Joe Montana: A Hero With High Blood Pressure-Heart Diseases
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Football star Joe Montana thought he'd be the last person to have high blood pressure. "I'm an athlete," says Montana, 49. "I'd been working out all my life, so I thought, It won't affect me." But it did. Montana, whose blood pressure had always been normal, retired at age 39. He felt fine, but a family history of the condition, combined with his love of salty foods, burgers and steaks and the fact that he'd taken a break from exercise, took their toll. At age 46, at a physical that his wife urged him to get, his blood pressure was sky high. His doctor sent him straight to a cardiologist, who found a clot forming in one of Montana's arteries and started him on medication. But it didn't work. So, with the help of his family, he made some changes. "Instead of the 18-ounce porterhouse steak, we'll make the 6-ounce filet," he says. His kids keep the saltshaker away from him. At fast food restaurants, they tell him: "You don't need a cheeseburger, Dad," or "You don't want to finish that, Dad. I'll do it." Montana is back on the treadmill or StairMaster every day, tosses the ball with his kids, and simply keeps moving. And he found a drug that works for him. Now his reading is a healthy 117/80. For tips on how you can follow Joe Montana's lead, visit getbpdown.com. |
