Tag Archives: fatigue

Aren’t Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms Obvious?

Heart Disease, , , , , , ,

friendly young nurse helping senior woman with medical form

A Congestive Heart Failure diagnosis is a devastating piece of news to process.

Look up information online and you aren’t likely to feel very hopeful.

The bigger issue is that congestive heart failure can go UN-diagnosed for many years, so by the time you actually hear your doctor speak those words your disease process may be very advanced and your heart may have experienced a significant amount of damage.

Do you know the symptoms of congestive heart failure?

Heart failure symptoms

  • Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you exert yourself or when you lie down
  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • Reduced ability to exercise
  • Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm
  • Increased need to urinate at night
  • Swelling of your abdomen (ascites)
  • Sudden weight gain from fluid retention
  • Lack of appetite and nausea
  • Difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness
  • Sudden, severe shortness of breath and coughing up pink, foamy mucus
  • Elevated blood pressure
  • Profuse sweating
  • Chest pain, if your heart failure is caused by a heart attack

(Article originally published on MayoClinic.com)

You can see that most of these symptoms are typical for multiple health issues.

Can you understand how your doctor might miss the clues?

If you don’t ask to be tested, you may not even hear the term “congestive heart failure” until you are in the midst of a health crisis.

Statistics show that this condition is often mis-diagnosed or just plain undetected by doctors for years!

An excerpt from the book Bypassing Bypass

Most people first hear the terrifying term “congestive heart failure” when they are hospitalized for heart problems.

Though recently it has been noted that the death rate from heart disease and cancer in the U.S. are dropping, the number of cases of congestive heart failure has doubled during the same time that all other heart disease rates have been decreasing.

The Weakened Heart
The heart is just like other muscles. When it is weakened, it becomes enlarged, congested, flaccid, and often prolapsed (dropped from its original position in the chest). It is not unusual to require a stethoscope placement three to five inches below the normal area when listening to a weakened heart.

In addition, a weakened heart simply cannot contract forcibly enough. Imagine if you had a weakened forearm and hand. Or imagine someone cutting off the nerve impulses to your fist. Now try to squeeze a tight fist. It becomes impossible. And in the end, you can only contract your hand weakly. The same thing happens with the muscle of your heart. Only in this case, due to a weak contraction, the blood entering the heart cannot be pumped out completely.

When this occurs, congestion takes place in the body. Your body is robbed of blood, nutrition, and oxygen. You become weak, tired, exhausted, and mentally spaced out. Your heart will often try to compensate by beating faster (trying to get the blood out with faster but weaker beats). When this happens, the condition becomes complicated by the tachycardia (racing heart).

Since nutritional deficiencies causing heart problems are rarely considered in the field of medicine, you are placed on powerful drugs that attempt to keep your heart beating and try to keep the congestion from becoming overwhelming. When your heart starts to race, more drugs are used to control your heartbeat. Meanwhile, you are getting weaker and weaker as your heart starves for the correct nutrition.

(Originally posted on MNWellDir.org)

There are 4 Stages of Congestive Heart Failure.

Unfortunately, you can be all the way in the 3rd Stage of Heart Disease and still have relatively few symptoms.

On WebMD.com they describe a person in Stage 3 of Heart Failure as:

Patients with known systolic heart failure and current or prior symptoms.

Most common symptoms include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
  • Reduced ability to exercise

(Information originally posted on WebMD.com)

 

However, a patient in Stage 3 of Heart Failure can also show up in the emergency room having never been told that they have ANY heart issues what so ever!

You may not even notice your symptoms of heart failure!

If you do, it is very likely that you will chock them up to something else … like getting old!

 

There is an epidemic of congestive heart failure ravaging the planet.

The Life Breath Club is dedicated to helping you recognize trouble before it threatens your well being.

Your free membership helps you evaluate your health care decisions and your Masters Membership will help you make the changes you need to make to AVOID health crisis!

Do you notice signs of trouble?

 

 

 

Are Anxiety, Fear and Restlessness Harming Your Relationships And Your Health?

Social Connection, , , , ,

Do you “hermit” away from the world when you are run down and tired?

If you don’t take care of yourself, you disconnect from friends and family because you don’t have the energy to nurture those important relationships.

Some folks recharge by spending time with friends, others need solitary time to regroup.  So, for some people retreating like a hermit is therapeutic!

How do you recharge?

If you are a care giver, odds are that self care if not your top priority!

