I talk and write quite a bit about business and life, but my health and fitness are even more important to me. Why? Because I am well aware that it doesn’t matter how well I do in business; it means nothing if I’m not healthy.
Also, I was diagnosed with hypertension in my 30s, and I have family members with heart conditions, so I’ve been forced to pay attention.
I learned about my hypertension when I was a firefighter and EMT. For eight years I was jumping off fire engines and ambulances for a living. Honestly, those were some of the best times of my life, but anyone who’s worked in that profession will tell you that it can be strenuous on the body.
During my tenure in Fire and EMS, I heard about countless firefighters developing heart conditions due to their work schedules. The strenuous schedule of 24 hours on and 48 hours off sounds cool to most people, but to make ends meet, many firefighters work additional jobs.
I was no exception. Around the same time my fire career started, my wife and I started our virtual administrative company. After my 24-hour shift (many of which I got no sleep), I would return home and immediately get to work with her. I was constantly trying to close deals and complete client work.
I sacrificed sleep often without realizing the toll it was taking on my health. After one of my annual physicals, my doctor told me that hypertension was common among people who didn’t have good sleep habits.
Well, bad was an understatement for my sleep habits. There were numerous shifts where I didn’t sleep at all and when I was home, I only slept five or six hours. Combine that with the fact that I was also gaining weight… I was wrecking my health.
Fix My Health
Of course, doctors put me on medication and I wouldn’t say I liked it. I figured I’d take medication for a little while, make a few changes and I’d be off them in no time. Well, I started eating cleaner and spent a little more time in the gym, but my numbers didn’t change much.
After a few years of doing the same thing, a new doctor recommended that I add another pill. I was not too fond of this news, so that’s when I started my research. I discovered that many people have been able to lower their blood pressure by increasing their cardio and/or eating a specialized diet.
Stay tuned for the next health article to see how that worked.