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The One-Minute
(or so)
Healer
by Dana Ullman, M.P.H.
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Heart Disease
It is heartbreaking to realize
that heart disease is the number-one killer of men and women in Western
civilization, especially because we are primary accomplices to this crime. Our
high-fat diet, sedentary lifestyle, stressful environment, and various vices --
tobacco, alcohol, and many recreational drugs -- harden the heart and its
arteries and increase the risk of heart disease and early death. Although we
don't get jail time for these crimes, we suffer in other ways.
In addition to these various
negative influences that weigh heavily upon the heart, we also tend to suffer
from a deficiency in the positive experiences that lighten the heart's load.
Love, joy, pleasure, humor, and other enriching feelings not only help us feel
joyfully connected with others, but also may help keep open the arteries and
veins so that our circulatory system is able to interconnect with all parts of
our body in a healthy way.
There are many influences that
increase or decrease your risk of heart disease, but, like so many issues in
medicine and science, there is probably more controversy than agreement on what
exactly individuals should do to help themselves live longer, healthier lives.
Even when the "experts" agree on some issue, it is always uncertain
how long this agreement will last. There was, for instance, some consensus that
salt was a significant factor in causing hypertension. Recent research, however,
has shown that salt does not lead to hypertension in most people -- but only in
those who are, for unknown reasons, sensitive to it.
Despite the various
controversies and ambiguities of medical science, it is instructive to remember
the words of author Norman Cousins, who said, "No one knows enough to be a
pessimist about their own health." On this optimistic note, I encourage you
to consider the following strategies, which may not only help you lead a longer,
healthier life, but also a more joyful one.
For people on conventional
antihypertensive drugs who choose to use one or more of the strategies below,
make certain to watch your blood pressure carefully, because it may get too low.
You may need to stop trying to heal yourself... or better yet, you may need to
reduce your conventional medication.
If you don't use it, you lose
it
Exercise! Medical associations
usually encourage heart patients to consult with their physician before
beginning an exercise program. Considering the therapeutic value of exercise
upon the heart and a person's overall health, it seems wiser to see a physician
if you do not choose to exercise. A sedentary lifestyle should only be available
by prescription to people with a serious disorder. The best exercises for a
healthy heart are those that exercise the long muscles, such as jogging,
swimming, rowing, walking, and various running sports. Isometrics and
weightlifting, on the other hand, can raise your blood pressure and should be
avoided.
Walk, walk, walk
Although this is more of an
"or so" strategy than a minute strategy, new research has shown that
people who walk at least three hours per week at three to four miles per hour
(this is steady walking, not "mall walking") have a diminished chance
of getting heart disease. The additional good news is that you can read this
book and walk at the same time!
Lighten up
Jog with a 50-pound backpack.
After one minute, you will discover how much extra stress this extra baggage
places on you and your heart. If you're not at or near your optimal weight, you
are continually stressing your heart. One option: If you simply maintain your
present calorie intake for one year and increase your activity level by walking
one mile a day, you will lose ten pounds.
Pretend you're Italian
Put garlic on everything! Garlic
has been shown to prevent the formation of clots, lower blood pressure, reduce
plaque formation, and even reverse established atherosclerosis. Garlic also
boosts the high-density lipoproteins (the good guys!). If you cook with garlic,
recent research has shown that it has considerably more health benefits if you
cut fresh garlic and leave it sitting out for at least ten minutes before
cooking with it. Brave people or hermits should try eating fresh cloves, while
others can purchase the capsulated garlic (just make certain to get garlic pills
from reputable companies).
Sow your oats (and other
sources of fiber)
The water-soluble fiber from
various grains, especially oats, is able to get into your arteries, break down
cholesterol, and do some Roto-rooter cleaning. Psyllium, the primary ingredient
in many fiber-rich products, has been found to significantly lower serum
cholesterol. Other good sources of fiber are most whole grains and legumes,
especially wheat, brown rice, lentils, and dried peas. Most fresh fruits and
vegetables, especially apples, figs, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are also
fiber-rich.
A carrot a day will keep heart
disease away
Carrots are high in
beta-carotene, which has been found to prevent coronary artery disease. Other
vegetables rich in beta-carotene are spinach, cabbage, and orange and yellow
fruits. In addition to eating these vegetables, it is highly recommended to take
50 mg of beta-carotene a day.
Hearty supplements
The following supplements can be
helpful to the heart: 100-200 IU of vitamin E three times a day, 1,000-3,000 mg
of vitamin C, 100 mcg a day of selenium, 200 mcg of chromium chloride, and
500-1,000 mg of calcium (calcium is especially important for postmenopausal
women). Magnesium and potassium supplements are particularly important if you're
taking diuretics.
Cooperate with Co-Enzyme Q10
Co-enzyme Q10 improves heart
muscle oxygenation and is particularly important for people with hypertension,
angina, congestive heart failure, and mitral valve prolapse. CoQ10 as its
friends call it, is also an essential component of metabolic processes involved
in energy production in the cell. This is a very helpful supplement for people
with many kinds of heart disease. Take 60-100 mg per day.
Niacin to the rescue, too
Niacin has been shown to lower
the amount of bad cholesterol in the body and increase the amount of good
cholesterol. A decrease of 10 to 25 percent in cholesterol is common in people
who either take niacin alone or with other supplements. It is recommended to
increase the amount of niacin slowly. Start with 100 mg of niacin three times a
day for the first three days, increase to 200 mg three times a day for the next
three days, and then increase by 100 mg per dose every three days until you are
taking 1,000 mg per dose three times a day. Niacin should not, however, be taken
by people with liver disease, and it is best to take this supplement under the
care of a physician.
