Blog 545 – 02.14.2017

Here’s To Your Heart Health

Instead of taking a baby aspirin for your heart try this. Imagine there’s no heart attack. It’s easy if you try, no hell below us, above us only sky. Imagine all the people living life in peace… I think John Lennon will forgive me for playing on some of his words from the wonderful song  “Imagine.” Let me share a few words from another lovely song about pretending called “Only Make Believe” from Jerome Kearns musical Showboat. “Only Make Believe I love you, only make believe that you love me.” We underestimate the power of make-believe. There is great power in the “fake it till you make it.” Many people in this country were surprised that Donald J. Trump was elected President but he believed that he could be and convinced enough people to make it so.

The advertisers want you to believe their “magic pill” is just what the doctor ordered actually they not only want you to make believe you are sick but they want you to tell your doctor to prescribe their product. That my friends is some serious make-believing going on. Makes more sense to me to just to make believe that you are healthy and save your money for things you would enjoy a lot more than pills, doctors, or hospitals.

What makes a healthy heart? Let’s go at that backwards, what hurts a healthy heart? In a couple of words – undue stress. Our bodies are made and especially our hearts to take a bit of stress even to thrive on it but we have this emergency backup reserve that is triggered by what some call “the fight or flight response.” When our mind perceives a dangerous situation adrenalin is released to give our body a kick in the pants to meet such a threat. The heart pumps stronger to meet the demand and when the threat is removed calms back down to normal. The problem is that modern stressful life has that alarm sounding way too much of the time. Our lives are filled with so much perceived drama and trauma that many can no longer sleep at night but feel they must keep constant vigil for all the threats real or imagined.

That brings us back to the power of imagination. Someone has said rather jokingly, “It isn’t paranoia if everyone really is out to get you.” Oh, but it is and it is an insane way to live and so hard on your heart. Hearts were meant to pump blood and love not to be always on guard. We put so much on our military, our police, and our emergency response personnel. And that stress takes its toll. Their hearts are broken and hardened and often destroyed by the stressful situations they endure in our stead. But we too, take on burdens our hearts were never intended to bear. We were made and our hearts to live and love not to be forever fighting and fleeing. Being always on the run or ready to fight is hard on a heart.

Today, on International Heart Day, Valentine’s Day, be good to your heart, relax and spend some time loving. It’s good for your heart and a whole lot more fun than fighting or running. And save those aspirin for that occasional head ache, too many aspirin are hard on your stomach anyway. Here’s to your heart and to your health.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White