Heart Healthy
"Open your heart to me, my own," whispers Grandmother Growth so softly you aren't certain you hear her. "Open the wisdom way of compassion here in your heart and draw me inside. Let Grandmother Growth be inside you, helping you encompass the whole, in the beat of your own heart, my heart, Crone's heart." Step 0: Do Nothing Thinking of taking hormone replacement to keep your heart healthy? Think again. Data released in April of the year 2000, from the federal government's Women's Health Initiative, showed "a small increase in the number of heart attacks, strokes and blood clots in the lungs of women on hormone replacement compared with women on placebo." The Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS), completed in 1998, found the same connection. For a healthy heart, don't take hormones. "Recently released data from the federal government's Women's Health Initiative suggests that during the first two years of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy there is a slightly greater risk of heart attack, stroke and blood clots." Heart disease is America's top killer (claiming a life every 34 seconds). Women aged 30-50 have far less risk of heart disease than a man their age. But postmenopausal women die from heart disease at rates as high as men's. (Women account for 51 percent of all cardiovascular deaths; men, 49 percent.) Is it lack of estrogen? No. Estrogen does lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol, but cholesterol is only weakly linked to heart disease, especially in women. (Most heart attacks happen to people with normal cholesterol levels.) Estrogen raises blood pressure (one of the top three reasons for heart attacks in women), increases triglycerides, promotes clotting (a leading factor in heart attacks and strokes), and raises levels of C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation associated with heart disease). Take progestins/progesterone too and you increase your risk of heart disease even more. Hormone replacement really isn't heart healthy. Aren't there studies linking estrogen usage to lowered risk of heart disease? Only retrospective ones, which cannot establish a cause-and-effect link. And the women in those studies ate well, exercised regularly, and were unlikely to smoke - behaviors that are critical to heart health. The simple truth is more than 90 percent of all heart disease is preventable with lifestyle choices. The three top risk factors for heart disease in women are too much belly fat, smoking, and untreated hypertension. High cholesterol is one of the top three risk factors for men, but not for women. (This is because, after menopause, we make heart healthy hormones from our cholesterol.) Step 1: Collect Information The Nurses Health Study - which followed 86,000 women for 14 years - shows what happens to those wise old Crones who follow heart healthy behaviors: - Those who ate more fish than meat, plus plenty of whole grains, beans, leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables reduced their risk of heart disease by one-third compared to those who ate a "normal" American diet. Eating one serving a day of whole-grain foods reduced heart attacks by 34 percent in another study of 34,000 postmenopausal women.
- Those who ate at least 5 ounces of nuts a week were only half as likely to have a heart attack as those who ate none.
- Women who walked a total of three hours per week or who exercised vigorously for at least 90 minutes a week had one third fewer heart attacks than women who got no exercise. Those who walked five or more hours a week cut their risk in half.
Step 2: Engage the Energy - Rose flower essence and rose quartz essence are both recommended for engaging the energy of the heart.
- Do you attack your heart? Do you close your heart to protect it? Love yourself. Give yourself plenty of nice strokes so you won't have a bad stroke. Try Stephen Levine's meditation "Opening the Heart" in Who Dies?
- People in Hawaii, New Mexico, and Arizona have the healthiest hearts in the United States. Imagine you live there.
- Smile! Depression increases your risk of both heart attack and stroke. In fact, severe depression is more strongly linked to stroke risk than high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking cigarettes, being overweight, and nine other known risk factors. When you smile, your brain makes hormones that make you, and your heart, feel good. So, smile.
Step 3: Nourish & Tonify - Touch and be touched. In numerous scientific studies, people who were touched lovingly every day had significantly fewer heart problems than those who weren't.
- Nuts to heart attacks. The fats in nuts have been linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks. Volunteers on high-fat diets (35-40 percent of calories nuts and olive oil) lowered their LDL cholesterol by 13 percent. Greek women do the same, and have one of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world.
- Essential fatty acids, especially omega-3s, are ever so essential to a healthy heart. Look for them in fish (salmon, sardines, trout, herring are highest), seeds, whole grains, beans, and nuts. They are especially abundant in wild seeds such as plantain, lamb's quarter, and amaranth. And in freshly ground flax seeds. Women who consume the EFA alpha-linolenic acid daily have the lowest risk of a fatal heart attack.
