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Montana scrambles away from high blood pressure
George Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal
Sunday, April 8, 2007
(04-08) 04:00 PDT Cleveland -- Joe Montana spent 17 years avoiding defensive linemen and hoping not to become part of the turf as quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.
When you play in the NFL for that length of time, the rest of life should be a piece of cake, right?
In the case of the three-time Super Bowl MVP, the answer is not quite. Montana, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, suffers from high blood pressure, the condition known as "the silent killer."
Diagnosed in 2002, Montana since has teamed with Dr. James M. Rippe, a cardiologist and leading fitness authority, to raise awareness of the disease.
High blood pressure is linked to conditions such as obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and smoking, Rippe said Wednesday in a conference room at local WEWS-TV. More than 65 million Americans suffer from the disease, and many don't know it because there are no visible symptoms.
If left untreated it can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure or heart attack.
Montana considers himself one of the lucky ones because his physician caught his hypertension during a routine exam.
"It's one of those things you don't expect to happen. I never expected it," Montana said. "I had a family history of it on my mom's side, but I still never thought that it would affect me because I still thought I was doing enough.
"I didn't eat the greatest, but I was still exercising and doing enough of the right things, so no one was more surprised to find out than I was."
Montana confessed to a weakness for potato chips and steak, saying that the foods were easy to consume, especially while on the road during the NFL season. Toss in a fondness for salt and retirement from a physically demanding sport, and things don't add up to a healthy lifestyle.
After spending the better part of two decades maintaining his health, Montana confessed that, slowly but surely, exercise slipped down his priority list.
His is a typical case, Rippe said. The important consideration for anyone with high blood pressure: make lifestyle changes.
In Montana's case, his wife, Jennifer, and their two sons helped. Her influence led to collaboration on Joe Montana's Family Playbook for Managing High Blood Pressure, which is available free online. He also put exercise back into his day.
Montana must be following his own guide. The only hint that he's in his 40s is graying hair. The grip is still strong and the body still in shape, but these days his life no longer revolves around football. He's having too much fun taking on his teen-age sons in basketball.
He said it's difficult for him to not follow the 49ers, Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The latter would be enough to raise blood pressures around here.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2007/04/08/SPGALP45581.DTL
George Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal
Sunday, April 8, 2007
(04-08) 04:00 PDT Cleveland -- Joe Montana spent 17 years avoiding defensive linemen and hoping not to become part of the turf as quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.
When you play in the NFL for that length of time, the rest of life should be a piece of cake, right?
In the case of the three-time Super Bowl MVP, the answer is not quite. Montana, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, suffers from high blood pressure, the condition known as "the silent killer."
Diagnosed in 2002, Montana since has teamed with Dr. James M. Rippe, a cardiologist and leading fitness authority, to raise awareness of the disease.
High blood pressure is linked to conditions such as obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and smoking, Rippe said Wednesday in a conference room at local WEWS-TV. More than 65 million Americans suffer from the disease, and many don't know it because there are no visible symptoms.
If left untreated it can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure or heart attack.
Montana considers himself one of the lucky ones because his physician caught his hypertension during a routine exam.
"It's one of those things you don't expect to happen. I never expected it," Montana said. "I had a family history of it on my mom's side, but I still never thought that it would affect me because I still thought I was doing enough.
"I didn't eat the greatest, but I was still exercising and doing enough of the right things, so no one was more surprised to find out than I was."
Montana confessed to a weakness for potato chips and steak, saying that the foods were easy to consume, especially while on the road during the NFL season. Toss in a fondness for salt and retirement from a physically demanding sport, and things don't add up to a healthy lifestyle.
After spending the better part of two decades maintaining his health, Montana confessed that, slowly but surely, exercise slipped down his priority list.
His is a typical case, Rippe said. The important consideration for anyone with high blood pressure: make lifestyle changes.
In Montana's case, his wife, Jennifer, and their two sons helped. Her influence led to collaboration on Joe Montana's Family Playbook for Managing High Blood Pressure, which is available free online. He also put exercise back into his day.
Montana must be following his own guide. The only hint that he's in his 40s is graying hair. The grip is still strong and the body still in shape, but these days his life no longer revolves around football. He's having too much fun taking on his teen-age sons in basketball.
He said it's difficult for him to not follow the 49ers, Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The latter would be enough to raise blood pressures around here.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2007/04/08/SPGALP45581.DTL