忙碌的父母和照顾者必须照顾好自己

在一个网站的调查中，12%的访问者心.org said that they were too busy taking care of others to take care of themselves. But, if you’re a busy mom or dad or the caregiver of a cardiac patient, caring for yourself is just as important as caring for your loved one(s).

“在突发心脏病的情况下尤其如此,巴里·雅各布斯说, clinical psychologist and director of Behavioral Sciences at the Crozer-Keystone Family Medicine Residency Program in Springfield, Pa. 当那个人康复并开始心脏康复时, family members should begin to turn back to their other family duties. Feeling comfortable doing so — knowing when the emergency is passed — is often a challenge.”

父母是照顾者.

With a cardiac emergency, it’s easy to see how caregivers come into play. But those who provide day-to-day care for their families are also caregivers. Busy parents may overlook healthy eating and exercise, opting for convenience and processed foods. 久而久之，营养价值就差了 excess sodium and added sugars of these foods can have serious health implications for your kids.

1. 学习心脏健康. Jacobs said he urges all Americans to be “food literate” so they know the nutritional value of what they’re serving and make informed choices. 在某种程度上，这包括学习阅读和写作 了解营养标签 和成分. “You can take satisfaction in broadening your palate and discovering new foods that are also satisfying.
    
2. 教导心脏健康. “When children become accustomed to eating foods that are high in salt and added sugars, there is the danger that they will develop lifetime taste preferences that lead to poor diets and poor health,” Jacobs said. “Parents in two-income families and single parents are often hard-pressed for time to prepare nutritious meals.  But there are many resources to teach them to prepare foods that are convenient to make and are lower in salt and sugars.”
    
3. 发展心脏健康. Developing better eating habits is often a step-by-step exploration of 新的食物和食谱. Jacobs suggests gradually introducing healthier foods and drinks, making sure your choices taste good and are good for the whole family.
    
4. 心脏健康建模. It’s up to you to model the eating habits you want to see in your kids. Your kids’ diet may be heavy on the potato chips and light on the veggies, 但是以身作则是最好的老师. 从小事做起，挑一场战斗. 如果你的孩子狂喝苏打水, limit to a very small amount each week and gradually limit altogether or keep as a treat for a special occasion.

小步骤可以走很长的路.

Finding time to fit in physical fitness should also be a priority. Getting as little as 30 minutes of exercise a day can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

All in all, taking care of yourself and a loved one can be challenging, but rewarding.

Patient caretakers who focus solely on themselves may let others down, while those who just concentrate on others’ needs may become self-neglectful. 了解更多关于 你作为看护者的权利.
 
Setting aside your own needs to focus on your loved one's needs is understandable. “That’s a normal and expected reaction in the short-term when the shock of the cardiac event is still fresh,” said Jacobs, 他是美国心脏协会的志愿者. “However, it is not a good strategy for caregiving over the weeks and months of recovery.  这对你或你所爱的人都不好.”

他的建议是:调整自己的节奏，保持精力.

“That means balancing taking care of your loved one with taking care of yourself,” Jacobs said. “忽视自己的需求可能会让你精疲力竭, meaning you won’t be able provide the kind of loving care over the long haul that you intend.”

There are several steps for preparing to take care of a loved one after a cardiac event, Jacobs said. 

1. Learn about the nature of the heart problem or cardiovascular condition, 这是治疗方法和康复线上电子游戏飞禽走兽表.
2. Reality check. Realistically appraise what you can do for your loved one but also begin reflecting on what might be too much for you over time, e.g.呆在家里不工作.
3. Start assembling a support team to help with caregiving duties like meal preparation, 驾驶和家务.
4. Reach out. 找一个可以倾诉你的恐惧和疑惑的人. Make sure this confidante can give you reassurance and emotional support.

“People often grow personally and spiritually through the process of caregiving. They learn about their own resilience, competence and capacity for self-sacrifice,” Jacobs said. “And they discover anew what it means to be a loving family member.”