Posts Tagged ‘family health’

Continuing with the story about women and the heart….

Some background;  for the past 20 years or so, I have been delving into what used to be called ‘New Age Spirituality’, and now I simply call it ‘my spirituality’.  My spirituality feels like a personal and unique blend of Christianity and Buddhism, with hints of other major religions thrown in with a lot of meditation and yoga.  I’ve read many self help, personal development, integral theory, and new age spirituality books.  As a working mom and professional woman, I did a mid-life career shift (after a couple of decades working as a Nutritionist ) and took professional training into life & leadership coaching, using a body centered, whole systems orientation.

About three years ago, my husband informed me that two ‘suspicious spots’ had been seen on his lung.  Not long after, I attended a seminar about critical illness insurance for the self-employed business woman and decided I needed to take out this type of insurance as I had a family history of both cancer and heart disease.  We were in a state of hopeful/hopeless anticipation of the results of his lung biopsy.  To add to the health concern, my husband had also developed pulmonary emboli also known as lung clots, in both lungs.

As one may imagine, I was very worried about my husband, about our family, about how I would support three daughters as a professional woman if my husband died.  My mind utilizes ‘worst case scenarioizing’ very well!  At the time I was 51 years old.

I was also going through menopause and was taking a compounded progesterone for the symptoms.

We had just returned from a sailing trip where we had ‘weathered’ a significant storm of over 40 km per hour winds and where our engine had almost failed, resulting in a very scary couple of hours on the water with an accompanying surge of adrenalin.

To re-cap, between us; we had money worries due to reduced income, health worries, significant additional stress, menopause, three daughters to support and help with college, possible lung cancer, a really bad scare, pulmonary emboli and a recently purchased critical illness policy.  I also found out later that I had undiagnosed ‘essential hypertension’ or high blood pressure. I had ‘gained a few pounds’ over the past years although I regularly exercised, was a non smoker and drinker and ate in a healthy way!  I looked pretty healthy for my age.

I engaged in daily meditation and walks and was reading a lot of Buddhist teachings about ‘keeping the heart open’ and  without actually being trained in the practice, using a breathing practice called tonglen , where you breathe in the pain of the world and breathe out clear healing love.

What happened was that I was ‘broken hearted’!  My heart literally broke!

On a Monday morning after a ‘power walk’ and coffee, I experienced shortness of breath and felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest.  This heavy sensation wasn’t in any way painful, but it was uncomfortable.  I had a tiny bit of pain in my neck and right shoulder.  The ‘heavy’ sensation came and went about three times after which I googled ‘symptoms of a heart attack in women’.  I basically had all the symptoms and had my daughter drive me to the hospital half of me thinking that I was having a panic attack and in my mind, calling myself a ‘drama queen’ and the other half, the holistic health half saying ‘listen to your body and take this seriously’!  I’m very fortunate that I did listen to my inner wisdom and trust my body’s messages!

I was not having a panic attack, I had in fact had a ‘spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)’, where an flap of tissue from inside my heart artery tore off the wall of the heart and blocked the blood flow, resulting in a heart attack or MI.  I found out later that this type of heart attack is diagnosed in 70% of the cases upon autopsy and is not very common.  It happens more often in women and is associated with stress and changes in hormones and blood pressure. It has sometimes been called  ’Japanese Widows Syndrome’, as when a Japanese woman would suffer a heart attack  and die, just after her husband’s death!  In the hospital, my Cardiologist, Dr. Hamburger said that I had a ‘broken heart’, likely in some part caused by stress about my husband. If you google ‘SCAD’, you will find much more information

This may all sound very sad and upsetting and yes, it is and it was.  However, as a result of all of the above, our lives are better and we will live healthier and longer!  I can summarize the good results as:

- my ‘essential hypertension’ and ‘Syndrome X’ was diagnosed and I am now on appropriate medication.

- my husband was found to have a ‘clotting deficiency’ and likely would have died young from a heart attack but is now on the appropriate medication.

- as a result of thinking he had ‘lung cancer’ (he doesn’t) , my husband’s doctor reacted very quickly to my husband’s back pain (caused by the blood clots in his lung), which likely save his life.

