The Second Beat
About
A snakebite in the Amazon. Two cardiac arrests. One long road back.
In 2016, deep in the Peruvian Amazon, Dr. James Jones fell in the mud, blamed a sting on thorns, and kept walking for thirty more minutes. Then the venom took hold. Carried miles on a litter by a team that would not quit, he reached a hospital in the Andes, where his heart stopped twice and was shocked back into rhythm both times.
THE SECOND BEAT is the physician associate's plain-language guide to what happens next: how a heart stops, how it restarts, and how it recovers. Part memoir, part medical guide, it uses his story as the thread and the best current science as the map, with more than 20 original diagrams that make the physiology easy to see.
Inside you will learn how the heart's pump, wiring and supply line work; what cardiac arrest, venom and shock do to the body; the roadmap of cardiac rehabilitation; how stress, trauma and sleep affect the heart; how to know and protect your numbers; how to rebuild strength, fitness and balance; how to eat for a stronger heart; and a 12-week Blueprint with a built-in workbook.
Written for patients, survivors, caregivers and anyone who wants a stronger heart. This book is educational and does not replace personal medical advice.