Heart attack prompts patient to improve health

Having a mild heart attack four years ago has made Georg Gutzmann monitor his health more closely, including changing the way he eats and moves.

Georg is borderline diabetic and must watch his sugar intake. He’s been meeting with an Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network (PCN) dietitian to monitor his food on a monthly basis. He also joined the PCN Moving for Health program to find out how exercise could help him after his family physician, Dr. Allison Theman, recommended he needed more physical activity.

Georg says meeting PCN exercise specialist Sandra Pelchat has helped motivate him.

“She is talking about how not to focus on losing weight but to get the muscles and bones exercising for health,” he adds.

Before retiring, he used to walk more and went to a drop-in swimming program. Now the 80-year-old targets to achieve 5,000 steps a day and has learned how to use exercise equipment.

“I noticed when I did these stages of exercise, my heart feels better. I do more exercise than I have before. I can last longer than I have before,” says Georg.