- Keep your heart healthy with regular use of seaweeds. Seaweeds have clinically proven cardiotonic effects: they stabilize blood pressure; regulate levels of triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterols; prolong the life of the heart muscle; and encourage a steady heartbeat.
- Women who regularly eat foods rich in carotenes cut their risk of stroke by 40 percent. Women who eat broccoli at least once a week have roughly half the risk of heart disease as women who eat none.
- Eliminating or limiting carbohydrates, especially refined flours and sugars, has halved the cholesterol of several friends whose totals were above 400.
"What emerges is a clear association of heart disease with ... consumption of devitalized, processed, fabricated food items, including sugar and fructose, soft drinks, fortified white flour, milk and egg powders, caffeine, imitation broth products, synthetic vitamins, vegetable oils, and hydrogenated fats." - Sally Fallon - Garlic, Knoblauch, Ail (Allium sativum) is a great friend to old hearts. Several cloves a day of fresh, raw garlic can lower blood pressure, reduce phospholipids and cholesterol, strengthen heart action, increase immune response, reduce platelet clumping and clotting (thus reducing strokes), and stabilize blood sugar levels.
Don't like raw garlic? Use powdered! A four-year study found women who ingested 900 mg (1/4 teaspoonful) of garlic powder daily had 18 percent less arterial plaque than those taking a placebo. - Hawthorn berry tincture is the standard herbal heart tonic, and for good reason. It is broadly effective, virtually without overdose, and easy to make from fresh or dried berries. An elegant shrub or small tree, hawthorn is frequently cultivated in the suburbs.
Injectable forms of Crataegus were used by MDs up until the 1950s to treat vascular heart disease, high blood pressure, inflammation of the heart muscle, and arteriosclerosis. The action of hawthorn is slow but complete. It strengthens the heart, establishes a regular heartbeat, relieves water build-up around the heart, and resolves stress throughout the cardiovascular system. Dose is 25-40 drops of the berry tincture, up to 4 times a day. Expect results no sooner than 6-8 weeks. - Motherwort, that dear friend of menopausal women, is a favorite heart tonic. A dose of 10-20 drops of the tincture of the flowering tops, taken up to three times a day, helps lower blood pressure, strengthen heart action, ease palpitations and irregular heartbeats, and make room in the heart for compassion.
- Keep your heart healthy by eating chocolate. Sound too good to be true? Despite its reputation, chocolate is loaded with heart healthy phytochemicals. Cocoa's tretramers curb oxidation of the blood vessel walls, short-circuiting the build up of atherosclerotic plaque; they also help keep the vessels relaxed, keeping blood pressure down.
Chocolate's flavonoids are more powerful than vitamin C in limiting oxidation of LDL; they protect all lipids in the blood from free-radical damage. Procyanidins are flavonoids that work like mild aspirins, keeping the blood thin and free-flowing. Polyphenols are heart-healthy substances found abundantly in red wine, green tea, and chocolate. Daily use may prevent stroke by delaying blood clotting time. (75 ounces/20 grams of dark chocolate = one-half cup tea = one glass red wine.) Chocolate also prevents blood platelet fragmentation (which occurs when platelets get sticky), and boosts HDL (good) cholesterol. No wonder it often comes in heart-shaped boxes! - Lemon balm is so strengthening to the heart, it is said those who drink it daily will live forever. Brew fresh or dried leaves in a cup of water for 5-10 minutes. Or steep fresh leaves in a glass of white wine for 1-2 hours and drink with dinner. Or enjoy 1-2 tablespoons/15-30 ml of the vinegar.
- You don't have to sweat, but you do have to move to keep your heart healthy. However you can do it, do it; no excuses.
- Dandelion root tincture lowers blood pressure and keeps your heart and cardiovascular system healthy and happy. Use 10-15 drops with meals.
- If you eat meat, be sure to eat whole grains and beans. Homocysteine is concentrated in the blood of those who eat a lot of animal protein and don't get enough B vitamins to process it completely.
