The vital importance of staying healthy and looking after yourself.

[Bass-Thing]

Had a bit of a reality check today folks, when my father in law was taken to hospital this morning with a suspected heart attack. A few years ago he had a triple bypass and more recently, thank God, he has beaten prostate cancer.

Thing is he's in his early 70's but six years ago at the grand old age of 44 I suffered a stroke. It was only a small one and I made pretty much a full recovery (my fingering hand can be a bit unco-operative sometimes and I have short term memory issues and I still trip over big words) but it put two things into clear perspective. Firstly I had to start looking after myself a lot better and secondly, if I was planning on getting around to doing something sometime, I needed to do it now! For me this was picking up a bass and falling in love with it all over again so in many ways I'm grateful for the wakeup call. Having said that I never ever want to be as scared as I was when I physically was unable to speak.

The key issues for me were high stress and high blood pressure. Since that time I've dropped a couple of stone and I work out pretty much everyday. I have been a meditator for a long time but had slipped a bit. Now I'm back to being regular twice daily everyday. I'm on very low dose meds simply because they don't do me any harm and actually help. I take every day as it comes and make the most of the time I spend with my family. The more music I play, the better and less stressed I feel.

Recently in the July issue of Bass Player magazine, there is a very interesting article about 71 year old Chuck Rainey, who's fought his way back from a stroke that paralysed the left side of his body a year ago. He is now back to playing again thank God, but he was very lucky and his advice is the same as mine. Whatever your age get regular checkups and in particular keep an eye on your blood pressure. If it's high, do something about it. Go to your doctor and get treatment. Imagine how you would feel if one day, you couldn't play anymore. We always regret the things we didn't do.

[chrismuzz]

I'm only 25, and not had any proper health issues really, but this year I started going back to the gym, eating a little more regularly and healthily, and making sure that I play. Music, or do stuff for myself a bit more often. There are more than just physical benefits to it as my mood is generally lots better, along with my self esteem.. and I even noticed a difference in my skin and hair, which is a pleasant surprise! Doesn't take more than a week or two to start noticing the positive effects either! All for something as simple as going to the gym or a run a couple of times a week, and being a teeny bit more selfish

[mrtcat]

Couldn't agree more. Healthy lifestyle is sooooo important. I have had a shoulder injury recently and let it become an excuse for not exercising. Since that point i've become miserable, stressed and have been sleeping badly. Losing my job didnt help but you need to take care of number one and a healthy body really does bring a healthy mind.

[Lozz196]

Yep, very true. I`ve felt rough for a long time, so have let my jogging slip. Am waiting on having my tonsils out, which the consultant reckons will have a major impact on my general well-being. Anyway, have bought an exercise bike, and doing just 30mins a day, am really feeling the benefit - not just the physical, but the mental side, feel a lot better within myself.

[paul_5]

I've just made some room in my man-shed and am considering getting an exercise thingy in there, with two boys (nearly 2 and 5) it's hard to find the time (and energy) to exercise regularly.

[LiamPodmore]

I've recently became more concious about my weight and i've decided that i'm going to start excercising a lot more, weekly squash and swimming sessions with one of my friends, and i'm planning on getting a gym membership too. I know i'll feel better once i do, and it'l help me with my gigging.

Liam

[Hobbayne]

I was told my BP was too high and to lose some weight. The doc said only 30 mins exercise a day, no need to go mad, and I have lost a stone in a month without puffing and wheezing in the gym.

[Bass-Thing]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1342986028' post='1743522']
I'm only 25, and not had any proper health issues really, but this year I started going back to the gym, eating a little more regularly and healthily, and making sure that I play. Music, or do stuff for myself a bit more often. There are more than just physical benefits to it as my mood is generally lots better, along with my self esteem.. and I even noticed a difference in my skin and hair, which is a pleasant surprise! Doesn't take more than a week or two to start noticing the positive effects either! All for something as simple as going to the gym or a run a couple of times a week, and being a teeny bit more selfish
[/quote]

After it had happened my GP said it was all about 'me' time and I've made sure there's been plenty ever since.

[Bass-Thing]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1342993167' post='1743670']
I've just made some room in my man-shed and am considering getting an exercise thingy in there, with two boys (nearly 2 and 5) it's hard to find the time (and energy) to exercise regularly.
[/quote]

Converting my garage to a gym was the best thing I ever did. In the past I've wasted loads on gym memberships I didn't use, plus gyms tend to be full of handpumps. I've got a couple of good cardio machines, a multigym and a great set of dumbells. I watch dvd box sets on the 42" flat screen on the wall. It all cost less than the price of a years gym membership (or a decent bass!). Go for it mate!

[paul_5]

yeah, when I say man-shed, what I really mean is 'garden shed'. might [i]just[/i] squeeze a bike in there...

