend any changes if heart health and general wellbeing are the goals?

Thanks
Paul
 
paules said:
I have recently discovered I have developed heart disease (moderate not severe). I am 56, don’t smoke or drink and my diet is generally pretty good. My stress and sleep could be better. The cause of the heart disease is unclear but family history may be a contributing factor.

This post is not seeking medical advice and I am implementing a plan with my doctor but he has no expertise in strength and conditioning. As such, I would appreciate your advice on a good training program/plan/template to maintain or improve my heart health.

My current template generally consists of 2 x AXE and 2 x IC sessions a week with lots on Z1 & Z2. Every couple of weeks I have a higher intensity session but I probably wouldn’t consider it high intensity.

Would you recommend any changes if heart health and general wellbeing are the goals?

Thanks
Paul
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I would search out a sports cardiologist….
 
paules said:
My current template generally consists of 2 x AXE and 2 x IC sessions a week with lots on Z1 & Z2. Every couple of weeks I have a higher intensity session but I probably wouldn’t consider it high intensity.

Would you recommend any changes if heart health and general wellbeing are the goals?
Click to expand...
Sounds great, in my non-medical opinion. I'd assess your time and intensity against the Physical Activity Guidelines as these are recommended and evidence-based for health improvements. Good for you for accepting the information available on your health and doing what you can with it. You're far ahead of so many!
 
offwidth said:
As you might imagine however… you aren’t going to find one on just any street corner. But if you can it’s probably worth it…
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Indeed, a quick google search has not unearthed any in my local area. Will try and find the next closest thing.
 
Certainly worth getting some expert input from a cardiologist who is used to treating\advising athletes as well as sedentary people. A heart rate monitor worn during training might be a good idea or something your cardiologist insists upon, you might be using one already.

Health is an outcome of the response of the human to all things 24 hours a day. This means sleep, stress, nutrition, physical activity and all the rest need to be addressed and kept within certain boundaries in order to improve your life and health span.

" 2 x AXE and 2 x IC sessions a week with lots on Z1 & Z2" sounds like you probably have physical activity (strength, speed, balance, endurance, range of motion) under control and you may need to look at some of the other factors.
 
oab said:
Certainly worth getting some expert input from a cardiologist who is used to treating\advising athletes as well as sedentary people. A heart rate monitor worn during training might be a good idea or something your cardiologist insists upon, you might be using one already.

Health is an outcome of the response of the human to all things 24 hours a day. This means sleep, stress, nutrition, physical activity and all the rest need to be addressed and kept within certain boundaries in order to improve your life and health span.

" 2 x AXE and 2 x IC sessions a week with lots on Z1 & Z2" sounds like you probably have physical activity (strength, speed, balance, endurance, range of motion) under control and you may need to look at some of the other factors.
Click to expand...
Yep, improving sleep and managing stress are my highest priorities right now.
 
Stress is the disparity between the problem and our ability to cope. If we don't cope then anxiety is increased which means an increase along the spectrum from calm towards fight- flight. A type of meditation that takes a person in the other direction can be helpful as can learning how to let the after meditation calm flow onwards through the rest of one's day. I prefer the meditation method of the late Dr Ainslie Meares, myself. It involves relaxation whilst in stationary slightly uncomfortable position for 10 minutes of so twice a day. Transcendence of slight discomfort helps the relaxation come from the mind and also helps one falling asleep during meditation practice. This type of meditation also helps one learn to sleep better.

Humans are adapted to blue light during the day and low levels of red light at night. So, shifting light towards the red end of the spectrum at night will also help. There are various methods.
 
I’d suggest you add Move your DNA to your reading list and evaluate your daily patterns of movement / posture as you do all the rest.

She’s got a section in the book where she talks about heart disease and makes a strong case that training is just a drop in the bucket and not as effective if the rest of our time we are sedentary or in similar/cyclical moment patterns.

Lots of food for thought in there that you can supplement with from a DIY approach as you work with the medical professionals.

Another one you might get a consult from is a functional doctor.

