Sept. 14--NORMAL -- At 5:15 a.m. Aug. 23, Joe Piscatella was awakened as usual by his alarm clock. It was still dark outside and Piscatella did not want to get up and go out for his daily morning jog.
It was then that he picked up a book from his night stand and read a motivational quote: "There are no gold medals for the 95-yard dash."
"By 5:45 a.m., I was out the door."
"I need some motivation," he said. "I need a jump start in the morning."
Piscatella -- a best-selling author and authority on heart-healthy lifestyle habits -- relayed that anecdote to illustrate that even people who know better are tempted to stop their exercise, healthful eating and stress management.
Actually, all of us know better.
"Information alone does not solve health problems," he told The Pantagraph from his Gig Harbor, Wash., office. "If so, we would be a society of non-smokers who eat well and exercise regularly.
"Everybody understands the difference between an apple pie and an apple and everyone knows that watching 'Dancing with the Stars' isn't as good for you as going out dancing," said Piscatella, who has been writing and doing presentations about heart health for 30 years. "But we have a lack of mental preparedness."
That conclusion led Piscatella to focus his most recent book and presentations on the role of motivation in sticking with a healthy lifestyle. Piscatella will be the featured speaker in a Sept. 21 event at the Parke Hotel & Conference Center in Bloomington.
"Positive Mind, Healthy Heart!" is the title of his latest book and it speaks to Piscatella's conclusion that everyone needs daily motivation to continue to make healthy choices.
To that end, Piscatella has written a book that is a collection of 365 motivations to get people going each day. Piscatella collected the motivations and tips over years and kept them in a loose-leaf notebook.
Some motivations are uplifting stories, such as the anecdote about the veteran whose legs were blown off in Vietnam but who used his arms to finish the New York City Marathon -- in 4 days, 2 hours, 48 minutes and 17 seconds.
Some are helpful tips, such as thinking about your family so you stay the course, writing down your health goals and eating foods that are rich in fiber.
Many are empowering quotes on tenacity, such as this one from Aristotle: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Piscatella speaks from professional and personal experience.
A self-described Type A personality, Piscatella was a busy 32-year-old in 1977. He was married with two young children, working on his career, eating a diet rich in red meat and his only exercise was social golf or tennis.
After noticing shortness of breath and pressure in his chest, he had tests done that concluded he had heart disease -- a buildup of cholesterol in the coronary arteries affecting blood flow to the heart. Four days later he had coronary artery bypass surgery.
He thought he was cured. But his cardiologist told him that the immediate risk of heart attack was reduced but he still had heart disease and needed to make changes to reverse it.
He began exercising and eating healthier. But cheeseburgers crept back into his diet, television shows would pre-empt his walk and he wouldn't take time to relax.
National Institutes of Health data shows that 50 percent of bypass patients abandon their low-fat diets within six months of surgery. Piscatella realized that he wasn't alone and concluded that taking responsibility for his health and daily motivations would help to keep him going.
It has. He is nearly 66 years old and is healthier than when he was at 32.
Once again, he is not alone. Bob Grizzard, a pastoral counselor and licensed clinical psychologist with Advocate Medical Group's Twin Cities Behavioral Health in Normal, had triple bypass surgery six years ago at age 60.
Grizzard has controlled his heart disease by jogging or walking three to four times a week, by eating a low-fat and low-salt diet that focuses on vegetables, by getting support from family and friends and the local Mended Hearts chapter, by faith and by allowing himself to cry when he felt traumatized.
Piscatella believes his advice is helpful for people who want to reverse heart disease as well as people who want to reduce their risk of heart disease.
"I concentrate on today and today only," he said. "Yesterday's gone and tomorrow's not here yet. But can I make a commitment to today by exercising for 45 minutes and having a tuna sandwich for lunch?"
Piscatella's day starts with a four-mile jog or walk. For breakfast, he has oatmeal with raisins and nuts, fresh fruit, yogurt and a cup of coffee.
He has a mid-morning snack of almonds and, for lunch, has a bowl of soup and a half sandwich. He has a piece of fruit for his mid-afternoon snack.
While preparing dinner, he and his wife, Bernie, snack on fresh vegetables. Dinner often consists of a salad, grilled vegetables and fish, lean meat or pasta for the entree, with fruit for dessert or a slice of cake on special occasions.
"I'm very middle of the road," he said of his eating plan, which includes water throughout the day. "I think a total vegetarian diet is too difficult to stay on for most people." For Piscatella, a key is focusing on vegetables and fruits and eating only a serving of meat, potatoes and pasta.
In the evening, Piscatella may go for a walk or play ball with his grandchildren and his wife.
For people who need additional motivation, here's another thought from Piscatella: Shortly after his surgery, one specialist told him he didn't expect Piscatella to live past age 40.
Yet, he has been at both of his children's weddings, is spending time with his grandchildren and he and Bernie recently celebrated their 43rd anniversary.
"These are things that only came about for me because of the impact of healthier lifestyle habits."
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Concerns of the heart
What: An event with heart-health information
When: 5:15 p.m. Sept. 21
Where: Parke Hotel & Conference Center, 1413 Leslie Drive, Bloomington
Details: 5:15 p.m. hors d'oeuvres and vendors with health information; 6:15 p.m. featured speaker Joe Piscatella on "Positive Mind, Healthy Heart!"; 7:15 p.m. book signing by Piscatella
Cost: Free
Presented by: The Women's Center at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center
To register: Call 800-323-8622
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