Minutes - March 2007

MINUTES OF THE NATAL BYPASS CLUB HELD AT THE ENTABENI HOSPITAL
ON WEDNESDAY THE 7 MARCH 2007

1. PRESENT:
52 as per attendance register. Jack thanked Shane Newman for arranging the chairs.

2. APOLOGIES:
Muriel Adams, Ken Monckton, Tony & Faith Ries, Ron Masters, Colin Burness, Paddy McDowell, Chris O’Flaherty, Neville and Cissy Farr, Herman Davidson, Ronnie Naidoo, Doug Jones.
Our condolences to Beryl Ellis on the loss of her husband Dick a longstanding member of our Club

3. TESTIMONIES FROM FIRST-TIMERS:
ALLAN GILD (73)

Developed a bad cough on his return from a visit to Israel. Shortly after this, his nails and lips turned blue. His x-ray revealed his lungs had filled with fluid! He was referred to Westville Hospital where Dr. Matisson diagnosed a “silent heart attack”. An angiogram revealed 3 blocked coronary arteries. These were bypassed and a valve was replaced. The only after effects are Alan’s lengthy sleepiness at night.

STAN WAINSTEIN
Who gave his testimony at our meeting on the 10 January paid us an unexpected visit from the cardiac ward upstairs. He had 5 bypasses but developed a severe pain down his left arm which caused him to return to the Entabeni. Rob Dyer has found 2 blockages which should be bypassed but due to certain problems these cannot be done too easily. Stan is awaiting Robbie Kleinloogs opinion to-morrow. Good luck Stan!

4. VISITATIONS:
A special mention was made to Shane Newman who is assisting Tony Ries at Westville. His dedication
and sacrifice has resulted in many, many visits and recruitments from bypass patients. Shane, submitted
full details in a 3 page report.
.
5. RAFFLE:
Jack apologized for forgetting to bring the bottle of whisky to the meeting. It was suggested that in May
we should have a double draw!.

6. GUEST SPEAKER:
We were privileged to welcome Jenny Rivet looking as lovely as she did when she last spoke to us in March 2004.
By way of introduction she displayed several photographs, letters and even a tiny jersey which were all reminders of her very close 6 year relationship with H.R.H. Princess Diana.
After her address on her subject of health, Jenny entertained us with her experiences when she lived in London for 17 years and became well known personal trainer to many famous personalities such Liz Hurley, Michael Caine’s wife, Jeffrey Archer, Imra Kahn and Co.
She visited Kensington Palace three times a week as Diana’s personal trainer and was witness and privy to the turmoil and drama leading up to the untimely accident in Paris which took her life. Jenny has never and will never divulge any intimate details which Diana shared with her.
Jenny and her husband Freddy have built their dream house in Ballito where she runs a gym and wellness centre. Health, Diet, Exercise and Fitness: These were the subjects comprehensively covered by Jenny and here are a few observations which she made:
” It is easy to be fit and healthy if you put your mind to it.
There are far too many conflicting and confusing reports on getting fit.
The good news is that you do not have to join a gym.
Stretching correctly is essential and simple. Jenny has kindly given us this technique which I enclose with these minutes.
Correct breathing whilst exercising is important.
A 15 minute walk once a day has a cumulative effect in promoting fitness.
Put more effort into ordinary household and gardening chores and the calories will burn off.
DIET: Sugar is a killer and is worse than fat for putting on weight. Beware of packaged foods many of which will give an impression of being healthy because of their bran, dried fruit or nuts content etc. Very often sugar is also an ingredient.
To emphasize the amount of sugar that you ingest, put into a packet the same amount as you add to your tea, coffee or cereal etc, and look at it at the end of the day. “Beware of the Monday Diet”. This is a resolution to start dieting on a Monday. Leading up to this, you over-indulge all weekend and then after a few days of dieting without any measurable loss in weight, you revert to your old eating habits and once again resolve to start another diet on Monday.
The best way to lose weight is to adopt the 80/20 method: 80% of the right food and 20% of what you shouldn’t eat to lose weight.
Next followed a number of amusing excuses why people refuse to diet or exercise.
TIPS: Drink 1½ litres of water per day. To facilitate this, start with a 500ml bottle of water and drink this for 3 days. Next drink 500ml in the morning and 500ml in the evening for 3 to 54 days before you reach your goal of 1500ml per day.
Do not exceed 2-3 cups of coffee or tea per day. This excludes herbal, rooibos or green tea which you can drink to make up your 1½ litres. Apart from the caffeine in tea (not quite as much as in coffee) tea leaches the iron from your body.
Aim for 4 alcohol free evenings per week or limit your drinking to 1 tot of spirits or 1 glass of wine per evening.
Eat at regular intervals.
Take exercise seriously.
Pursue a low Glycaemic Index diet as this will avoid the highs and lows which are caused by high GI foods which result in spasmodic secretion of insulin. Eat as many raw, foods as you can.
Jenny’s entertaining thought provoking and practically possible suggestions to promote and sustain good health was met with our applause and for good measure the Club presented her with a bouquet of flowers.

FOOTNOTE:
1. We all wish Christine Jeffrey good pedaling when she cycles her first Cape Argus this week end.
2. My most sincere appreciation for all the cards, telephone calls and prayers following the surgery to remove a malignant tumour and the lobe of my left lung.


Jack Piek
Chairman

LATE FLASH: Have been unable to receive the stretching exercises in time to include them in these minutes. Hopefully they will be received prior to the next meeting for distribution to the members and will be included in our next minutes.