You likely drag yourself from one task to the next.

The problem is, IF not taking care of yourself is a habit, then the symptoms of feeling run down and all around lousy start to feel normal.

Everything is relative right?

When you are at the end of your rope, anxiety, fear and restlessness keep you from slowing down enough to refuel.

Ignoring self care will make you sick!

Do you FEEL:

  • tired
  • foggy (hard to focus)
  • heavy
  • irritable
  • addicted to caffeine
  • fearful and anxious
  • moody
  • restless despite your fatigue

Seriously …. take a hard look at it.

Do you feel cranky by the end of the day?

Do you have a tough time sleeping?

It’s not just a normal part of the aging process and it is NOT something you have to live with!

 

How do you heal anxiety, fear and restlessness?

7 Simple steps taken consistently will go a long way to remedy what’s ailing you.

Step 1  Witness your feelings!

Journal your feelings.  Physical and emotional feelings are the sign posts to living better and feeling better.

If you are numb and in denial, you are stuck.

Ask yourself…

How am I feeling in my body, mind and soul?

Step 2  Release!

What you resist persists, allow whatever you see.

Accept your feelings.

Step 3  Notice.

Are there patterns in your life that repeat themselves in all the various aspects of work and personal relationships?

Is your focus on you or someone else?

You can only fix you.  Make sure you stay out of other people’s feelings.  You can support them, but you have no business fixing anybody but you.

What might your feelings be trying to tell you?

Don’t over analyze.

Maybe your feelings stem from being tired and depleted.

Step 4  Respond.

Choose to respond to your feelings instead of react to the external forces that you feel throughout your day.

Nutrition can really play a part here, as can rest and relaxation.

If you are stretched beyond your coping limits, you do not have access to a controlled response.

Take a breath and make some space for stillness.

You will find your inner guidance and Peace.

Your response will be much better when you come from your heart.

Step 5  Evaluate

You can’t build on your progress until you acknowledge it.

Record your progress if possible, so that you can literally measure your growth.

Step 6  Love Yourself

All love starts with self love.

If you can’t love yourself, you can’t give or receive love from anyone else.

Step 7  Nurture Yourself

Nurturing is love in action!

 

Join The Life Breath Club and meet weekly by phone with a group of like minded people ready to harness their healing power.

Click on the link below to learn about the benefits of membership.

Become a Member of The Life Breath Club

This is a private membership site to protect your medical privacy.



Many blessings,

Carrie Tucker, RCP

The Life Breath Coach

Heart Failure Solutions

 

PS-  Chronic anxiety, fear and restlessness are also symptoms of a much more serious nature!

Urgent Critical Advice

  • If you have water collecting around your ankles to the point that you can’t see your ankle bone, you are also suffering from incredible exhaustion, confusion, and depression.
  • Water retention is a huge hazard to your health because it interferes with the absorption of vital nutrients.
  • When it advances to the point that your ankle bone is no longer visable, you have a serious health concern.
  • When fluid begins to collect in your lungs, it will rob you of life giving oxygen.
  • You are running out of time!

Seek the urgent care you need right away!

 

PPS– Remember everyday:

  • Relax and Release tension
  • Exhale Slowly
  • Be active in a way that adds joy to your life

Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter

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Water Retention: Is That Bloated and Puffy Feeling Anything To Worry About?

Water Retention, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Water retention

“Everyone gets a little bloated and puffy feeling, right?”

If your doctor isn’t concerned, why should you be?

It’s just a little water retention.

There Are Reasons YOU Should Be Concerned About Excess Fluid:

  1. Your body becomes completely out of balance when it holds on to fluid in an effort to protect you.
  2. Any excess fluid interferes with absorption of OXYGEN and NUTRITION!
  3. The sooner you achieve a healthy fluid balance, the less damage will be caused to your kidneys, heart and other vital organs.

Rapid accumulation of fluids can be life threatening.

Creating a healthy fluid balance may be as simple as reducing your exposure to toxins, making better food choices, or supplementation with the right amount of the right nutrient.

Be Aware That Creating Fluid Balance Immediately Could Also Save Your Life!

 

How Do You Know Whether Your Water Retention Is Life Threatening Or Not?

When your body loses the ability to maintain your fluid balance, you are on a slippery slope of deterioration.

If you have swollen ankles or a tight hard belly, have your oxygen levels checked to identify a potentially fatal problem!

