Step Up to Health With Omron HJ-005

I got a new gadget that I wasn't planning to buy anytime soon.  But "clumsy" me forgot to take out the credit card from my wallet and the temptation turned into an "indulgence."  I'm not a chronic impulse buyer but I just had the strong feeling last Sunday that it's a good time to finally buy my own pedometer.  Hahaha! Besides, it's already past the cut off date for my billing cycle so I have time to save for until April when I have to pay for the gadget.  

Anyway, I was trying out my Omron HJ-005 since yesterday.  So far, I am happy with it.  It has the basic function of counting steps and a way to adjust the sensitivity to plus or minus a number of steps.  I am not really that obsessed with getting the accuracy right to the dot.  I simply needed a way to count my daily steps.  That's it.  I didn't get the more expensive model that tells you how many calories were burned. The simpler the gadget, the better.  Well, here's my new "toy"

What I like about my new pedometer is that it's small compared to other models that look like bulky stopwatches or timers.  This one is just as long as my pinkie finger (and I have a relatively small hand).  It doesn't bulk up when I clip it on my belt.  The clip is really sturdy and won't fall off easily, but for added security, I put a short lanyard.  The best part is that it has a cover so one would not accidentally push the reset button.  Basically, you just clip it and walk away.  Nice huh? 

So I guess it's time to hand over the Pokewalker back to my nephews. Good bye Bellsprout.  It was nice walking with you for more than a month.

Bradycardia...What!?

Heart coronary arteries, a photo by Patrick J. Lynch on Flickr.

It was a fine Sunday morning some months ago, after having late breakfast, I took a tablet of Metoprolol, a medicine used to treat hypertension.  That was the second medicine prescribed to me since Amlodipine did not effectively lower my blood pressure.  About 45 minutes later while I was already walking towards church to attend the service, I felt like I would pass out.  However, I didn't see stars and my vision remained clear.  Thankfully I didn't black out although the feeling was like I had lead shoes and I was in need of a cane to steady my weakened knees.  I was alone so my instinct was to look around and find something to hold on to.  No poles, post, or wall near enough so I had to keep walking and get to church as soon as I can, maybe get help if the condition worsens.  It was like going extremely low on battery, like energy oozing from my body.  I was glad to be able to sit down after that walk that normally takes me less than 5 minutes only but that instance, it might have taken me twice as long.

Medicines Are Meant To Be Taken, Not Taken for Granted

Last week, after 28 days of taking Lipitor (Atorvastatin) to manage my cholesterol level, I thought, that would be the end of it.  No more forcing big tablets down my throat.  I almost choked twice on it because it was that huge (or my throat opening is so small hehehe).  So  naturally, I am pleased to know that I am down to the last tablet and I eagerly went to the doctor to inform him.  My heart sank when he said to take it for another month, this time at half dosage.  I was thinking, was my cholesterol level that high or was it just to ensure that the levels are quite under control?  I was also concerned that taking medication for cholesterol might have an adverse effect on my liver.  Apparently, the doctor saw no signs that my liver is in danger because of this medication.  Just the same, I was already prepping up for the blood chemistry but I suppose that has to wait for another month. Not that I'm excited to be poked with needles again, but I sure would like to be medicine free, at least this particular one that's giving me a hard time to swallow.  

 

 What do YOU eat for breakfast?, a photo by Lintilla on Flickr.

How I Personally Manage My Salt Intake

Is salt really bad for health?  I've done some browsing on the internet and I have read varying opinions about salt.  Should we really take it out from our daily diet, run away from it like it's some kind of poison?  For the life of me, if I keep reading more, I'll probably go insane. But we need to know. So we keep searching and weeding out the good or credible information and those sites that clearly promote a certain propaganda. 

Until such matters are resolved and those scientists and doctors and medical practitioners come into agreement, we either take this side or that side or stay in the middle perhaps?  I think I'll take the last option instead.  After all, my doctor didn't tell me to have a no-salt diet but merely to limit my salt (sodium) intake.  Even the DASH diet plan only limits the salt.  They have two versions of it, the high salt (2,300 mg/day) and the low salt diet (1,500 mg/day).  Take note that I am only limiting my salt intake because there are studies that implicates the correlation between high sodium consumption with essential hypertension.  Besides that, I believe in the concept of moderation.  Too much of anything, even a good one becomes a poison right?

So how do I manage limiting my salt intake to 1,500 mg?  Here are a few steps I took that are not too drastic for me (but it could be for you, so just do it one at a time if you're not in any health risk).