It was a year ago yesterday when I was forced to make a choice.  I had to make the choice to live a healthier lifestyle and change my habits.

Last summer, I started having some heart palpitations.  This caused some concern and I saw a doctor about it.   There was really nothing too major.  My heart is likely easily over-stimulated and I was consuming copious amounts of coffee, along with dealing with a little more stress than normal.

The battery of tests they ran revealed another problem, though, and I was sent to an internal medicine specialist, whom I saw on October 29, 2007.  He informed me that my LDLs (BAD Cholesterol) were way too high in relation to my HDLs (GOOD Cholesterol).  He told me that if things didn’t change I would need to start taking medication to regulate these levels in the near future.  He told me that I needed to change my diet and increase my exercise level significantly.  At the time, I was pushing 200 Lbs.

I got started right away, literally running on a treadmill (not lasting very long) that night, and continuing daily for a while.  I also changed my diet immediately.  He recommended the G.I. Diet (which I also recommend).  With the help of my wife, I totally change my eating habits overnight.  For the next six months, I followed the diet rigorously.  My weight dropped to 175 Lbs, which for my height, is a little more healthy.

In recent days, I haven’t followed either of these as closely.  Yesterday was a good reminder of the urgent tone that the doctor used when he spoke to me.  I remain about 175 Lbs right, but it’s so easy to over-indulge and to become lazy without thinking twice.  I need to get some blood tests again and hopefully things are moving in the right direction, but I need to re-commit to the diet and exercise as rigorously as I had been.  This is for my own good, for my future, for my family.

I got a wake-up call last October and had a pretty good reminder yesterday.  This was a major one for me, as I know my family has a tendency toward high Cholesterol and blocked arteries.  My mom actually had an angiogram yesterday – thankfully she received good news in that regard.  For me, dealing with this problem now is a key to prevention later on in life.

I think its easy to get careless in life, forgetting to take care of our bodies, our relationships and our spiritual well-being.  Sometimes we need a wake-up call, like I received.  I’m thankful for the heart palpitations I had last summer, because they led me to the change I needed.  Is there a wake-up call needed in your life?  Is there something you need to change?  Choose to do it now, before it becomes a much bigger problem.

That’s all for now… gotta run (not tonight – far too late)