Don't just supplement yourself
Just adding various supplements
to a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet is not effective. The most effective way to
get the most out of vitamins is to complement their use with a healthier,
lower-fat diet.
Cut the fat out
To a person with heart disease,
cutting down slightly on fats only marginally slows down the disease process. To
make real headway and "heartway" it is necessary to significantly cut
down on fats, especially animal fats. It is particularly important to avoid
eating late at night because then whatever fat you eat goes into the bloodstream
at a time when your circulation has slowed down, leading to increased chances of
arterial blockage.
There are good fats in this
world!
Essential fatty acids from
flaxseed, evening primrose, or borage can lower cholesterol and triglyceride
levels. Take one to two tablespoons per day. There are also essential fatty
acids in certain fish, especially salmon, mackerel, and herring.
Giggle with guggul
Guggul (Commiphora mukul) is one
of India's most well-known and respected herbal remedies. A couple of studies
have shown that it can lower cholesterol and triglycerides. Take 500 mg per day.
Get yeasted
Red yeast (Monascus purpureus),
which is cultivated on rice, contains several important chemicals that help the
body form the good cholesterol (HDL) and reduce production of the bad kind (LDL).
Whether you take this in bulk or in pill form, it can be helpful. In pill form,
it is recommended that you take four 600 mg capsules of standardized red yeast
per day (one such product is called Cholestin).
It's tea time!
Black tea contains tannic acid,
an astringent compound that has been found to lower cholesterol. Do not,
however, brew your black tea too long, for taking larger doses of it can lead to
indigestion.
To aspirin or not to aspirin
Although recent research has
shown the benefits of aspirin to the heart, other research has shown that
aspirin can have detrimental effects on the immune system. Aspirin not only
blocks the anti-clotting effects of hormone-like chemicals called prostaglandins,
but it also inhibits the infection-fighting action of the prostaglandins. There
are safer means of preventing heart disease. If, however, you do decide to use
aspirin to prevent blood clotting and a heart attack, take half an aspirin a
day.
Don't mix grapefruit juice and
calcium channel blockers
Grapefruit juice can
dramatically increase the concentration of calcium channel blockers in the
bloodstream and cause a medical emergency. Be careful about such
"mixed" drinks.
Relax and relax again
Do whatever activities relax
you, and consider using tried-and-true strategies such as meditation, yoga, and
biofeedback that can help you reach deeper states of relaxation. Just as many
people go to 'robics classes as a way to maintain a fitness program, it is also
helpful to go regularly to yoga, meditation, or relaxation classes for the
expert teaching and group support that will keep you on the program.
Relaxation is only a breath
away
Proper breathing is not only
relaxing, it can help oxygenate the blood and improve heart function. Most
people breathe primarily with their chest, which encourages rapid, shallow
breathing. A deeper and more relaxing breath is obtained through abdominal
breathing. To practice abdominal breathing, sit comfortably with your back
straight. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Breathing
in through your nose, notice the hand on your abdomen rise, while the hand on
your chest hardly moves. Exhale as much as possible, even contracting your
abdominal muscles so that they slightly massage internal organs. Breathe in
again through your nose, and repeat this process for a couple of minutes several
times a day. Although this type of breathing will feel uncomfortable at first,
doing it more frequently will teach you to breathe more deeply, helping you to
relax more fully and improve your health.
Berry good
The hawthorn berry is one of the
most common prescriptions made by German doctors to treat people with high blood
pressure and angina. It has been shown to reduce blood pressure, lower
cholesterol, and prevent deposits of cholesterol on arterial walls. This herb is
available in pill and liquid extract forms. Take two capsules twice a day of the
pill form, or take 20 to 40 drops twice a day of the liquid form. Consider also
take cayenne pepper and/or ginger, preferably in pill form, to help distribute
the healing effects of the hawthorn berries throughout your circulatory system.
Get hot, get cool
Stimulate circulation by
alternating hot and cool showers. Do three minutes of each twice. As your heart
and your courage strengthen, try using even cooler and hotter water.
Try pleasure therapy
Do whatever things you truly
love -- not just because it feels good, but also because it's therapeutic.
The healing power of work
Work satisfaction is invaluable
to a healthy heart. If your work is fulfilling you, this satisfaction warms the
heart and lowers blood pressure. Research has also shown that people whose jobs
are not secure are more apt to have higher levels of serum cholesterol and
higher rates of heart attack.
Acknowledge fear, and release
it
Fear is a primordial survival
defense; it prepares a person for fight or flight. However, fear also raises
blood pressure, and if you experience it for a prolonged period of time, it can
lead to hypertension. Because we sometimes feel fear when neither a
fight-or-flight response is appropriate, we are bottling up powerful emotions
and disturbing our health. If you try to ignore your fears, they fester, while
acknowledging them is the first step that helps bring light to the shadow. As
Gandolf, one of the heroes in The Hobbit, once said, "We must go in the
direction of our greatest fear, for therein lies our only hope." Because
fear often rises its head when we ignore its roots, seeking to understand it
helps to release it.
This
article was
excerpted from
"The One Minute
(or so) Healer"
by
Dan Ullman, MPH
Info/Order this book
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