Victor Hartman

A Fascinating Journey

When 69-year-old Victor Hartman retired from IBM after a 30-year career in engineering, he wasn't quite ready to settle into the typical, more relaxing retirement routine. Just one week after saying his goodbyes, he embarked on a fascinating journey to Hong Kong where he worked as a consultant for a Chinese firm for three years.

One obvious benefit of the adventure was the opportunity to experience the thrills and challenges of a different culture firsthand. Another was the satisfaction of using his varied experience and skills in manufacturing engineering, test engineering and procurement to help produce results for the firm. But an unexpected side benefit was that Victor also became healthier and got very fit.

"Hong Kong is somewhat mountainous, and I did a lot of walking," said Victor. "I could walk up hills that were over 60 stories high."

One regular jaunt was the mile to and from a favorite lunch spot. When he got there, Victor ate healthy fare — low-fat meals that almost always included vegetables or seafood.

"I went out to eat every day," said Victor. "Even the fast food there is so much healthier than our fast food. You just don't see overweight Chinese."

Back Home, a Blackout

Victor returned to Rochester, Minn., in 1996 to begin the next phase of his retirement. Although home was comfortable and familiar, it did not automatically support a healthy lifestyle the way that Hong Kong had. Back in the United States, Victor no longer needed to walk to get where he wanted to go, and richer foods were convenient and plentiful. Not too surprisingly, Victor began to put on weight.

"Then, one day, something happened," said Victor. "All I did was run out to the mailbox, and when I was coming back, I blacked out."

After the blackout, Victor went to his doctor and learned he had coronary artery disease as well as high cholesterol. His doctor recommended further testing and treatment at Mayo Clinic.

Diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome

At Mayo Clinic, Victor met with Randal Thomas, M.D., director of Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Health Clinic, who diagnosed Victor with metabolic syndrome.

"Metabolic syndrome" describes several conditions occurring together, such as increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels. Having just one of these conditions increases risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes, but in combination, the risk is even greater.

"Metabolic syndrome is a lifestyle syndrome," said Dr. Thomas. "The most effective treatment is when we can help patients identify and improve habits that improve their overall health. The good news is patients with this syndrome have an opportunity to take control, make changes and help prevent the development of more serious diseases."

Although metabolic syndrome has been known for years (in the past, it was usually referred to as insulin resistance syndrome or syndrome X) today it is becoming more prevalent. To address this growing health concern, Mayo Clinic launched its new Cardiometabolic Program in early 2006 — one of the few in the nation.

"It is a six-week program," said Dr. Thomas. "People learn how to make changes in their behavior regarding nutrition and exercise, and in the process they reduce weight and learn how to manage the disorder."

The Cardiometabolic Program brings together a team of experts — from preventive cardiologists and registered dietitians, to exercise physiologists, and even behavioral medicine and sleep medicine specialists — to teach the skills necessary to make good choices and maintain long-term, healthy nutrition and exercise habits.

Taking Charge, Tracking Progress

According to Victor, he took relatively small steps as he moved towards better health, and tracked his progress closely to stay motivated.

"I'm kind of a computer nut, so I got a software program for dieting that tracked everything I ate during the day," said Victor. "This helped keep me going. Then, I started to play golf again, and I'd walk the course."

Victor also began to take daily, 45-minute walks with his dog, and found moderate dietary changes were enough to help make a significant difference.

"It's not like I completely changed what I was doing," said Victor. "Mostly what I did was reduce portions. For instance, I used to have a large bowl of ice cream every night. Now I only have it sometimes, and the portion is smaller. Another thing I did is I started eating breakfast — normally I didn't."

Certain adjustments were also made to some of Victor's medications. According to Dr. Thomas, some medicines, such as beta blockers, can slow metabolic rate, and might affect a person's ability to lose weight.

With the dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as changes in medications, Victor lost 30 pounds in five months, and lowered his cholesterol significantly. He believes the weight loss may have already helped prevent a more serious condition.

"Recently, I had a hernia," said Victor. "I probably wouldn't have noticed it before with the extra weight."

'I Don't Feel I've Done Anything That Radical'

Even though the Cardiometabolic Program was not in place when Victor was diagnosed, he believes the quality of care and encouragement he received from Mayo staff aided his rapid progress.

"I'm very high on Mayo, but not just because of this experience," said Victor. "My mother moved here to Rochester when she was 88, and from then until age 96 I brought her to Mayo for broken hips, cataract surgery and some other minor things. And these experiences were just outstanding, and I was very pleased with Mayo and how they treated my mom. One thing in particular is that it just doesn't seem like it is as large a place as it is."

Today Victor works as a volunteer computer instructor at the Rochester Senior Center and maintains a healthy diet and exercise routine he believes he can maintain long term.

"One thing I learned through all of this is that you can take small steps, and they can make a difference," said Victor. "I don't feel I've done anything that radical. You can still watch TV, use your computer, but also incorporate more activity in your life."

Victor says dietary changes can be easy as well.

"I'm not into a big diet program," said Victor. "With the encouragement from my wife, I just started to incorporate healthier things into my diet — having a little more fruit, eating breakfast, cutting back on portions. It isn't that hard, but it made a major difference."