NJ Cops | Page 68

2015 HEALTH AND WELLNESS OUTLOOK 68 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JANUARY 2015 Healthy Living Tips From Rewarding New Year resolutions As every New Year starts, many of us make all kinds of promises: “Starting today, things are going to be different!” There was the “old 2014 self” and now the promise of the “new, improved 2015 self.” We tell ourselves that the “2015 self” will be different – we’ll stop procrastinating, exercise more and, for sure, we won’t mindlessly eat the unhealthy stuff. Unfortunately, come mid-January, the promised “new self” program doesn’t appear so alluring, and after a few more weeks of crashing against reality and old habit, the “new self” ideal becomes a wishful memory. For this New Year, let’s give ourselves the gift of a few resolutions which hold a lot of promise for a healthier, more rewarding life: • Rid yourself of enemies. Apologize for what you did wrong and forgive those who have wronged you – let it go! • Break the habit of resenting yourself and your failings, from indulging in junk food to snapping at the kids – Give yourself the gift of forgiveness for being human, love yourself and love those in your life. • Don’t beat yourself up if you skip an opportunity to exercise – and enjoy the good you give your body and your being each time you do exercise. • Help strangers. “Pay it forward” and do good things for the world.” • Cross something off your bucket list. • Keep a journal, noting meaningful memories and humorous incidents – it doesn’t have to be something you do daily, and you’ll appreciate it down the road. • Strengthen relationships with family members – ‘Tis true, blood is thicker than water. • Conquer a fear. • Turn off your smartphone when enjoying meals with family or friends. Ask the Physician Jon C. George, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, Director of Clinical Research and Assistant Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Deborah Heath and Lung Center, answers your question: I recently had a heart attack and was told it significantly damaged my heart. I’m very concerned – is there any treatment available besides getting some type of pacemaker? ~GLENDA J., LAKEWOOD Glenda, there is a state-of-the-art option, under a research trial, for patients with heart damage and congestive heart failure (CHF) now offered at Deborah Heart and Lung Center. The PARACHUTE™ procedure is specifically designed to help patients with permanent heart damage and recurrent heart failure. In our new state-ofthe-art hybrid operating room, interventional cardiologists utilize a small incision and minimally invasive techniques, employing a catheter to thread the PARACHUTE™ device through the femoral artery to the damaged area of the heart. This permanent device can be implanted with ease under local anesthesia, and mo