Could Shortness of Breath Be Your First Sign Of Big Trouble?

 

This is a process of elimination to identify what the culprit might be.  Why are you retaining fluid? 

You want to look at all possibilities starting with the most dangerous ones!

If your water retention issue doesn’t make you feel short of breath when you climb a flight of stairs and you don’t feel overly concerned about it, then lets look at some other causes of fluid retention.

 

One very common cause of fluid retention is vitamin and mineral deficiency.

*  The American Medical Association says that magnesium is the most prevalent mineral deficiency.

*  Magnesium is a valuable electrolyte, if you are deficient you will have fluid balance issues!

*  You may quickly shed water weight when you address deficiency!

You may be carrying a significant amount of excess water around, and not even be aware of it.

Click on the link below to check the list of water retention symptoms to see if you should be worried.

Signs Of Water Retention

 

Many blessings,

Carrie Tucker, RCP
The Life Breath Coach
Heart Failure Solutions

 

PS– Remember everyday:

  • Relax and Release tension
  • Exhale Slowly
  • Be active in a way that adds joy to your life

Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter

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How Do You Easily Relieve That Bone Tired Feeling From Post Holiday Fatigue?

Sleep, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday fatigue

The holidays can bring on a deep down ache in your bones, can’t they?

Before you reach for a bottle of pills or alcohol, think of simple and wholesome ways to relieve that deep down tired feeling.

The woman of the house is the most prone to suffer post holiday fatigue.  Please, if you don’t need a bit of nurturing today, then find someone near and dear to you who does, and make sure she takes care of herself.

Ten years ago, when I first began my struggle with auto immune disease, I was forever looking for pain relief that was natural and wouldn’t knock me out.

I was taking a class on the weekends with a group of women from my daughters’ school.  The subject of pain relief came up and one of the ladies suggested I try a hot bath with plenty of Epsom Salt.

It seemed a bit too simplistic to possibly help with the extreme pain that I had been coping with, but hey, I would have tried anything at that point.

You would not believe the amount of pain that you can soak away in 20 minutes!

You need to use 2 full cups of Epsom Salts, or any type of bath salts really. It’s an extra special treat to add essential oils to the mix.

Light a candle or your favorite incense.  Turn on some soft music.  Soak away pain and worries for 20 minutes.

 

You will lower your pain level significantly without taking a drug that is hard on your liver and will contribute to heart failure.

So go soak your head!  It really is great advice!

Water therapy is truly amazing, simple and effective.

Keep your head under the water for as much of the 20 minute soak as you can possibly handle.  That is how you get the biggest benefit.

My family knows how I feel about a good soak in the tub and got me the perfect gift this year.

Look for Dr. Teal’s Lavender Epsom Salt Soaking Solution and Therapeutic Bath & Body at a store near you.  I’m telling you, it is heaven in a tub!

 

When you lower your pain level, you can get a much more restful sleep.  The quality of your sleep has everything to do with your fatigue level.

Never underestimate the power of sleep.  It is pure healing magic!

Happy soaking and sweet dreams!

Hope your Christmas was cozy and happy, and that you bring in the New Year surrounded by those you love.

 

Many blessings,

Carrie Tucker, RCP
The Life Breath Coach
Heart Failure Solutions

 

PS– Remember everyday:

  • Relax and Release tension
  • Exhale Slowly
  • Be active in a way that adds joy to your life

Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter

Food Matters!

Ideal Weight, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Have you seen the trailer for the new movie?  I stumbled across it on You Tube and began jumping for joy.

At LAST an effort to get the message out!

You are what you eat!

Are you killing yourself with the food choices you make?

Food Matters!

Food Matters is an educational organization based in the UK.

They offer tutorials on every disease process you may be addressing.  Educate yourself so you will not be fooled with misinformation and you will feel confident to resist your doctors urge to drug your symptoms without taking action to address cause.

As the “Life Breath Coach” I recommend that my clients supplement their nutrition while they learn what to put in their shopping cart and what to avoid.

Vemma is my supplement of choice because they have a safe track record even with their weight loss line of products!

I’m hearing awesome testimonials of folks getting OFF of drugs for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar!

This is GOOD stuff!

Nutrition Matters

 

Many blessings,

Carrie Tucker, RCP

The Life Breath Coach

Heart Failure Solutions

 

PS– Remember everyday:

  • Relax and Release tension
  • Exhale Slowly
  • Be active in a way that adds Joy to your life

Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter

What Foods Help Get Rid of Fluid Retention?

