How is YOUR lifestyle? (II)

    Klaus

September 20, 2008 by Klaus  
Filed under Klaus

Last Sunday I wrote about the top three killer diseases in the Philippines. One of them is the heart attack with some very special warning signs:

Chest discomfort or pain (mild or strong)

Upper body discomfort in one of the both arms, jaw, neck, stomach or back

Shortness of breath

Cold sweat

Cough

Nausea

Vomitting

Fainting

Bad indigestation

Anxiety and fast beating of the heart.

As I learned from some doctors: Causes of heart disease could be sudden overwhelming stress, of course a high cholesterol level, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. If you have experienced or are experiencing any of the wanrning signs consult your doctor immediately. The disease can easily be treated if help is sought early on. But, once you have felt tremendous pain, seek immediate medical help. For many expats, living in provincial areas (or even on a wonderful lonely island like a Robinson Crusoe adventure) such situations might become a nightmare.

Causes of brain attacks are untreated high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, emotional stress, advancing age (!), diabetes, and heart diseases. Warning signs of a stroke are

Unexpected numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body

Severe headache with no known cause

Swallowing difficulties or drooling

Sudden dizziness or vertigo

Difficulty in walking

Trouble with speaking, reading, writing or understanding speech and

Personality changes, and mood swings like depressions.

Can we prevent heart attacks and strokes? Yes, if we are willing to change our lifestyle. Unfortunately many of us don’t follow the rules of life. I failed also, even I found out, that I have many more possibilities here in the Philippines living as an expat, who kept himself too much busy in the past.

In my next post I like to share with you some things, how I changed MY lifestyle.

(To be continued!)

About the Author:  Klaus is from Germany, but has been living in the Philippines since the late 1990’s. Klaus is a journalist by trade, having written for a number of newspapers, studied also Publishing House Management and Marketing and has also been a Radio Host here in the Philippines.