the whole idea of having heart stents done is to allow you to lead a full and active life. it is very common for patients who have had heart surgery to be afraid to engage in normal activities. one excellent way to get back into an exercise program is through cardiac rehabilitation. cardiac rehab as it is often called is a customized program of exercise and education. many programs involve not only monitored exercise but also provide nutritional counseling emotional support and education about lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of heart problems. if cardiac rehab is not appropriate or possible then discuss your specific exercise goals with your doctor. physical activity is so important for your wellbeing. a physical exercise program should incorporate 4 basic types of exercises. the exercises should include: aerobic exercise muscle strengthening flexibility and balance. an adult should spend at least 30 minutes in aerobic exercise on five or more days of the week. but this is a minimum amount and more is definitely better. the good news is that is doesn’t have to be done all at once. three 10 minute walks are just as good as one 30 minutes walk. depending on your other health issues you will want to pick an aerobic exercise that doesn’t cause problems elsewhere in your body such as your joints. that is why swimming bike riding and walking work better for many adults rather than running. weight lifting is another important part of an exercise program. woman especially benefit by weight training in maintaining strong bones. yoga is a wonderful way to work on flexibility and balance. yoga not only helps with these elements it can reduce your stress levels. but research has shown that exercising alone can’t wipe out the damage done if you sit all day long. humans were not designed to be as sedentary as modern life now dictates. it is important to move throughout the day to be really healthy. obviously diet and weight are also key elements in your recovery from cardiac stent surgery. consulting with a dietician is very helpful in learning to eat healthy. keeping a diary of all the foods that you eat for 3 days or more can also be enlightening. taking off those extra pounds if you are overweight and watching your cholesterol intake needs to be on your program. we know from research studies on obese patients who were at risk for diabetes that losing 5% to 7% of their total body weight delayed and possibly prevented diabetes. diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease as is high blood pressure and small amounts of weight loss can significantly improve your health. you don’t have to look like a model to be healthy. so ask your doctor for specific recommendations to help you on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
post stent lifestyle reccomendations none have been given to me. after having two stents implanted i was put on appropriate meds as to my individual situation but was never informed as to what lifestyle changes i should do to lessen the chances of further complications i. e. diet exersise etc. is this normal these days?