Riding the waves of midlife health and heart health

My Healthy in the Middle Heart Event!

5 days ago, on Monday evening, I posted an image on my social media accounts of a wild ocean at sunset with a supporting narrative that navigating midlife health can feel like being hit by waves of unpredictability in a vast ocean. I wrote:

‘Understanding what’s creating the waves [of midlife health] helps us to move with them not against them’

Little did I know, the very next day, I would find myself in this metaphorical ocean trying to stay on top of the waves, focusing on what was creating them and keeping my eyes above the ocean on the sunset.

Last weekend I had a one-off episode of intense ‘heartburn’ on Friday evening. On Saturday I had some discomfort in my upper chest and neck. At the time of the heartburn, I had a late evening snack, so I wasn’t too surprised. The upper chest soreness that I awoke with on Saturday had followed a weekly upper body workout at the gym, so I wasn’t too concerned about that either.

By the time Monday arrived, I had a mild fever and felt beyond tired. I had a thought that what I was experiencing was representative of what I had learnt about the atypical presentation of women’s heart disease. I didn’t for a minute think it was heart related but I knew I needed to get checked out.

On Tuesday morning, just as I was about to deliver a workplace menopause education event my GP called me and told me to head to ED immediately. The doctors quickly responded to the elevated inflammatory markers and cardiac enzymes from my blood tests, raising concerns about a possible coronary artery blockage and myocardial tissue damage, despite the absence of the usual risk factors.

I entered the tumultuous ocean of subsequent medical investigations, including CT scan, echocardiogram, and an angiogram. Thankfully it revealed that my arteries are clear, but I do have perimyocarditis. It turns out my reliable, usual healthy heart had been under significant stress managing the inflammation and fluid around and within my heart. I’m honestly still trying to get my head around it, especially as I am currently the healthiest I have ever been in my life. I know that if I hadn’t known the signs and acted when I did, the toll on my heart and the outcome could have been a whole lot worse.

Through it all, my years of medical knowledge, studies of women’s health and passion for midlife health and wellness proved invaluable.

• I knew that as a post-menopausal woman I am at increased risk of cardiac disease
• I knew that having my ovaries removed in my mid-40’s increases this risk further
• I knew that women’s heart disease manifests differently from men’s with some specific symptoms that are warning signs, and
• I listened to my body!

My journey from nursing into health coaching and midlife women’s health and wellness has been 100% inspired by my personal journey. My lived experiences of menopause and my own midlife health transformation have been instrumental in igniting my passion to support and empower other women to navigate and improve their health. I know already that this experience will influence and enhance my professional work further.

The midlife health coaching programs I deliver with ‘Healthy in the Middle’ all incorporate these essential principles:

• Being friends with your body
• Listening to your body
• Knowing what’s going on in the inside
• Prioritising HOLISTIC health and wellness
• Focusing on controlling the controllable

These principles honestly helped me beyond belief through the last few days. I know that having this toolkit front of mind helped me stay focused on the sunset and understand what was going on beneath the tumultuous waves.

Now, as I start my recovery, I am reminded of the importance of self-care and rest. I’ve been trying to master that for a while now. Physical exercise will be on hold for a prolonged period, so rest will become the next skill to master. My priority for the next week or two is to clear most of my schedule and give my body and heart some rest. I will still continue with just a few planned programs and coaching sessions.

A close friend asked me today how I feel about work after this health event, and I replied, ‘pumped’! 3 days in coronary care in this otherwise healthy body has honestly fired me up. I want to support and empower more women to optimise their midlife health and wellness. It has inspired me to grow my role in delivering women’s health education and training, so more women have access to the information we all need to know.

I will still be delivering the 4 week ‘Midlife Health & Wellness Essentials Program’ starting next Tuesday, May 7^th and this is the final opportunity for women who are considering joining this program to sign up.

If like me, you want to have the toolkit to understand what causes the waves of midlife health and stay on top of them when you land in the tumultuous ocean, come and join us on this 4-week program. It really could make a huge difference to your health.

Contact me at info@middlehealth.com.au for more information or DM me on social media. There are only a few spots left. If you want to get in on the action and learn how to ride the waves, sign up this weekend and start with the program on Tuesday evening next week. I’d love you to join us.

Yours in Health,

Claire x