[merlin]

Hi I was really fit and very active at the beginning of the year,I think it saved my life..I thought that I had man flu then a chest infection but carried on working..wrong it was an infection munching away at my heart,its not good when the doc said "oh you have had an heart attack".. So now five months later two stone heaver,not even able to carry shopping,not allowed to exercise,at the moment....yes being fit can save your life,and I cant wait for the all clear.. so all that I can say is listen to your body(.I can still play for short periods)

[paul torch]

I really need to get back on the daily exercise thing. Since I've started working for myself from home I have very little structure in my day.

Have been thinking of joining some sort of local martial art club, probably Wing Chun, just to discipline me into doing regular exercise again.

[SpaceChick]

[quote name='merlin' timestamp='1343030691' post='1743867']
Hi I was really fit and very active at the beginning of the year,I think it saved my life..I thought that I had man flu then a chest infection but carried on working..wrong it was an infection munching away at my heart,its not good when the doc said "oh you have had an heart attack".. So now five months later two stone heaver,not even able to carry shopping,not allowed to exercise,at the moment....yes being fit can save your life,and I cant wait for the all clear.. so all that I can say is listen to your body(.I can still play for short periods)
[/quote]

So sorry about that.

I too had an infection at Christmas, the infection attacked my heart and I developed myocarditis. I was off work for two months, but thankfully now I am well on the road to recovery. I still can't do any heavy lifting or heavy exercise and I get out of breath easily if I overdo it, but I feel I had a lucky escape!

I'm only 38!!

I think that my healthy diet helped me, although the lack of physical exercise has meant I have piled some pounds on.

What it did make me realise was life is too short, so I took up two things I always wanted to be able to do.... the first was learning to knit! This helped me when I was sofa bound for 2 months! the second when I got well enough was learning to play bass!!

I am loving both my knitting (she says typing in a hand knitted jumper.... sad but true) and my bass playing.

[Gust0o]

Seconded.

I'm in the gym 3-4 times a week. You don't need to go for hours on end and flog yourself into the ground - as long as you're in there and getting a sweat on, you're doing yourself some good at least.

I've had a bit of a heavy weekend, wracking up the beers on Sat; and then out for dinner on Sunday, so I feel like a blob this morning. Doesn't take long to shift, however.

[paul torch]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1343031731' post='1743876']
Seconded.

I'm in the gym 3-4 times a week. You don't need to go for hours on end and flog yourself into the ground - as long as you're in there and getting a sweat on, you're doing yourself some good at least.

I've had a bit of a heavy weekend, wracking up the beers on Sat; and then out for dinner on Sunday, so I feel like a blob this morning. Doesn't take long to shift, however.
[/quote]

I use dot go to the gym but, personally, I find that kind of exercise a little tedious. That's why I prefer to do things that incorporate some type of mental well-being as well. I used to enjoy running but my aching knees won't allow me to do it for any great length of time.

I guess that is why I want to look into the martial art side of things, I'll be getting out of the house, meeting people on a regular basis and working on the spiritual side of things as well as the obvious health and fitness side of things.

Incidently, I had no interest at all in fitness until I was put under doctors orders due to a couple of "wobbles" a few years back.

[Bass-Thing]

[quote name='paul torch' timestamp='1343032126' post='1743883']
I use dot go to the gym but, personally, I find that kind of exercise a little tedious. That's why I prefer to do things that incorporate some type of mental well-being as well. I used to enjoy running but my aching knees won't allow me to do it for any great length of time.

I guess that is why I want to look into the martial art side of things, I'll be getting out of the house, meeting people on a regular basis and working on the spiritual side of things as well as the obvious health and fitness side of things.

Incidently, I had no interest at all in fitness until I was put under doctors orders due to a couple of "wobbles" a few years back.
[/quote]

You might want to check out Wudan Tai Chi, which is the practical sort. It's almost yoga/meditation like but at the same time more effective than something like taekwondo. I wish I still did it but nobody teaches it in our area.
Cardio excercise can be very tedious but I've found the most pleasurable way of doing it is working my way through a DVD box set while sitting on a recumbent bike. No back or knee issues and you look forward to the next episode.

[paul torch]

[quote name='Bass-Thing' timestamp='1343033639' post='1743907']
You might want to check out Wudan Tai Chi, which is the practical sort. It's almost yoga/meditation like but at the same time more effective than something like taekwondo. I wish I still did it but nobody teaches it in our area.
Cardio excercise can be very tedious but I've found the most pleasurable way of doing it is working my way through a DVD box set while sitting on a recumbent bike. No back or knee issues and you look forward to the next episode.
[/quote]

Thanks for the advice. I've started doing a bit of research into local clubs and found a couple that sound interesting. I like the idea of wing chun as it reminds me of Tai Chi which I studied for a short spell a few years back, particularly the "sticky hands" part.

[BottomE]

Good advice. After a layoff i have been going regularly, Mon, Wed, Fri to the gym on the way home from work. Feels good after doing a workout. The gym has a computerised system linked to all the machinery so you can keep a really good overview of what you have been doing.