- we both made further major healthy lifestyle changes.

- I received a significant critical illness claim which has helped tremendously with our daughters’ post secondary education!

- I have developed a very healthy respect for the power of spiritual practices and am daily reminded of what a beginner I am!

- I appreciate every day that I am alive and my family is well.

- I still chuckle that a former dietitian (moi)  would have a Cardiologist named Dr. Hamburger!

- I tell my story to help inform other women about heart disease, the symptoms of a heart attack in women and SACAD, so that any woman feeling ‘weird sensations’ (heaviness, difficulty catching your breath, tightness in chest, shortness of breath)  in her chest, will go immediately to the closest hospital emergency ward!  Please check with your local health authority for a complete list of heart attack symptoms in women.  In Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is a great resource!

- I practice meditation and yoga and have a wonderful life!  I’m not quite sure what to make about the financial windfall part of this, however, I believe the ‘law of attraction’ was at play!

My life lessons from this experience?

- trust your inner wisdom

- listen to your body messages

- we are more connected than we think

- the mind body connection is powerful!

- trust that even though sad things happen, there is a bigger stronger more powerful loving force at work!

- the law of attraction is powerful!

- women are wise

- sometimes bad things turn out to be good things

- pay attention to life work balance

- have fun, be joyful, love!

Please share this information with other women and be aware that heart disease and stroke are big health issues for women and take good care of your heart and your health!

 

in peace & mindfulness,

namaste,

Zoey

 

Have you heard about a type of ‘heart attack’ or ‘myocardial infarction (MI)’ called a ‘spontaneous coronary artery dissection or SACAD’?

It is literally the type of heart attack where the heart is broken!

I know because I have had one!

The month of February holds Valentines Day and is also Heart & Stroke Month in Canada. Did you know that Canadian women are more likely to die of heart attacks and stroke than anything else? Even though we are better informed about health and are generally healthier, there are still gaps in our understanding of heart disease.

Over the coming week, I want to tell you more about SACADs so that you will be aware of this type of heart attack as well as more well known types of heart disease.

Stay tuned!

In peace & mindfulness

namaste,

Zoey

 

Celebrate World Happy Day with a special screening of the movie “Happy” at the link below!

| World Happy Day.

 

 

namaste,

Zoey

A big shout out of support for breast feeding moms who refuse to be intimidated or shamed by any organization! Breast feeding is normal, healthy & wholesome.

The World Health Organization has very clear guidelines and illustrates the major health benefits of breast feeding for both mom & baby!

From: the Unconditional Love Group on Facebook

To help you design & live your life like this, I would like to gift you with a free download of  the ‘Topaz Lotus Life Crafter 2012‘

 

In peace & mindfulness

namaste,

Zoey

wisdom coaching to set your heart on fire and soothe your soul

 

 

 

I’m starting my work day off with some meditation, what about you?

 

I find that if I spend a few moments at my desk, in quietness and meditation, my day flows forward in a smoother way.

Here are some tips:

- start with some grounding exercises, feeling your feet solidly on the floor.

- take 3 cleansing breaths

- clear your mind

- focus on your breath, in out, in out.

- notice the space between your thoughts, what does it feel like.

- finish with 3 deep breaths

- come back to your day.

 

Envision your day flowing smoothly with joy and ease!

 

namaste,

 

Zoey

 

coaching for your heart and soul

Living a Life With Heart: Values and Needs

During the next few weeks, the theme for posting will be ‘the heart’ in honour of Valentines Day and the spirit of love!

From my perspective as a life, leadership & executive coach, living a life with heart includes living a life anchored in clear and deeply held values and understanding how unmet needs might get in the way of this.

I want to share my process in this area of values and needs.  Prior to completing my coach training, I had a vague idea of all of this stuff.  I figured I was pretty clear on my values, sort of knew the meaning and difference between a value and a need and I have to say was pretty darn smug.  Through my coach training, which included a lot of introspection and journaling, what I learned about myself was actually shocking to me.  I learned that for basically my entire life, I had been operating my life from a place of unmet needs rather than from a place of clearly known and held values.  I had thought I was so clear on who I was and where I was going, that learning new information about myself was unsettling.  Now, from the perspective of time, I see that this was very important “unsettling”, it was like stirring up the bottom of a clear mountain lake and dislodging bits of garbage that had been caught on sunken tree branches.  Self-reflection and introspection, allowed the garbage to float to the surface to be skimmed off and thrown away.  Developing clarity around my crystal and rubber values and about my needs has allowed me to take control of my life and create my future to be in alignment with my deeply held crystal values.

