An Avocado a Day...

*I want to start this entry by stating that I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. If you have any questions about whether it is safe for you to incorporate something into your lifestyle or diet, please consult your doctor.

When tackling your health, it is important to approach your health as as a whole. I have Pulmonary Hypertension, so each day I take my prescribed medication in order to take care of myself. However, in order to care for my entire well being there are special steps that I take to ensure that whatever part of my body can function at its optimal state will function at its best. There are things that I eat, holistic supplements that I take, alternative treatments that I practice and special treats I allow myself in order to ensure that this happens. I would like to start sharing what I do in addition to taking my PH medication each day- and today I want to talk about avocados.

Most of you have probably heard of the saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." Perhaps there are other foods that deserve to be included in this old English proverb. Maybe an avocado a day keeps the doctor away? Avocados contain many nutrients, including 20 different vitamins and minerals. (One of those vitamins is vitamin K, which you have to be careful with if you on a medication like blood thinners.) Avocados are filled with heart healthy fats. Majority of the fat content in an avocado is from oleic acid (also known as omega-9.) Diets rich in oleic acid has been known to improve insulin sensitivity and blood circulation. It has also been linked to reducing inflammation.

Studies show that avocados can help offer protection against certain types of cancers. They are also very heart healthy because of the good fats and vitamins they contain. Avocados are quite high in fat (good fat,) so you may want to have a smaller portion if you are trying to lose weight, (or have to divide your vitamin K intake among other vegetables)

It 2014 a study hypothesized that the protein found in 'good cholesterol' may be the key to treating Pulmonary Hypertension. HDL (which contains protein apoA-1) is often referred to as a "good cholesterol" that can reduce help oxidized lipids. Oxidized lipids play a key role in inflaming blood vessels and hardening arteries. Avocado isn't a miracle vegetable (...er, I guess I mean fruit because of its one giant seed,) but it may help contribute to good health.

Avocados are an acquired taste. Chances are if you had sushi, you have had avocado before. If you do not like the taste of avocado, it is easily disguised when prepared with other food. Avocado slices can be added to your sandwich, or they can be mashed and used as a spread. I have my avocado everyday in a fruit smoothie. I use it to replace dairy for making my fruit smoothie creamy and thick. Lots of recipes are available for free online (although avocados themselves can be fairly pricey  if living outside of where they are grown.) 

New to avocados? Not sure how to cut them? View the video below:



The knife in the video looks intimidating- it looks as if it could help you take down wild plants in the rain forest. If your avocado is ripe you can get away with using a more reasonably sized knife. You will still want the knife to be fairly sharp in order to remove the pit from the center.

PHighter Friday: Jamie

Post-transplant

I always find it incredibly difficult to explain my PH journey. Even within the small tightknit community of PH, most of our journeys are vastly different. My story starts as a disaster but ends five years later and includes a family, a job, school, and enough energy to walk five kilometers a day.

Let me start from the beginning. Firstly, I was diagnosed late… actually 23 years too late. I was born with a hole in my heart and after countless doctors’ appointments where I was either given antibiotics, or accused of lying to get out of work, I spun my car out on the busiest highway in Toronto, which finally led to my diagnosis.

After going to the local walk-in clinic, and having an oximeter reading done, I was diagnosed within the month with stage IV pulmonary hypertension.

My health for the next four years really only went downwards, oral medication did not work, subcutaneous medication did not work, and when I was finally put on IV Remodulin, while it was true that I was feeling much better, a month in a clot broke off the line and caused a minor heart attack.

The final breaking point before my life changed forever was here in Ottawa. I had chest pain so I texted my nurse coordinator who told me to go to emergency immediately. I was pretty busy, so first my wife and I signed my school loan documents before heading over. This was a VERY bad idea, my saturation levels were sitting at under 50 percent, and I was heading into full organ failure.

The decision my PH team came up with was to fly me to Toronto General for a transplant workup. It turned out that I was so far gone, that they put me at the top of the national registry immediately, and I had a double-lung transplant/heart repair within 48 hours.

As I said this was the shift in my life to make everything better. At the end of three months in Toronto, I was jogging, walking up seven flights of stairs, and doing things that I was never able to do.

 I’m not suggesting transplant is for everyone, certainly it has its up’s and down’s, but for me, I’m the healthiest – and happiest – I have ever been.