Water Retention, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Fruit & Nuts, Juhu Beach

Today one of my clients asked me what they could eat to get rid of fluid retention.

It isn’t an easy question to answer because there are many causes of fluid retention that will not be healed by eating foods that make you pee.

Some foods can make you retain fluid by slowing down your kidneys, while others can help your kidneys work better.

Anemia, protein deficiency, and an abnormally high need for one or more vitamins or minerals can cause fluid retention as well.

Keep in mind that fluid retention is NOT  simple to treat.

Maybe you aren’t even aware that those difficult to lose pounds are actually fluid rather than fat!

You don’t lose fluid weight the same way you lose weight from fat!

You can burn fat, but you don’t “burn” water you release it!

This subject can be a bit overwhelming, so don’t let yourself get complacent!

Fluid retention drains your health!

 

Cover the simple stuff first:

  •  sip water all day even when you feel bloated (unless your doctor advises you not to because of kidney failure)
  •  have your hormones checked
  • treat all low oxygen levels with supplemental oxygen

The most common cause of fluid retention is dehydration!  So sip all day and if you are on fluid restriction, it’s a good idea to stick to water with fresh lemon.

Hormones are another issue that could be causing your fluid retention and your doctor can evaluate if this is a problem for you.

Low oxygen levels are potentially fatal, so you want to look for them when you are active and distressed as well as when you are sleeping!

 

Discovering what foods help get rid of fluid retention is only slightly helpful early on in your disease process.

Is this the information you were looking for?

Foods that cause you to release fluid:

  •  celery
  •  onion
  •  parsley
  •  garlic
  •  peppermint
  •  eggplant
  •  cabbage
  •  cranberries
  •  asparagus
  •  corn
  •  cucumber
  •  grapes
  •  watermelon

Some sources say to reduce intake of parsley and celery to avoid water retention.  They are both high in chlorophyll so it’s no wonder they are hugely helpful in addressing the issues that may contribute to fluid retention.  A list of foods high in magnesium will help as well.  Magnesium is the “relax mineral” so it helps fluid retention in several ways.

Herbs that help you to release fluid:

  •  uva ursi
  •  buchu
  •  horse chestnut (also used to promote leg vein circulation in Europe for many years)
  •  dandelion root or tincture (good for kidneys, adrenal glands, and liver)
  •  Dong Quai (also soothing to intestines and bladder)

Be careful with herbs, like drugs, they are potentially harmful!

 

Fluid Retention can be very uncomfortable.

The discomfort of fluid retention can be eased with the use of essential oils.

Essential oils, used in baths, gargles, mouthwashes, vaporizers, inhalants, as well as compresses and massages can be helpful:

  •  cypress
  •  geranium
  •  juniper
  •  lavender
  •  rosemary

 

Fluid BALANCE is the goal, and many foods can be helpful in righting your fluid balance.

Helpful foods, vitamins, and minerals:

  •  brazil nuts
  •  fish
  •  Vitamin B6
  •  Vitamin A
  •  Vitamin C
  •  magnesium (would a list of food sources help?)
  •  selenium

 

Give your attention to a few other concerns that effect fluid retention!

Avoid constipation, eat foods high in dietary fiber:

  •  grains
  •  beans
  •  fruits

 

AVOID the following:

  •  table salt (for severe fluid retention use only potassium chloride)
  •  sugary foods and drinks
  •  too much protein OR not enough protein
  •  unhealthy fats
  •  being still for long periods of time
  •  crossing your legs
  •  tight clothing
  •  alcohol
  •  smoke
  •  coffee
  •  black tea
  •  processed foods
  •  fast foods
  •  white flour foods

There is no quick fix for fluid retention but it is likely to cause oxygen and nutrition problems because it interferes with absorption.

Better safe than sorry!

 

Get your oxygen levels checked and nourish yourself with a quality nutritional supplement.

Heart Failure Solutions recommends Vemma products because of their safe track record.

Click on the link below and learn more about what nutrition can do for you!

Nutrition Is Your Medicine

 

Many blessings,

Carrie Tucker, RCP

The Life Breath Coach

Heart Failure Solutions

 

PS– Remember everyday:

  • Relax and Release tension
  • Exhale Slowly
  • Be active in a way that adds Joy to your life

Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter