In the latest issue of Traditional Bowhunter Magazine, Oct/Nov 2019, there is a piece on page 84 by Duncan Pledge titled "Dangers of Dragging." A student who is the son of a friend of his decided to do his Master's Thesis about the stress put on the heart when dragging a deer. This is a cautionary piece about what we put our bodies through. Sometimes in the most negative of situations, cold weather, bulky clothing, hilly terrain, etc...
I have hunted my whole life with a crew of cardiac patients, my Father, my 2 Uncles, my Godfather, and a Cousin all had or continue to have cardiac issues. My Dad, ascended from cancer 3 1/2 years ago, he had a pacemaker, a defib unit, and several stents, and one of my Uncles ascended 5 1/2 years ago from a massive heart attack, he got up from his chair to go to bed, and dropped to the floor. My other Uncle, Godfather, and Cousin continue to hunt but scare the hell out of me every time we walk out the door.
I remember one time my Cousin killed a deer, almost 2 miles from a road, way in the back on neighbors farm. There was over 2 feet of snow on the ground and he called for assistance in dragging the deer out because he was tired. When I got there with my plastic sled, he was sitting down and did not even have the deer dressed out yet. I was more than miffed, and told him to hunt closer to the road next time or just hunt squirrels, so that he can drag them out by himself.
It was the toughest drag of my lifetime, even with the sled. To say that I was spent and lost the rest of the day is an understatement, and I was/still am in shape.
My point of this is to get you off of the couch and start exercising. The benefits are not just for hunting, and being able to climb a little higher up the mountain, or to walk a little further on the trail. It is the gift of cardiac fitness, and a longer life. More time with your friends and family, more money that you can collect from your pension, more seasons out in the wild.
You can start with a walk. A recent study has shown that a brisk 10 minute walk, 3 times a week is twice as effective as Metformin for preventing diabetes. You can then gradually work up to longer walks, more frequently. Maybe use a treadmill, or bike, or a rower, there are more options than excuses.
Also, adjust your diet. As you get older your metabolism slows down. You need to make your food your medicine. Let what you ingest, not only fuel you, but heal you. Become educated, buy the "9", meaning look at the labels on your fruits and vegetables. The first number must be "9" as much as possible, that indicates that it is organic. Buy only organic meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy as much as possible. No farm raised fish at all. No hormones, steroids, or antibiotics ever.
Lastly, go to your primary care physician for full physical, stress test and CBC panel. Then ask for a referral for a calcium score. It is an MRI of your torso, primarily to get imaging of your heart. Where other tests such as an EKG can show no abnormalities, the calcium score is definitive. It is around $100, but well worth it. Too many people have had a clean bill of health, after their annual stress test, then drop dead from a cardiac issue because they did not go for this test.
Invest in yourself, you are worth it. My children will never call anyone else Daddy except me!
Topic: Must read in new issue of TBM (Read 2085 times)
