Sunday, March 30, 2008

Health Tips for March 30

Health Tip: Experience Grief as a Healthy Emotion

Grief is a normal, healthy emotion experienced when a person has a significant loss, such as the death of someone close, or even the end of a relationship.

The American Academy of Family Physicians lists these common symptoms of grief:

* Numbness, shock and denial are common initially.
* Feelings of abandonment may occur once reality has set in.
* Anger -- directed at the person who is gone, yourself, others and even religion -- is common.
* Temporary depression and guilt may set in once the grieving person realizes what the loss means.
* Thinking frequently about the person and reliving memories are normal reactions, as well.
* Little by little, you should begin to feel better. Eventually, you should begin to focus on resuming relationships and activities. It's not uncommon to initially feel "disloyal" to someone as you start to move on.

Health Tip: Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation under professional supervision often is recommended for people who have had a heart attack, heart surgery, or a related operation.

The American Heart Association lists these benefits of cardiac rehabilitation:

* A rehab program, based on a medical evaluation, often is tailored to a person's specific needs and health problems.
* During physical activity, your blood pressure and heart rate are closely monitored.
* Getting regular exercise can help reduce stress, strengthen your heart, and increase your energy.
* Rehabilitation often includes counseling on making lifestyle changes, including on what to eat, how to prepare food, how to manage stress, quitting smoking, and the importance of taking your medications.
* An associated support group may be available to help you talk about and deal with your concerns and health issues.

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