Heart Health

By Sue Ellen Mathers, Licensed Professional Realtor®, MBA, CNE, SRES, ABR

Ijust visited one of my clients – and good friend – who is recovering from open heart surgery. This was not a planned event for the New Year!

Whenever something like this happens to a friend it is a wakeup call. He was lucky, he didn’t feel well and his wife insisted they go to the Dr. He was having a heart attack and, after being admitted, went into full cardiac arrest. There’s a lot to learn from an experience like that – starting with not to ignore symptoms. If you don’t feel well usually something is wrong. You know your body better than anyone else, don’t ignore things that just don’t seem right – and of course, men, listen to your wives! Seriously, we all read the articles on making healthy choices but it’s always easier said than done, especially after middle age when we are pretty set in our ways. The fact is that heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women in the United States. It’s also a fact that you can do a lot to protect your heart and prevent an attack.

There’s a Family Circus cartoon that pictures Grandma sitting in an arm chair and the grandchildren say to one another “When Grandma was young, she had to walk all the way to the TV to change the channels.” It makes you smile but at the same time it makes you realize how easy it is to just sit for a pretty long time. Try leaving the remote out of reach – a simple thing but it would get you out of that chair and that’s a start. Physical activity is the first step to improving your health, just be active. It sure sounds simple and it can be. You don’t have to go the gym or lift weights but you do have to move.

Walk as often as you can, sit as seldom as possible. Start small and keep going until you are moving at least 30 minutes a day, and the more you move the better. Get someone to walk with you as that makes it easier to stick to it – make a date of it. A good friend of mine asked me if I was going to make any New Year’s resolutions. I said, “I always do, do you?” She said she resolves to read the list she made the year before and decide whether or not she wanted to try again, especially when it comes to exercise. Pretty funny comment but a good resolution as we get older is to increase our activity.

Next – change your diet. How many times do we hear that today? And for good reason, a bad diet means excess weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol – the list goes on and one thing can lead to another which can lead to heart disease. Less food and better food – meaning less calories and more nutrients – makes a huge difference in how you feel and how your body functions. Everything you read about heart disease and diet pretty much says the same things; eat fish, eat fruits and vegetables, cut out processed foods and saturated fat, don’t smoke and get moving.

A good Randy Glasbergen comic shows a Dr. addressing a man who has had a heart attack. He tells him “For years you were told to settle down and try to sit still – you can stop that now.” Yes, we’re pretty grown up and there are lots and lots of good jokes about aging, let’s take good care of ourselves so we can keep laughing for many more years.

Sue Ellen Mathers
Licensed Professional Realtor® since 2005 – MBA, CNE, SRES, ABR

Prior to moving to Florida in 2005, Sue Ellen Mathers was involved in commercial real estate for over twenty years in New York State. As a Vice President of Marketing and Development she was involved with the day-to-day operations of a variety of businesses including shopping centers, hotels, restaurants and apartment complexes. Sue Ellen, who holds an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s School of Management, successfully assisted a client in turning a fledgling business around through a program that combined exceptional customer service with intelligent cost cutting methodology. Once profitable, she then brokered a deal to sell the business and the real estate.

Working in residential real estate in North Naples and Bonita Springs since 2006, Sue Ellen utilizes her communication and organizational skills coupled with strong financial and negotiating know-how to benefit her clients. A strong believer that knowledge is power, she knows and understands this challenging market and has confidently handled many successful transactions for both sellers and buyers.

Sue Ellen has received numerous letters from clients praising her skills, her caring nature and her above and beyond work ethic. She is proud of the many referrals her clients have sent her.

Sue Ellen is from Saratoga Springs, NY. She has a daughter and two grandchildren in Maryland; a daughter and three grandchildren in Illinois; and a son and grandson in Boca Raton, Florida. She travels often to see her children and their families.
2013, 2014, 2015  Golden Bear Recipient
2013, 2014, 2015 Recipient of the Gulfshore Five Star Award in Real Estate

Royal Shell Real Estate
239-877-2726

Sue Ellen Mathers has been recognized by Gulf Shore Magazine as a Five Star Realtor for the past several years and is a Top Producer for Royal Shell Real Estate. She is very proud of the great reviews her clients write and equally proud of the large number of referrals she receives.  You may reach Sue Ellen at 239-877-2726 or email sueellen@royalshellsales.com.