See New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way, Alternative Approaches for Women 30-90 for Heart Healthy steps 4, 5, and 6 of the Six Steps of Healing HEART HEALTHY LIFE STYLE HINTS
- Eat whole grains, nuts, and beans daily.
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables every day.
- Eat fatty fish at least once a week.
- Eat dark chocolate regularly.
- Eat a high monounsaturated-fat diet.
- Stop smoking.
- Exercise daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight; don't diet.
STOP SMOKING - HEART HEALTHY HINTS Tobacco is highly addictive and you can beat it. Get an extra edge on quitting by nourishing yourself with a handful of freshly toasted sunflower seeds and a cup of nettle or oatstraw infusion daily for 4-6 weeks before you stop smoking. Sunflower seeds reduce cravings for nicotine by filling nicotine receptor sites. Nettles and oatstraw strengthen nerves and cushion the impact of withdrawal. Nourish yourself the Wise Woman Way when you want tobacco: - Take an oatstraw bath.
- Eat a wild salad (even if its only one dandelion leaf).
- Bring home a flower.
- Let someone cook dinner for you.
- Go to a yoga class or a martial arts class.
- Buy something for yourself instead of cigarettes.
- Miss your smoke break? Take a break for pleasure!
- A weight gain of 15 pounds/7 kilos is normal for quitters.
- Nicotine withdrawal causes constipation.
- Read, get, buy The No-Nag, No-Guilt, Do-It-Your-Own-Way Guide to Quitting Smoking by Tom Ferguson, MD, Ballantine, 1987.
See New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way, Alternative Approaches for Women 30-90 for more great Heart Healthy tips and hints. Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material contained herein is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second opinion. Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081 Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative. Susun is one of America's best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women's health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at http://www.susunweed.com
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Three Tips for Arthritis Pain Relief
Massage ?not the areas that hurt
Far Infrared Sauna Technology Comes of Age
What exactly is infrared, or radiant heat? No need to worry - it has nothing to do with either ultraviolet radiation (which gives you a sunburn and damages your skin) or atomic radiation (the kind from a nuclear bomb).
Aphrodisiacs: Increasing Sexual Desire and Capacity
Are you among the millions of people worldwide who are otherwise healthy but who've lost interest in sex? Do you find it boring and routine? Are you so tired that you'd rather nap than make love? Do you think TV is more stimulating than your partner? Do you have physical symptoms, like vaginal dryness or difficulty with erection, that make sex unpleasant?
All Natural Shampoo - 5 Tips
All Natural Shampoo - 5 Tips
Here are 5 tips to ensure you are buying a true all natural shampoo product, even though the label may say all natural.
All natural shampoo will not contain as an ingredient SLS, or sodium lauryl sulfate. This additive is only added to ensure the shampoo bubbles, and forms a thick lather, neither of which ensure your hair is actually clean. This is the same additive added to oven cleaners. SLS is a known, and much publicized skin irritant.
No SLES is listed in the ingredients. This is a sister chemical to the SLS. While SLES is not quite as much of a skin irritant, it definitely causes drying of the skin. You should avoid SLS and SLES at all costs.
No PEG is added. This ingredient is normally listed as PEG-with a number behind it. Also a strong skin irritant. One of the main ingredients if brake fluid.
No term fragrance will be listed in the ingredients. Fragrance is just an artificially derived chemical, which is cheap to use and makes the shampoo have an aroma to it. This is also a know skin irritant. All natural shampoos will be fragrance and enhanced with pure essential oils.
No artificial colors, preservatives, or ingredients added.
Just a quick check of the label will ensure you are truly buying an All Natural Shampoo product.
The Subconscious Mind As Teacher: Why It Can Help You Relieve Your Pain
Many disciplines are designed to program the subconscious. But except for the method used to derive visualization statements, no technique honors the subconscious as a teacher by first asking it what it believes will work. This distinctive approach may be very helpful for pain relief.
Mud Baths at Your Home Spa- the Pros and Cons
"If you truly love Nature,
you will find beauty everywhere"
-Vincent Van Gogh
Secrets Of Aromatherapy Part I - Physical Remedies
Aromatherapy can be used to relieve the discomfort of a
wide range of minor physical complaints including burns,
colds, flu, sinus problems, cold sores, eczema, headache,
indigestion, menopause, menstrual irregularities, muscle
aches, nausea and toothaches.
