Second Chance Roulette

Dr Tony Rafter is a leading cardiologist in Brisbane, who I had the pleasure in sharing a coffee with this month.  I met with him to find out the latest trends in heart disease at the 'coal-face' - what he experiences in dealing with over a 1,000 patients a year.  While I knew about "someone in Australia dies every 10 minutes of cardio-vascular disease" - what I didn't know was alarming and down-right irresponsible - heart attack survivors are gambling with death - refusing to quit smoking, cut cholesterol or even take preventative medicine.

Each year 5000 die as a result of failing to take control of their health and its costing the Australian health system $1.4 billion. 

A damning new study by the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute (an on line survey of 1047 patients) found two in three heart attack survivors struggled to make lifestyle changes. More than one in 10 continue to smoke, 58 per cent don't eat a healthy diet and just one in three exercise regularly. 

Four out of 10 heart attack patients don't follow their GP's instructions and one in three forget to take their medicine.

Heart attacks are the nation's biggest killer, claiming the lives of more than 10,000 Australians a year and 5,300 of these are repeat events.  

Dr Rafter told me of a 58 yr old patient who went back to drinking and his stressful job and never showed any evidence of dietary change.  Seven years later his second heart attack hit that permanently damaged his heart muscle. He survived but can't work more than 10 hours a week or do many of the things he used to. This episode scared him enough to begin making changes including losing 17kg.

These stories remind me of the saying "most people are willing to change....as long as they can keep on doing exactly what they've always done".  It seems that most of us dig in our heels if we believe the mental and physical payoff of change won't exceed our expectations.  We're pulled back to our bad habits like some strange gravitational force.  Most of us wait until its too late.  An example of natural selection some would say.

The way I see it, change only happens in two ways....either through inspiration or desperation.  It saddens me to think that even after a desperate situation such as a heart attack people aren't willing to make positive change. 

In my experience most inspirational change is preceded by a drastic rise in self responsibility - the realization that if I don't take charge of my health - who will? 

Dr Tony Rafter 

What would you do if faced with change - if your life depended on it? 

Keeping the Crocs at Bay

I have a friend who, only just recently, began smoking again after a two year break. I asked him what made him return back to his 'old friends'? He said that it was a string of crappy events which individually would have sailed past his 'why me' radar, but collectively sent the whole control tower crashing down.  He broke up with his partner, his dad was diagnosed with cancer, his tenants were suing him and business was slow.  

Fair enough I thought.  

I remembered a trip I once took to the Northern Territory.  I saw lots of really big crocs. Amazing creatures.  They lie motionless underwater with their two eyes just breaking the surface.  They wait and wait with precision patience until their next meal is within striking range and then with a breathtaking snap of their powerful jaws....bam! 

Bad habits are never really shed from our lives.....they just wait under our skin surface and when things turn bad - at our weakest moments - they strike. We've all been there.  Eating too much, drinking too much, buying too many shoes.......

All habits have three common elements - a cue, a routine and a reward.  The fact is that our bad habits don't define us and we can alter them and regain control.  Research reveals that in all habits the cue (what 'brings on' the habit ie sight, smell, feel etc) and the reward (feeling as a result of following through the habit) is difficult to change.  They are the constants in this little viscous triangle.  What we do have control over is the routine: the series of actions which when pursued finishes at the reward.

Back to my friend.  As a result of his catastrophic chain of events (cue) his smoking habit was back with gusto and was again part of his life.  He felt embarrassed and beaten.  We spoke about the cue-routine-reward loop and discussed ways in which he could begin to change his routine.

A strategy which worked for him in the past was incorporating activity to warn off the craving.  When cravings were strong he used diversion tactics - called a friend, played the piano, wrote.  The thing which worked best was physical activity - a short brisk walk, step ups....anything which allowed more oxygen to the body and brain.   Next thing he knew the cravings had eased and he'd won the tiny inner battle - until next time (you didn't think it was that easy did you?).  Win enough battles and you'll win the war. Guaranteed. 

Its my belief that you can - with willpower and a plan - change bad habits to good. however, the next step up - addiction - is a serious condition which needs professional intervention.  If you feel that your bad habits are out of control you owe it to yourself to seek treatment.

Incorporate activity into your habit-busting plan
to keep the crocs at bay

So if you are struggling with a bad habit that you just can't seem to shake, incorporate physical activity when the cravings come knocking and you'll be sure to keep the crocs from snapping at your heels.

Clowning Around with Gratitude

To most five year olds in Brisbane they're known as Peebo and Dagwood - the 40 year old identical twins who surprise and delight their young audience with song, comedy and magic during their 30 minute clown show.  They do what they love and love what they do and the proof is always in the magic pudding - the kids love them in droves.  

But away from the colourful wigs, over-sized, turned-up shoes and painted-on smiles they are Peter and David, avid photographers, fitness freaks and......double lung recipients.  

Born eight weeks premature with life-threatening cystic fibrosis, David was first hospitalised at 15 and Peter at 19.  Two-hundred hospital admissions latter, they underwent lifesaving surgery in 2005 to replace their scarred and damaged lungs.  After his transplant Peter suffered major complications that put him in intensive care for four weeks.  He lost 24kgs and at one stage was given 48 hours to live.

Years of recuperation followed with physio treatment and the never ending pill-popping of anti-rejection drugs.  They began clowning as a way of giving back to the hospital which was by now a second home. 

Despite their momentous hardships Peter and David don't know the meaning of a life half-lived.  They don't proclaim gratitude - they live it - in every waking moment. 

During their clowning act you can feel the sparkle in their eyes, hear the wonder in their voice and see the tremble in their hands....every gig is as energetic as their last.  They joke that five years is all you get out of a lung transplant - that was five years ago.....but that's their shtick, seeing the humor in everything.

