Huma|n/A|natomy
The Heart
Apothcrypha is not a doctor.
I am neither a doctor nor do I play one on TV. This website is a work in progress & updated regularly. If you have anything to add, please do contact me!
Huma|n/A|natomy
The Heart
Apothcrypha is not a doctor.
I am neither a doctor nor do I play one on TV. This website is a work in progress & updated regularly. If you have anything to add, please do contact me!
…is not a fan of viruses
The issues that developed for me after covid with my heart were minimal. It did however do some serious damage to some members of my family. My mother in law went into heart failure and is now “fully bionic” as I like to call her. Having been a woman of boundless energy prior, it’s been difficult for her to adjust to her new life since having a pacemaker and defibrillator put in, same for my uncle in law who is now in an assisted living facility at the age of 60. Both of whom were infected the same time as I. My Uncle in-law had prior health issues, but this virus sent him downhill hard.
A few more in the family developed various other heart related issues & arrhythmias. My now 21 year old son has bouts of tachycardia.
For me, I realized I was having massive blood pressure spikes rather late in the game because they were a mere spike that would calm within minutes of sitting. As I continued making changes to my lifestyle they eased becoming moot so I never really explored it. I also developed Pre-mature Ventricular Contractions (PVC’s) which for me are merely annoying and aggravated by caffeine.
The heart is an incredible piece of machinery, from its ability to move oxygen to the rest of the body in such a perfect manner to its ability to drive decision making and store memory. It’s truly the centerpiece to our bodies & souls. It’s our very essence and driving force.
Practical heart healthy tips for living with Long Covid
- See a doctor. It's possible they aren't going to find anything wrong, however it's important to rule out any other issues that Covid may have flared up because it angers all sorts of things.
- Be patient with yourself
- Track your vitals (Invest in a pulse oximeter & BP cuff)
- Pace yourself, but gradually reintroduce mild exercise under a doctors supervision to rebuild your O2 max
- Retrain your heartrate under a doctor's supervision. If you have Post Exertional Malaise- DONT push yourself.
- Join a support group
- Avoid Post Exertional Malaise (PEM) by adopting the energy bank system
- If you can't do it today, tomorrow is another day.
- Learn your new limits, which are an ever moving target. Listen to your body to try to anticipate its needs based on how you feel and stop BEFORE you exhaust yourself.
- Accept that you may have to work for your health moving forward and its possible we may never fully recover, but in some ways you may end up better than you were before.
- Rest often, when needed & prioritize restful sleep, which is where you body can do it's most efficient healing.
- Improve Bloodflow
- Reduce Stress
- Reduce/ eliminate Alcohol
- Reduce/ eliminate Caffeine
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce/ eliminate fried & processed foods
- Eat heart healthy (included in the daily meals, many are the same for brain and inflammation)
- Humor is important
Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM):
The Energy Bank Has Declared You Bankrupt
Before COVID we had what I like to call an “Energy Credit” where if we overextended ourselves or missed a night of sleep it wouldn’t affect us very much. We may have been a little tired, but we could compensate with a cup of coffee and carry on abusing our bodies with minimal consequence… and let’s be honest we were all probably abusing our bodies in some way.
Well, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your credit has been revoked.
Zip, Zilch, Nada… But you keep spending!
The good news is now that you have this knowledge you can start gaining more control of your life. You can have more quality time with fewer crashes & flare ups if you start treating your energy as a currency.
Post-exertional symptom exacerbation can be triggered by physical, cognitive, mental, social or emotional exertions, and varies among different people.
Using your brain or body to do anything are energy expenditures, they can be more like investments such as learning something new or exercising but everything you choose to do has a cost & some activities are more expensive than others. But just like having to budget any other currency, you now have to budget your energy by weighing every action & replenishing your energy reserves when they get low. For your brain & body energy this means eating nutrient rich foods or sleep.
Aim to spend only 80% of your total energy reserves conserving the remaining 20% for unexpected expenditures that might arise to push you into energy debt. Some things are out of your control, its wise to keep that reserves for things like a late night with a sick child.
Now if you overspend without credit… you’re going to go into energy debt and if you go into debt without credit, you’re penalized based on how much you overspent.
REMEMBER: When your energy reserves get low, you need to make a deposit.
Be on the look out for new sections
POTS
Heart Failure
Autonomic Dysfunction
At the Heart of It All
COVID-19 can target the heart just as much as the lungs. For some it’s an occasional flutter or fatigue that feels heavier than it ought to but for others it can be chest pain, shortness of breath, or a racing heart. These symptoms could point to inflammation, arrhythmias, myocarditis, POTS or even heart failure. When your heart is out of whack, it can leave your body struggling to keep up with simple everyday demands.
If you’ve noticed your heart feeling out of sync since COVID—whether it’s persistent fatigue, dizziness, or a pounding heart—it’s your body’s way of saying something is off.
Don’t shrug it off. Reach out to a doctor, and let them take a closer look. Early intervention can make all the difference in protecting your heart health and getting you back to a place where you can feel well again.