Drugstore Hemorrhoid Medications
There are many drugstore and alternative Internet products
for treating hemorrhoids. Most of the products are not
made to cure or eliminate hemorrhoids but to give you
temporary relief of itching, pain, swelling or bleeding. I
don't recommend using any type of product that is not
natural or that comes from a drugstore.
Stage Hypnosis Vs Hypnotherapy - Understanding The Difference
We've all seen them, right? The stage hypnotist, who makes his subjects cluck like chickens. But comparing a stage hypnotist to a hypnotherapist is like comparing a karaoke singer to Celine Dion! They are just not in the same league!
Home Remedies, Treatment To All Ailments By Herbal Homemade Remedies
Given below the list of Best Home Remedies for all common diseases and conditions. Try these effective home remedies for a few days and see the results. If the symptoms do not go away, or you do not see any improvement, then you must consult your doctor.
Thyme: Elegance Drifting Through the Ages of Time
Thyme is a herb that has been cultivated for centuries for both its medicinal and culinary uses.
More Vegetable Constipation Remedies
Here are more constipation remedies using vegetables. Use vegetables every day for good health. When you have constipation then you want to eat more vegetables and fruits than normal. After you clear your constipation, them back off from eating excess vegetables and just eat what you need to prevent constipation.
Treat Osteoporosis Naturally
Osteoporosis is a condition that faces every baby boomer; man or woman. Women are more prone to getting this after menopause, but men can also have "porous bones." Women have much thinner bones and will lose calcium more quickly. Calcium is what makes up the content of the bones and when that is decreased your bones will become more fragile, brittle and break easily. Any type of sudden movement such as a sneeze can become a problem for someone with severe osteoporosis. Often times the patient isn't aware they have this bone problem until the break has already occurred. Small compression fractures can occur in the spine and this creates the bent over appearance or widow's hump. All of this happens silently and until you experience a bad break or have a lot of back pain; you may not know this is going on. So many of us are at risk of this debilitating disease; it really is becoming a public health concern. Some of the risk factors for developing osteoporosis include:
Aromatherapy - Essential Oils for Physical and Psychological Well-being
What is Aromatherapy?
Natural Medicine--Finding a Qualified Naturopath
Naturopathic medicine is currently the fastest growing segment of the alternative health movement but not everyone practicing this branch of "natural" medicine is qualified to do so. I like to group naturopaths according to their educational backgrounds because I believe that the quality of your naturopath's education directly affects the quality of care you'll receive. Naturopaths fall into one of three categories:
Three Steps to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids
Constipation, Hemorrhoids or Piles, and inactivity go hand in hand. If you have been constipated for quite a while, chances are you have hemorrhoids. If you are inactive because you just like sitting around or are confined to a bed or chair, then you will have constipation and hemorrhoids.
Using Essential Fatty Acids for Reducing Arthritis Joint Pain
Essential fatty acids provide protection for the whole body. In particular it is effective in reducing inflammation as experienced in joint pain or arthritis.
Kokoro no Kaze: Does Your Soul Have a Cold?
Feeling sad? Have you lost interest in things you used to enjoy? Perhaps you're suffering from a cold of the soul.
Getting into The Zone with The Alexander Technique
Have you ever attempted to perform a simple act and completely failed? From completely mistiming a shot to losing balance at a crucial moment, the outcome may have fallen short of our intention and expectation. In contrast there are times when everything goes just right, every act is carried out to perfection with little perceived effort. Why should this be the case? If we are capable of achieving feats of brilliance one moment, why do we fail so comprehensively the next? What condition is present one moment and gone the next? Athletes refer to the later as 'The Zone ' and spend their lives trying to reach this subliminal level.
Arthritis Pain: Why Visualizations May Be Able to Provide Relief
Over 100 different types of arthritis exist, but by far the most common are the "osteo" and the "rheumatoid" varieties. Both may be subject to influence by your subconscious through the use of visualization statements.
|
