We asked our US board-certified health and wellness coach, Ashley, how to live life to its fullest with atrial fibrillation. Here are her top 3 tips for living with AFib.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) can be a challenging condition to navigate, but it is possible to live a full and happy life alongside this diagnosis. As a board-certified health and wellness coach, I work with people every day to find easier, more efficient ways to live a healthy and happy life with heart conditions. Here are my top three tips for living with AFib.


1. Change your definition.

You may have AFib, but you are not your condition. There are plenty of other interests, hobbies, background, and values that make you who you are. Remember, you get to write your own memoir. While AFib might get a chapter or a page, it does not get the whole book. Stay tuned into the many things that make up your identity, values, and purpose and work to let those define you instead.


2. Control your controllables.

Focus on what you can control, not on what you can’t. There are several lifestyle habits you can adjust to help manage AFib symptoms, triggers, and risk factors:

  • Get frequent exercise. A walk in the park or yoga at home is great—exercise doesn’t have to be high intensity to be beneficial.
  • More plants. Incorporate heart-healthy ingredients into your diet, like berries, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
  • Limit alcohol and caffeine. Everything in moderation!
  • Regularly check in on your heart rhythm with a personal EKG. The more you know about your heart health, the better prepared you are to manage it.

3. Make a plan.

When we are stuck, it can be because we don't know the next step. Planning ahead can help relieve feelings of uncertainty and make the next step that much easier. Make a plan to follow the next time you experience AFib. Things like having a medication list, a medical alert bracelet, and your KardiaMobile on hand can help give you peace of mind. Maintaining a strong support system and care team can also ensure you are not alone.


Remember, there is so much more to you than this diagnosis. Learning more about your condition and more about yourself is a great place to start. When you find yourself avoiding or feeling hesitant towards something that you did prior to your diagnosis, spend some time mapping out a before and after on it. March forward with care for yourself and the confidence that you can do this. A diagnosis doesn’t have to control your life. With a little extra care and attention, you can live a full and healthy life with AFib.


About Ashley

Ashley Tryban is US board-certified as a health and wellness coach (NBC HWC), as well as a lifestyle medicine professional (dip ACLM) with degrees in exercise science, nutrition, and health services administration. She has spent over a decade in the employee health and human resources field promoting health and health benefits. Now in the health tech space at AliveCor, Ashley develops services to promote healthy lifestyle offerings catered to heart health for the Kardia community. Her hobbies are reading, running, and keeping up with her small daughter.