Weekly regime adds up to about 50km running and/or cycling, loads of stretching, 15,000 Kg of weights and the occasional swim. Only takes an hour or so to do the workout and home in time for tea

[Steve G]

Good luck everyone!

Had a similiar thought over the weekend. I'm 36, my dad 66, he helped me move a load of paving slabs (3'x2' 2 person lift jobies) and did great considering his age. He has always had an active job. Me, I sit at a computer screen 8 hours a day, do this for the next 30 years and I ain't gonna be lifting slabs at 66. time to get some more activity in my life too I think.

[tonyf]

Interesting stuff so far.

Like a lot of others on this thread, I'm at the same point where I need to be more proactive.

I'm 44 and a type 1 diabetic (diagnosed when I was 10). My control has always been good and I've had no problems but I think my metabolism has started to slow a little as I've started to put a little weight on whilst doing the same and eating the same as I've always done.

In terms of the gym, I've always found it hard getting the motivation to exercise but I think I've started to realise that it's a necessarily evil now. I guess for me, it's about making some sensible decisions and trying to at least make a bit more of an effort. As I don't like the gym, I've decided that there's other things that I can be doing. I went out last week and treated myself to some running shoes and there's my bike too. I'm also buying an electronic drum kit for the garage as that's something I've wanted to do for a while and that's gonna help as it's a bit of physical movement.

I also need to cut back on the booze and eat a little more sensibly.

It's tough at the moment as it's sobering that I've gotta sweat a bit but as they say, no pain, no gain.

[Bass-Thing]

[quote name='paul torch' timestamp='1343035842' post='1743944']
Thanks for the advice. I've started doing a bit of research into local clubs and found a couple that sound interesting. I like the idea of wing chun as it reminds me of Tai Chi which I studied for a short spell a few years back, particularly the "sticky hands" part.
[/quote]

Wing Chung is great. A bit 'harder' than tai chi but similar principles. I must say I preferred pushing hands. The other big problem with sticky hands is that you will have to change or boil your stings a lot more often!!! (sorry couldn't resist it)

[Bass-Thing]

[quote name='tonyf' timestamp='1343044627' post='1744135']
Interesting stuff so far.

Like a lot of others on this thread, I'm at the same point where I need to be more proactive.

I'm 44 and a type 1 diabetic (diagnosed when I was 10). My control has always been good and I've had no problems but I think my metabolism has started to slow a little as I've started to put a little weight on whilst doing the same and eating the same as I've always done.

In terms of the gym, I've always found it hard getting the motivation to exercise but I think I've started to realise that it's a necessarily evil now. I guess for me, it's about making some sensible decisions and trying to at least make a bit more of an effort. As I don't like the gym, I've decided that there's other things that I can be doing. I went out last week and treated myself to some running shoes and there's my bike too. I'm also buying an electronic drum kit for the garage as that's something I've wanted to do for a while and that's gonna help as it's a bit of physical movement.

I also need to cut back on the booze and eat a little more sensibly.

It's tough at the moment as it's sobering that I've gotta sweat a bit but as they say, no pain, no gain.
[/quote]

It gets harder and harder to keep weight off as you pass your mid 30s, plus your insides actually start expanding which is where 'middle age spread' comes from. Booze is the biggest culprit though and it seems to me the older we get the more we need!

[tonyf]

[quote name='Bass-Thing' timestamp='1343049342' post='1744246']
It gets harder and harder to keep weight off as you pass your mid 30s, plus your insides actually start expanding which is where 'middle age spread' comes from. Booze is the biggest culprit though and it seems to me the older we get the more we need!
[/quote]

Amen brother

[merlin]

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1343031719' post='1743875']
So sorry about that.

I too had an infection at Christmas, the infection attacked my heart and I developed myocarditis. I was off work for two months, but thankfully now I am well on the road to recovery. I still can't do any heavy lifting or heavy exercise and I get out of breath easily if I overdo it, but I feel I had a lucky escape!


I think that my healthy diet helped me, although the lack of physical exercise has meant I have piled some pounds on.

What it did make me realise was life is too short, so I took up two things I always wanted to be able to do.... the first was learning to knit! This helped me when I was sofa bound for 2 months! the second when I got well enough was learning to play bass!!

I am loving both my knitting (she says typing in a hand knitted jumper.... sad but true) and my bass playing.great to hear your on the mend,
[/quote]

[Grim13]

Get a dog if at all possible! I used to join the posers down the gym, but I never shifted my gut. We adopted a little staffy cross 3 years ago and I've been lean ever since. I'm within a pound of my ideal weight, which is important as I suffer from a chronic condition that takes a lot out of me. An hour or 2 walking through the woods just watching 'the boy' scampering about with no one else around is fantastic. You don't even realise that you are exercising. There isn't much chance of a training injury, either.

You only understand how important your health is when you lose it. At that point, the NHS seems like an utter miracle. I'm only here now because of it.