A Hearty Life Is About You and Your Heart
Yesterday on Mark Sisson’s Daily Apple, I was pleased to find A Hearty Life featured in Aaron Fox’s weekly round-up - Aaron’s Additions: Blogs with Heart. At the same time, I was rather dismayed with his impression of A Hearty Life.
A Hearty Life
Dr. Lei clearly knows her stuff, and has the best of intentions, but the real bummer is that most of her advice boils down to “if only you’d taken your medication”. I’m sure she knows that 1 in 3 women die of heart disease, so I think it’s only reasonable to suggest that the thinking on heart health needs a hefty overhaul. Let’s start earlier, work harder, and take more assertive preventive action. Now where were those pills…
Reviews are great because it’s like seeing A Hearty Life with new eyes. I had no idea that I was giving out so much advice and that the advice I was giving was persuading everyone to take your medicine. Huh?!*
Certainly, I am an advocate of modern medicine and feature the latest research I think could have significant impact on your heart health or are simply cool. I also see that alternative approaches might also be complementary. Otherwise, why would I write about the benefits of tea, deep breathing, exercise, natural alternatives to statins, and talk about using snake venom to treat stroke patients? But the fact remains that no amount of exercising or apple eating can negate the utility of cholesterol testing, heart imaging, and heart transplants.
More importantly, A Hearty Life is unlike other heart disease blogs because I focus on personal stories. I’m interested in people’s day-to-day experiences with keeping fit and healthy. In fact, I’ve got more interviews and features planned that I hope will make us all more aware of the importance of our heart health.
What do you think of A Hearty Life? Do you think I’m trying to shove pills down your throat?
NB: On a good note, Aaron really likes Eating Fabulous, a b5media sister blog written by Ruth Schaffer.
*Perhaps the clue is the tagline for Mark’s Daily Apple - “Doing my part to piss off the self-righteous health establishment.”
Update: Aaron has posted a rebuttal (don’t you just love that word?) to this post. I’m cool with what he thinks about A Hearty Life but I’d also like to emphasize that I’m as much for prevention as they are. After all, I come from a public health background. The difference is that I also know many people already have heart disease; arteriosclerosis starts early. My aim is to offer tips not just for healthy preventive living but also information on treatments that can help you get and stay healthy.
Like this post? Why not read another? Every page you read at A Hearty Life in March is helping to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.
Tags: reviews, heart, heart disease, diseases, illness, health, medicine
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POSTED IN: Hearty Blogging
5 opinions for A Hearty Life Is About You and Your Heart
Olivia
Mar 8, 2007 at 7:58 pm
No, I don’t think you’re trying to shove pills down people’s throats, and I’ve never thought that! I’m a little surprised. However, I’ve been reading each post for several months; perhaps Mr. Fox read a few posts and formed an impression.
As the spouse of someone who had a heart attack, I know that lifestyle changes are very difficult, and that even if you’re working agressively to live a healthy lifestyle, no one is perfect. Medications can be absolutely essential. I am a strong proponent of healthy living, alternative/complimentary medicine, and even out-there things like “energy healing”. However, for certain problems, including heart attack recovery and even prevention, allopathic medicine, including taking medications, is important and has no rival.
The emphasis in “A Hearty Life” has been comprehensive and balanced, in my opinion—covering news and research about the heart.
Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD
Mar 8, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Olivia: Whew. What a relief! I was wondering if I had somehow lost track of what I was up to. It hasn’t been the greatest couple of weeks to say the least! Thanks so much for the reassurance. :)
Olivia
Mar 8, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Glad to give the feedback—keep up the great work!
bob rawlski
Mar 8, 2007 at 10:12 pm
I read both your blog and Mark’s Daily Apple on a daily basis and find them both to be on the mark most of the time. MDA preaches exercise and diet ahead of pills and big pharma. They may have stretched a bit in the post (you are doing a great job!) but they offer a fresh perspective that is difficult to find elsewhere. Keep up the great work!
Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD
Mar 8, 2007 at 11:02 pm
bob: How nice to hear from you! MDA is an entertaining place although they’re a bit too extreme for me. I want to get all crazy too but I’m more of a moderate witih a fun loving heart. ;)
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