Agree with Anna : honor to you for accepting and facing this.

Health to you!
 
paules said:
I have recently discovered I have developed heart disease (moderate not severe). I am 56, don’t smoke or drink and my diet is generally pretty good. My stress and sleep could be better. The cause of the heart disease is unclear but family history may be a contributing factor.

This post is not seeking medical advice and I am implementing a plan with my doctor but he has no expertise in strength and conditioning. As such, I would appreciate your advice on a good training program/plan/template to maintain or improve my heart health.

My current template generally consists of 2 x AXE and 2 x IC sessions a week with lots on Z1 & Z2. Every couple of weeks I have a higher intensity session but I probably wouldn’t consider it high intensity.

Would you recommend any changes if heart health and general wellbeing are the goals?

Thanks
Paul
Click to expand...
I'm not a doc, but training may depend on the type of heart disease. I would suggest what you are doing is already great, that you take any changes slowly (ramp up to something vs jump into something) and that you should be more aware of "stop signs" - such as exercising in extremes where there is a greater chance of dehydration, and any increase in symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, chest pain or discomfort, and irregular heart rate.

I know "shortness of breath" is a big sign of an impending heart issue, but when you're exercising... its pretty typical. So I would add "atypical shortness of breath." Also, from my understanding, inappropriate sweating or getting clammy as well as being unusually nervous (anxious) are also bad.

It could be a good idea to start wearing a heart rate monitor (the EKG kind on your chest) so you can track your heart as you exercise, establish a baseline, and quicker tell if something is "out of your ordinary."
 
morning_star said:
I’d suggest you add Move your DNA to your reading list and evaluate your daily patterns of movement / posture as you do all the rest.

She’s got a section in the book where she talks about heart disease and makes a strong case that training is just a drop in the bucket and not as effective if the rest of our time we are sedentary or in similar/cyclical moment patterns.

Lots of food for thought in there that you can supplement with from a DIY approach as you work with the medical professionals.

Another one you might get a consult from is a functional doctor.

Agree with Anna : honor to you for accepting and facing this.

Health to you!
Click to expand...
Thank you! I have Move your DNA and had forgotten there was a chapter on the heart, will reread.
 
John K said:
I'm not a doc, but training may depend on the type of heart disease. I would suggest what you are doing is already great, that you take any changes slowly (ramp up to something vs jump into something) and that you should be more aware of "stop signs" - such as exercising in extremes where there is a greater chance of dehydration, and any increase in symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, chest pain or discomfort, and irregular heart rate.

I know "shortness of breath" is a big sign of an impending heart issue, but when you're exercising... its pretty typical. So I would add "atypical shortness of breath." Also, from my understanding, inappropriate sweating or getting clammy as well as being unusually nervous (anxious) are also bad.

It could be a good idea to start wearing a heart rate monitor (the EKG kind on your chest) so you can track your heart as you exercise, establish a baseline, and quicker tell if something is "out of your ordinary."
Click to expand...
Thanks John! I wear a chest HRM during exercise and my Apple Watch has a few functions that detect irregularities of the heart.
 
You might want to check out the book The Haywire Heart. I haven't read it but I've heard one of the co-authors Dr. John Mandrola on a few podcasts (he has his own podcast but it's geared towards Physicians). I seem to recall you've done some ultras, so it might be helpful.
 
Ian CL said:
You might want to check out the book The Haywire Heart. I haven't read it but I've heard one of the co-authors Dr. John Mandrola on a few podcasts (he has his own podcast but it's geared towards Physicians). I seem to recall you've done some ultras, so it might be helpful.
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Thanks Ian, will check it out. Sounds similar to the work of cardiologist James O Keefe. I do wonder if all of the ultras, as slow as they were, had some lasting impacts.
 
As John K mentioned, different conditions will have different contraindications, especially for things like strength training or intervals. I worked for 4-5 years as an exercise lead in Cardiac Rehab and saw many people (most post surgery) that were able to exercise at various intensities.
 
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