So, to further set context and share  common language, I offer the following definitions and in doing this I have drawn from these resources: Webster’s dictionary, “The Portable Coach” by Thomas Leonard, “Co-Active Coaching” by Whitworth, Kimsey and House and the “Professional Foundations for Masterful Coaches” program by Jeanine Sandstrom and Lee Smith.

A Value: something intrinsically valuable or desirable, human rather than material.  Values are the essence of who you are.  Values are principles that you hold to be of worth in your life and are the activities, preferences or behaviours that you are naturally drawn to and that attract you.  Values are those things considered right, worthwhile and desirable-the basis for guiding principles and standards.  Values fulfill you.

A Need: implies a lack of something requisite, desirable or useful.  Needs are resources, people, feelings, situations, or environments you must have in order to be your best.  Meeting needs gives a sense of satisfaction and there is often a sense of urgency around needs.

Now, a couple more definitions in the area of values and I want to thank Betty Healey, a fellow coach with the Strategic Attraction Community for sharing this.

A crystal value: is a value that is so important to you that if it is not incorporated into your life, causes your life to shatter.  Think of what happens if you drop a crystal ball.  Taking the crystal ball imagery further, a crystal value calls you forward into your future.

A rubber value: is a value that is important but that can bounce away, out of your life and then back again, like a rubber ball with out you feeling dissonance.

What do you think your values and needs are?  If you would like some help with this, let me know!  That’s what a coach is for.

In peace & mindfulness,

namaste,

Zoey

coaching for your heart & soul

inspirational catalyst for personal development and leadership skills & development

“Create Your Life with Heart”

I want to share a story with you that is a real life example of the process used to create your life with heart.

I have spent the past 15 or so years learning about metaphysical principles and spirituality and how these principles can be used for personal transformation and I find the whole area fascinating.  It was in the late 1990’s that I decided to deepen my learning, use the principles in my work and becoming a coach seemed to be the perfect fit.  At the time I was still working in health care but made the commitment to do a mid-life career shift and become a professional life & business coach.  I felt “called” to become a coach, it was a “burning desire” within my heart and what I felt I was meant to do.

I desperately wanted to sign up for coach training, yet we were at a place in our family finances where there wasn’t a lot of extra disposable income.  We had three kids with braces and on-going orthodontic work, say no more!  I decided to put the prosperity principles that I had been learning about into practice.

I made the commitment to become a coach, put a small deposit on my first training workshop, tuned myself up into a place of knowing and believing that the rest of the money would show up, brought in feelings of fulfillment and joy imagining myself working as a coach and let go of any attachment to timing and an outcome.  Guess what happened?  Not more than two days later, I received a cheque from Revenue Canada for child tax credits from my tax return from two years previous that I had no idea I was owed and even more astounding, the cheque was within $5 of the amount needed for my first coach training workshop!  That was the proof I needed to trust these principles fully and went on to complete my coach training and certification.

This story is a powerful example of the law of attraction at work!

You are the artist, storyteller and author of your own life and you can write and create whatever script you desire!

In peace & mindfulness,

namaste,

Zoey

This is important  health information for all Canadians and adds to the importance of knowing where your food is coming from!  Please share widely!

Note the opinion of a respected Canadian physician.

From the Montreal Gazette:

Japanese radiation may pose threat to Canadian fish eaters: anti-nuclear group.

What a wonderful time to think about fresh new beginnings and honour our creative energy as women!

Enjoy this quote:

“The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanely sensitive. To them… a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create — so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, their very breath is cut off… They must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency they are not really alive unless they are creating.” - Pearl Buck

Enjoy your week and feel that spark of creativity!

In peace & mindfulness,

namaste,

Zoey