After a health scare, he found peace through writing. Now he's sharing his advice with you

A health scare at 28 changed Tyler Van's life. He was always an athlete with a positive attitude. But after a cardiac event in 2022 — where his resting heart rate spiked to 180 beats per minute — he was suddenly left with a negative outlook on life. "I found myself going against everything I preached to others," he says. "I felt unlucky, I felt frustrated, and I didn’t feel myself."

Instead of letting this heart issue define him, Dr. Van — as he's known, he's a physical therapist at SportsCare in Hillsdale — turned to a new hobby: writing. He made a promise to himself to write at least 10 minutes a day, using this as an escape. After six months and more than 40,000 words, Dr. Van decided what he wrote could also help others.

"I didn’t start writing to create a book," he says. "I just wanted to help myself. But the fact that my story could potentially help others makes me grateful."

Dr. Van released the self-published Grateful for the Opportunity: A Journey Through Self-Growth on June 17, 2023. He hopes sharing his journey will inspire others to be real and vulnerable while keeping a positive outlook in their own lives.

Have you always been into fitness?

Fitness is my life. It has always been a way to escape from reality and de-stress. I also just love the competition with my inner self. It’s you vs. you.

Did you play a lot of sports growing up?

I started playing sports at a very young age and ultimately ended up playing lacrosse at Stockton University.

Tell me about being a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

I graduated from New York Medical College in 2019 with my doctorate in physical therapy. I am currently the director of SportsCare in Hillsdale, which is an outpatient orthopedic facility. I thoroughly enjoy helping people, which is why I always wanted to be a healthcare practitioner. As much as I love helping people, I love learning from those equally as much. I have the opportunity to interact with so many individuals daily and have learned a great deal from my patients. I am also thankful I have the opportunity to lecture to doctoral students throughout the year, which is another passion of mine. Community is everything and there’s nothing quite like the health and wellness community. I am honored to be a part of it.

You had a health scare in 2022. What happened?

On October 16, 2022, I experienced a cardiac event. I woke up early that Sunday morning and everything was normal, but by 11:30 A.M. I felt my heart start to race. I assessed myself and noticed that my pulse was irregular. I proceeded to put a pulse oximeter on my finger and my resting heart rate was fluctuating between 150 to 180 beats per minute (it should be 60 to 100 beats per minute). I called an ambulance as I suspected I was in atrial fibrillation (AFib), which was the case. I was given medication in the ambulance to correct my heart rhythm but it didn’t work. I was then given medication in the hospital to correct my heart rhythm which also didn’t work. I had to be cardioverted, meaning my heart had to be shocked back into rhythm.

How has this issue changed your daily life?

After my cardiac event, I was on medication for six months. For the first month following the event, my exercise regimen was significantly modified. I slowly weaned back into my normal routine. I didn't have to change my diet, however, since I eat pretty clean and healthy regularly.

I will now see a cardiologist once a year for the rest of my life for an echocardiogram, vascular testing, and 24-hour monitor EKG. All tests have come back normal and my heart has been great ever since.

Why did you write and ultimately share your book, Grateful for the Opportunity?

After my cardiac event happened, I found myself being negative. So I made a promise to myself that I would write a minimum of ten minutes a day to get my mind right. Writing was an escape. A way to feel lighter and de-stress. The beauty of the book is that it wasn’t intended as a means to give advice to others. Writing was initially meant as a way to give advice to myself. It was me speaking to me, day after day. If it weren’t for my cardiac event, I may have never started writing. After about four to six months of writing — or journaling if you will — I had about 40,000 words in a document. It was at that time that I told myself that I needed to share my writing with the world. I just felt that many could benefit from hearing what I went through on a daily basis.

Why should people read it?

This book will help people realize that life isn’t easy and it’s not supposed to be. This book is a reminder that life happens and it’s up to those to respond in a positive way. People can either choose to let life bring them down or be grateful for the opportunity they have in front of them. This book will help people grow mentally, physically, and spiritually.

The new year is a time when people try to get healthy. Any tips you want to share to motivate others and help them stick with it?

I think the biggest tip of all is to just start. Whether it’s going to the gym, eating healthier, or improving sleeping habits, just start in some capacity. People tend to think they need to hit the ground running when it comes to the goals they set for themselves. Walk before you run — and not in the literal sense. People should write down their goals and simply start chipping away at them. If a goal is to exercise every day for 45 minutes, start by exercising every day for 10 minutes. Then, increase to 15 minutes daily and so on. A common reason that I often see people give up on living a healthier lifestyle is that they get discouraged too quickly. They set an expectation for themselves and want to achieve it right away. It’s okay to start slow. What is important is that you start. Consistency is key. Consistency breeds growth.

What does a typical day in your week look like?

I wake up at 4:30 A.M. to run and lift. I come home and take a cold shower. Cold therapy has become an essential part of my day. I’m a firm believer in doing hard things in the morning as it makes the rest of the day feel easier. Then I get to work by 7:30 A.M. and treat patients from 8 to 4 P.M. I’ll come home, eat dinner, and relax.

What are some of your favorite things to do in Bergen?

I enjoy running with numerous run clubs in Bergen County. Bergen has such a great community and the running community is so much bigger than people realize. It has been nice to network and meet new people in the county through running. When it comes to dining, I enjoy trying out new steakhouses. I’m a big steak guy! Anyone who knows me knows my go-to is Allendale Steakhouse, so shout out to them. Great spot.

What’s next?

I’ll be running the Jersey City Marathon in April 2024.

Anything else you would like to add?

I encourage others to just be themselves, to be vulnerable and not fear what society may or may not think of them. Every day is going to be a challenge, but you just need to keep going.

Get to know Dr. Tyler Van

Age: 29

Follow him online: @dr.tylervan on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube

Grew up and currently lives in: Saddle Brook

Education: St. Joseph Regional High School; Stockton University (undergraduate); New York Medical College (graduate)

Future Aspirations When asked what I want to get out of this life, my answer is always to have a positive impact on others — whether personally or professionally. I want to create a community of like-minded individuals who strive every day to be the best version of themselves. I want to create a community of people who wake up every day and tell themselves that they are going to make a difference in this world. I want to create a community of people that are going to impact the lives around them. All I ever wanted was to be surrounded by individuals who make each other better humans daily — that is what I want to get out of this life. Ultimately, I want to open up a physical therapy practice where I can create such a community. I firmly believe that community is everything. I want to bring people together — it makes me happy.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: How to recover after a health scare: He's written the book on it