All of us have something that repeatedly goes through our mind – a message or a question that is constantly replaying over and over in our head…it won’t stop.
You know what I’m talking about, right?
For me the question was frightening. It’s still almost embarrassing to admit, even though it’s been nearly 20 years.
So, this was my annoying question: “What if I have a heart attack and never get to watch my children grow up?”
I know what you’re thinking: that seems rather dramatic…almost ridiculous. But, coming from a family with a long history of heart disease, I’d come to believe that it is a reasonable concern.
Just to give you some reference points: I never met my grandma…or at least, I don’t remember her. She died of a heart attack two months after I was born. Then, my grandpa had several heart attacks and died of complications due to a stroke.
My uncle dealt with heart issues for as long as I can remember and died of a heart attack, and my dad had quadruple bypass surgery.
That’s just part of the story! Looking at an old photo of my dad’s family I saw several relatives that I never even knew existed. They all died young of…. you guessed it, heart-related issues.
Now, hopefully you understand why this question continually played in my head – it was a real concern. It kept me awake at night and was often the first thing I thought of in the morning.
Being a young mother of two children made it even more frightening. I had big dreams for the future. Like most mothers, I wanted to watch my children grow up, experience their first date, their first prom…their first everything.
Visions of seeing my kids graduate from high school, dancing at their wedding, and, of course, the grandchildren – this was what I wanted to be thinking of. Instead, all I could think about is “What if…?” The message just kept replaying and I wanted it to go away.
Unfortunately, I lived with this continuous message. I expected my doctor to have all the answers but he didn’t. He offered little help at all.
Does this seem like a familiar story? Perhaps your question is about a different health concern or you have other health conditions in your family.
Are you getting the answers you deserve?
Whatever the recurring question is for you, I want you to know that there are answers.
Since I struggled for so long looking for answers, I went down a lot of unexpected paths and learned a lot along the way. Many of the same factors that lead to heart attacks can also cause other diseases.
While we’ve been told that genetics is the cause and effect of most diseases related to family history, current science and research shows that isn’t the case. Our health has more to do with lifestyle – aka our choices.
If knowing that you actually play a part in your future health gives you hope, I’m here to help.
My mission is to eliminate the frustration around health topics by providing tools to measure and track your health. Measuring outcomes leads to greater success and less frustration.
A company called Viome offers a test that I believe everyone should consider as a baseline measurement. It helps detect food sensitivities while also recognizing “superfoods” that are best for your body.
What question are you ready to get an answer to?
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