Welcome to Hjertelig takk (Hearty thanks), a website created to express my deep gratitude to all the people who helped me survive sudden cardiac arrest in 2016 and electrical storms in 2018 and 2019. My aim is to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest, encourage lay people to seek CPR and AED training, process my experiences and share them with others, and find effective methods for recovery after cardiac arrest.
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The Plate Model for a Healthy Diet
March 27, 2023 – Nancy Aarsvold
In a previous blog post, I wrote about how difficult it is for survivors and co-survivors of cardiac arrest to wade through the overwhelming amount of information about how to develop a healthy eating pattern. In that post, I introduced the article “U.S. News Reveals Best Diet Rankings for 2022,” a helpful resource that provides reviews from a team of experts on the top diets in several different categories. However, even this clearly written article explores 38 different types of eating patterns, which is enough to make most of our heads spin. Fortunately, there is another resource that is simpler and clearer, yet neatly summarizes much of the information from the healthiest diets, and that is the model of the plate.
Healthy Eating
January 21, 2023 – Nancy Aarsvold
After a sudden cardiac arrest, many survivors have a renewed interest in developing a healthy lifestyle. While we often can’t control many of the diseases or arrhythmias that caused our arrests, we can create a healthy and nutritious eating pattern that will help us recover faster and feel better. In addition, healthy eating can help us maintain a healthy weight and prevent diseases, such as cancer, type-2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, and many more.
However, it isn’t always easy to figure out what good nutrition is. The media is filled with articles and stories about what diet is best and about what, when, and how much to eat. The good news is that most of the best-known diets include the same, basic elements of healthy eating. For example, it is important to increase the amount of whole food, plant-based items, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and nuts and seeds. At the same time, it is best to limit or avoid processed food and snacks, red and processed meats, saturated and trans fats, sweets and desserts, alcohol and sweetened drinks, and full-fat dairy products.
Connecting with Survivors and Co-Survivors
January 3, 2023 – Nancy Aarsvold
One of the best things survivors and co-survivors can do after a sudden cardiac arrest is to connect with others who share a similar experience. Despite the fact that SCA is a leading cause of death in the US, most people don’t know what a cardiac arrest is, what causes it, or what treatments are available. As a result, the days, weeks, and months after an SCA can be a confusing and overwhelming time for both survivors and their families. Even if they couldn’t participate fully in the group yet, it would be helpful for them to know that there is a large community of people who have survived sudden cardiac arrest and who are willing to offer encouragement, support, and information.
Recovery Toolkit
January 1, 2023 – Nancy Aarsvold
Godt nyttår (Happy New Year) to all of my fellow Sudden Cardiac Arrest survivors and co-survivors! I have been fortunate to have six and a half bonus years of life after a cardiac arrest in 2016, two electrical storms in 2018 and 2019, and two less serious single runs of v-tach followed by single shocks in 2021 and 2022. After the first three events, I recovered well, but ironically I have been struggling a bit after the last two less serious episodes. Maybe the cumulative effect of five heart events has made it clear that my idiopathic heart issues are here to stay, and maybe it is the changes wrought by three years of the pandemic.
In 2023, I’m going to recommit to taking better care of myself by writing articles several times a week about helpful resources for survivors as well as about my own experiences with recovery. I hope some of these resources could be helpful to others, but I’m not a medical professional, and SCA survivors have unique cases that must be treated by their own doctors. Take a look at the framework for recovery I created and follow along as I fill it out during 2023.
Read more about the recovery toolkit and view the recovery toolkit.