Can we talk?

The cardiologist's diet

      You probably have heard of the cardiologist's diet. It's easy to remember. If it tastes good, spit it out.

      I'm really trying to get a minimum walking of 30 minutes a day in every day. It's been hit and miss so far. 3 or 4 days instead of 7. So I started keeping a chart and going for 7 days. Now it's almost every day, but it's 15 min, or 24 min. Last night it was 29 min.

      I start out from home which is in a hilly neighborhood. I know it takes me longer to get back than it does to go, so I walk for about 13 or 14 min and turn around. I am getting further along in that time, but only one or two lot widths. When I reach my starting point, that's what I record. On the bad days, I just record time from my downtown parking space to the library, or through the downtown mall, etc. I still do my stretching.

      I'll back up. I have heart trouble and have sedentary jobs. Inclines are very hard for me. Even if it's a subtle incline that I don't notice, my breathing will get difficult; so I look around and sure enough the path started upward. My 80 year old father can out walk me up a hill. On level ground, I probably could walk for hours without panting or gasping. Find some flat land in this town. I've gone to pot, plain and simple. All that stretching just doesn't cut it.

      So now I even have osteopenia in my shoulders, not osteosporosis. I have to do "load-bearing" exercises on top of every thing else and take Vitamin D. I need to get my physical health back in line, if I'm going to keep on living.

    I am avowing to anyone reading this that I am going to be more diligent about daily walking, continuous walking for 30 minutes, or more. Ok? My promise.