The Story of St. Valentine and Heart Health Awareness

Historians are now saying there may have been three separate St. Valentines, all living and dying around the same time period. And they all died in martyrdom for the love of God. St. Valentine, we know best, was a Roman Priest and Physician jailed and executed for marrying Roman soldiers against the orders of Emperor Claudius II, the Goth, and for giving comfort to persecuted Christians.

Historians say he was arrested, beaten, and beheaded on February 14, 270. One account of St. Valentine says that while he was jailed, he befriended his jailer's daughter, cured her of her blindness, and left her a letter signed: Your Valentine, and that began St. Valentine's Day.

Over 1,700 years later, we celebrate this man for his Saintly love. The heart has become a symbol of love, so it seems appropriate that this month's IFPA FitBit should be about how to protect your heart, along with the hearts of your family, friends, clients, and loved ones.

First, I want to put out a warning to everyone of all ages who has received the Covid-19 vaccination shots.

Yes, aging is not for the faint of heart, so precautions should be taken. What is shocking to me is how many athletes in their 20s, 30s, and even teenage athletes have been dying of heart attacks recently, many of whom I knew.

I suggest everyone get an annual check-up and see a cardiologist as well. The CDC and other agencies are reporting increased cases of both myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart) due to the Covid-19 vaccination shots. 

I would recommend everyone head to the ER should they experience chest pain, tightness in the chest, or pain radiating down the arm (or any limb!). The current warning is that any radiating pain, down any limb, could be symptomatic of a heart attack.

These are other signs to be aware of: shortness of breath, feelings of fast beating/fluttering/pounding heart, fainting, extreme tiredness, weakness, intolerance to exercise (I noticed my own exercise performance was cut in half after I got jabbed, and it took months to get back to normal!), stomach pain, fever, loss of appetite, and/or edema (swelling in the feet and/or legs). When in doubt, Check it out!

Pericarditis can have symptoms of sharp chest pain that increases in severity with coughing and lessens when you sit up and lean forward.

Keep in mind, however, that coughing while having a heart attack can keep you alive. The theory is you are giving yourself CPR when coughing during a heart attack.

I know many of the symptoms could be cold, flu, stomach upset, or other more common ailments, but I am not yet ready to meet St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. So if I get any of these symptoms, I will at the very least call my doctor, if not head for the ER myself.

I highly recommend you do the same.

Exercise Prescriptions for Heart Health and Longevity

Even well-conditioned teenagers and professional athletes have been dying of heart attacks, so your age and condition should not give you, or anyone you care about, a false sense that it cannot be a heart attack because you are too young or in too great of shape!

Be careful and take care of yourself.

To all males everywhere... we typically want to be macho and tough it out, but my aged wisdom tells me it is better to be safe than have your remaining family be sorry you left us too early. Don't let your testosterone write checks your body will not be able to cash; err on the conservative side!

What is the Exercise Prescription for myocarditis?

As always, you will need your doctor's recommendation on when it is safe for you or your personal training client to exercise. Unfortunately, exercising with an inflamed heart can increase the inflammation and the risk of death. Typically, the doctor may not permit any exercise activities for the first 3-6 months after the initial diagnosis.

What is the Exercise Prescription for pericarditis?

As always, you will need your doctor's recommendation on when it is safe for you or your personal training client to exercise. Unfortunately, doctors typically recommend NO exercise until after there is no evidence of existing disease of pericarditis.

I know this is extremely painful for many athletes to hear, but the alternative can be devastating.

Now, if you are healthy and have medical clearance from your doctor for exercise, use the Exercise Prescriptions and Program Designs you learned in your IFPA Personal Trainer Certification Course. Examples below:

If your client is just beginning or just recovering from some type of cardiovascular event, you will, of course, need to start with low levels of CV exercise.

CV Exercise Prescription for beginner or deconditioned Client:

Frequency: Most days of the week (6-7 days) Intensity: Low (RPE: 7-10) Time: 5-45 minutes as tolerated Type: Walking, Recumbent Bike, Water Aerobics, Yoga, Tai Chi, etc., are all great starter programs.

Your Program Design should select a Frequency that gets as close to every day as possible. The client does not always need to be with you.

Program design for beginner/deconditioned clients:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Personal Training Session with the client. Warm-Up: (5 minutes) on Recumbent Bike Workout: CV exercise (5-45 minutes depending on tolerance) on Recumbent Bike Cool-Down: 5-10 minutes of low-level CV on a Recumbent Bike and/or stretching.

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday: Walking at a comfortable pace and time.

IFPA Personal Trainers use the GPO Principle to Gradually Progress the Overload as the client gets in better shape.

I use the Recumbent Bike as an example since many of your clients may present with more than one restriction to exercise activity. Many beginners may have joint/back issues that can be regulated on a Recumbent Bike more than Walk/Jog/Run CV exercise.

The medical journal "Circulation" of the American Heart Assoc. (AHA) estimates that 250,000 Americans die each year of a cardiac event stemming from a lack of exercise. According to the AHA, even 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, 5 days/week, can dramatically improve outcomes for people.

As the client improves in CV fitness, you can increase the demands of the Exercise Prescription:

Frequency: Remains 6-7 days/week Intensity: Increase within tolerance level RPE: From 7-19 (VERY, VERY HARD) Time: Up to 45 minutes *WARNING: Studies show moderate-high intensity CV exercise over 45 minutes in duration dramatically increases stress hormone output. Type: As tolerated.

NOTE: One study on cardiovascular fitness showed that individuals who could run one mile (1.6 km) in 8 minutes or less have a 90% reduction in the risk of dying of a cardiac event.

While I and many other personal trainers love strength training, it is imperative that all personal trainers provide their clients with enough cardiovascular exercise to prevent/reverse heart disease and hopefully develop sufficient CV fitness for all their clients to 110 years of age and beyond.

To paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, "I still think it is an enviable goal to live to the age of 110 and die in bed, shot by a jealous husband."

While we may not all have that goal, the idea is to use our exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle prescriptions to help all our personal training clients, and all those we care about, live the longest, healthiest, and happiest lives!

HAPPY SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY and Happy Life!

_{©February 2023}