We have a lot to learn from Peter and David - a lesson in gratitude and appreciating the moment. Yes, life gets busy and crazy and complicated - but sometimes we need to pause and reboot our thinking.

Here's a simple routine I find works. The minute you open your eyes each morning, become aware of your surroundings and take a moment to reflect on:

1. What is good in your life

2. What isn't 

3. What do I have to do to change the 'isn't' to 'good' 

My simple gratitudes are: being without emotional or physical pain, the love of my wife and kids, the roof over my head, a hot shower, teaching my kids to be healthy through example, the ability to meet new people, freedom.....

What are you grateful for?

Try this little routine each day and I guarantee your outer world will match the fabric of your inner world and things will seem a little less rushed and a little less important.  If anything you will breathe easier... through a pair of lungs which are yours.

Peebo and Dagwood

Selfishness V's Self Responsibility

Last week I had the good fortune to visit Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service in Mackay.  It's a wonderful close-knit organisation which rescues over 400 people each year from a variety of dire situations -  car crashes,  sinking yachts, lost bush walkers and whooping cough babies.Their mission is simple - to save lives by providing rapid response with critical medical care.  They can mobilize a helicopter to be on its way in less then six minutes.  These impressive operations don't happen by accident.  Each crew member, doctor and pilot are strong, fit and healthy and I met them all. 


In one corner of the massive helicopter hanger is a gym complete with weights benches, climbing ropes, chin up bars and treadmills.  It was easy to workout why the emergency staff are so fit..they workout!  Being and maintaining fitness is obviously a 'non-negotiable' on their position description. They look after themselves so they can look after others. The fitter they are, the faster, the stronger - the better the care.

How many of us can say the same thing? How many of us ensure our well being is a central theme in our lives. I can hear you say, "Yeah but I don't save lives everyday...." I disagree.  If you're a mother, father, carer or partner - you are in the position of influence.  The welfare of others is dependent on the welfare of you.  

In our house, my wife and I invest in our health everyday by exercising and eating right.  Our kids reap the rewards because they too live healthy. They see us working out rather than vegging out.

The priority to exercise and eat right may be seen as selfish, however, I have a different view.  I call it self responsibility.  We are being self responsible when when we prioritise, each day, doing what we need to do in order to recover and renew our physical, mental and emotional well being.  That means we must choose to make time to exercise, eating healthy meals, rest, recovery and sleep. 

If you are a caretaker by nature, as I am, it is important to remember that we can't give what we don't have - and when you are low on energy and strength it's time to make renewing and re-energising ourselves a top priority and I promise, you will find more to give others who need your help.

A Bell 412 - CQ Rescue's helicopter of choice 

From Sluggish to Flourish - 5 Ways to Improve your Health at Work

Feeling tired and sluggish or finding it hard to make it to 3pm without raiding the office cookie jar?  Does your business suit feel a little too snug?

Many organisations in Australia now offer staff health programs - an encouraging trend – particularly as emerging studies continually support the view that a healthy employee is an engaged employee.  I have long believed that organisations who nurture the health needs of employees not only see better productivity but improved attraction and retention of employees as well.

Here are some simple tips to turn your work day from sluggish to flourish.

1. Walking During Lunch
Doing something as simple as a brisk 30 minute walk during lunch breaks can boost fat loss and provide an extra boost to your metabolism.  A US study found that women who increased their activity level by an additional 3,500 steps a day lost 2.5 kgs during the year.  The study also found that men who added an additional 3,500 steps to their day lost over 4kgs per year. Walking is a suitable physical activity for most people as it is low impact and easy to do. Regular walking, in the long term, will improve your ‘heat/lung’ fitness and reduce the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers.   I guarantee it will also do wonders for your concentration, particularly in the afternoons, when your energy level starts to drop.

2. Bring Your Own Lunch
Processed foods contain some of the highest levels of sodium and preservatives than any foods consumed in a healthy diet. If you're regularly buying lunch from restaurants and food courts you are being exposed to high levels of sodium which can total three times the daily recommended amount of sodium from one meal (150mg of sodium is recommended per meal.

Some other benefits of BYO lunch include:
- A guaranteed source of nutrients - you made it,therefore, you know what's in   it
- Less ‘binge’ eating - once its gone, its gone
- Increase in overall body fat loss
- A decrease in the amount of bloating or water retention
- Less money spent on fast food = more money in your hip pocket

3. Stand Up
Stand every 30 minutes for a 10 minute break.  This routine breaks fatigue and promotes blood and nutrients circulation.  A couple of tips to get you moving in the right direction;

1. Rather than send an email. Walk to the other end of the office and talk to the person you are sending the email to.

2. Take the stairs as often as you can throughout the day.

3. Have a walking meeting.

4. Drink Water
Water is essential for the human body. The body cannot store water and must have fresh supplies every day to perform virtually every metabolic process. Most mature adults lose about 2.5–3 litres of water per day even if you're not exercising. Water loss may be more in hot weather and with prolonged exercise. Therefore, it is vital to restore this water loss at work, by drinking at least 1 litre of water per day.  If you work out doors you would need to drink much more than this to replenish water loss.

5. Get The office Involved
Many workplaces have fresh fruit on offer, the staff of CareFlight Queensland cleverly bought a blender for the office and used any leftover fruit to blend into a healthy smoothie.

1.  Enter a work team for a beginner’s triathlon, or a Corporate Rowing or       Dragon Boating Challenge.

2.  One IT organisation got together on a weekend and built a walking track around their office for lunch time use.

The wonderful fundraising team at CareFlight QLD

There you have it – simple yet effective ways to get moving and feel healthier at work. Enjoy!