Doctors would rather you stay out of their ORs.

Launching into the second week of American Heart Month, I'm looking at stories on the leading-edge treatment options and how local heart specialists are helping patients live longer.
It's familiar territory for me, in my 11th year as The Tribune-Democrat health care reporter. The doctors, and especially the hospital leadership, have always been eager to give me stories on the growing cardiac surgery and minimally invasive options available in the cath lab.
This year, Conemaugh Health System is expanding the area of its program dealing with pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. All of that will be outlined in Sunday's package of stories and photos.
But despite their enthusiasm for their work, the doctors always emphasize that they would rather keep patients healthy than bring them into the cardiology suite. I've been repeating their advice for more than a decade: Follow a healthy diet, don't use tobacco, exercise regularly, control your weight and watch your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
In gearing up for last year's American Heart Month Project, I decided it was time I took the advice more seriously.
One thing that helps in portion control is limiting myself to the good stuff. If I'm at a church covered-dish dinner, tureen dinner, pot luck dinner, or whatever you call it, I look for the desserts that look like someone went to the trouble to bake them at home – not the iced sugar cookies that are still in the supermarket bakery container. When I am out for an evening with my lovely bride, I chose the imported or craft beer, preferably a stout, double bock, ale or other dark beer. The advantage there is two-fold: Dark beer is better for your heart, and those brews cost more, so I can't indulge as much.
I have also learned to enjoy the dried-fruit-and-nuts trail mix and fiber bars in my between-meal cravings.
It seems to be working, I was back down below 190 this morning, and hope to lose at least another 10 pounds in the next few weeks.
I am about 5 feet, 10 inches, or 5 feet, 11 inches, depending on what convenience store or bank I'm entering. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, if I'm 5-11, I'm overweight above 180 pounds. If I'm 5-10, I have to be under 175 to be healthy-weighted. I feel like I'm well on my way. At one point in my life, I was over 230 pounds, and I can attest that it does feel better to weigh less. So I am motivated.