Back to Heart Health: 5 Tips for Heart Attack Patients

Adjusting to life after a heart attack can often be quite scary. Being faced with such a frightening medical emergency can leave you not knowing how to proceed with your daily life in a safe manner. Most doctors say that it takes about two months for your heart to fully heal from an attack, so keep in mind that it may take some patience. Here are some simple guidelines for what to expect after you return home from cardiac rehab.

Physical Activity

While you will feel naturally tired and week in the first week or two back home, you should be able to carry out your normal personal hygiene routines and dress yourself each day. However, it is a good idea to pace yourself and try and spread out your to-do’s giving yourself plenty of time to rest between tasks.

Your doctor will usually prescribe a walking regimen to regain your strength. He or she may also tell you whether or when you can walk up and down stairs, but if you do, try to take it easy and not go up and down too often.

Emotional Activity

After a heart attack it is normal to feel a little depressed, angry, or afraid. These are fairly normal emotional responses that will eventually dissipate as you settle back into your normal routine. Take each day one at a time, being sure to stay physically and mentally engaged in something meaningful throughout the day. Try not to stay in bed all day. Getting up and dressed in the morning and going for your daily walk will help you feel more normal.

Diet

Diet is an incredibly important component to recovering from a heart attack and preventing future complications. Ideally you will incorporate leafy green vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes into your daily menus, and choose your fat calories very carefully. Avoid empty calories like sugar, potatoes, and white bread and give your body the nutrition it needs.

For more information on how you can get the most from your cardiac rehab or how to manage your care after treatment, contact Guadalupe Regional Medical Center today!

How to Find the Right Rehabilitation Facility

When deciding between the various types of substance abuse programs to go to, it helps to remember that everyone had different needs for recovery. Typically, the prescription follows that the more intense the drug us and the longer it went on, the longer you will want to stay in a rehabilitation facility to get the treatment you need.

Regardless of how long the duration of your rehabilitation, taking a long-term approach and planning for support after treatment is a critical step in your recovery. The best substance abuse programs do not simply address the addiction, but also the emotional toll that addiction takes on a person, and the other problems that arise in one’s life as a result of an addiction.

What to Look for in a Rehab Facility

As you begin researching your treatment options, you will likely come across many adverts for programs in peaceful settings with gorgeous scenery, perhaps people meditating on a beach clad only in white. However, these types of amenities come at a huge cost. Instead, focus on what is really important that you get from your treatment. Here are a few key items to look for.

·      An Accredited Program with Proper Licensing – Make sure any program you consider is accredited by the state it is located in. Make sure that all of the mental health and addiction specialists you might be working with hold proper and up-to-date licenses. 

·      Program Effectiveness – Since drug rehabilitation is a regulated medical practice in most states, many programs are required to maintain statistics of their success rates and performance in helping people beat their addictions. Ideally these metrics would be provided by an objective third party agency.

·      After-Treatment Services – Does the rehabilitation center you are considering have a well-managed after-treatment program? Will they provide referrals to other services and support groups to ensure your success after treatment? You should also be sure to ask if one of the staff will help you with a transition plan for leaving the program.

If you have any further questions about how to find or deciding on a rehabilitation facility in Texas, contact Guadalupe Regional Medical Center for more information.