How to have and keep a healthy heart.
The man whose heart
is not compassionate is hardening his heart. (Indian saying)
Maybe compassion is
a healing mechanism for the heart. Maybe when we get older and we are seeing what we really are about, we feel pain. This
pain, instead of using it to improve and accept our situations can make us bitter and harden our heart. This is more a philosophical
statement then a researched hypothesis.
My own physical pains
have helped me to be sympathetic with other people's physical pains as well as with people’s emotional pain….
we could spend days discussing this issue…Louise Haye states: heart problems are related to long term emotional problems.
Lack of joy. Hardening the heart. Putting our identities in hard work and the stress and tension that results from that. In
the meantime, who remembers to "smell the roses"? Who has the courage to question and examine him/her self?
Back to some official
research:
Cardiac disease is the number one cause of death in the US.
Here are some guidelines. If
you want to have more information on each guideline, you can click on a link to an article on my site.
HOW TO HAVE AND KEEP A HEALTHY HEART.
In this article I
will focus on prevention, although many people address this problem only when there already is an onset of a
heart problem in the family.
To have and keep a
healthy heart may be a challenge for some of us and yet prevention is a large key, which may keep doors (and arteries)
open. We have some tips here for you and your family members.
- Use Olive oil and Flaxseed or flax oil for your omega 6 and 3. (Canola
oil is good too. Do not heat the oils.)
- Eat lots of vegetables, organic products (especially meat and diary). Avoid Polysaturated fats.
Overall, aim for a diet of
30 percent protein, 50 percent carbohydrate and 20 percent fat.
- As much as you can, avoid low-grade infections. Much research has
been coming out, showing a relationship between heart disease and low-grade infections. To do the yeast home test see: http://www.pieternel.com/yeast__infection.html Yeast infection is a very prominent disease and a low-grade infection (90 % of the US population
has yeast/ candida in more or lesser degree).
- Garlic,
onions, shallots and ginger can help manage inflammation, as well as cholesterol.
A recipe: Olive oil and chopped onion daily reduces
your blood pressure, noticeable in a week.
- Lower your cholesterol by eating oatmeal, niacin, or prickly pear, psyllium and co enzyme Q 10.
- Exercise!
- Avoid medications like celebrex, vioxin and traditional hormone replacement therapy, like primeran and
provera. These may have side effects such as strokes and heart attacks.
- Avoid more then 5 prescription medications as this increases the chances of drug interactions. Consume
alcohol with moderation; some literature states that it's best to avoid alcohol altogether. For men,
being in a relationship, and having a good social network increases heart health.
- Drink enough water : 8/
8 ounces glasses a day . Avoid smoking.
- Try nine hugs a day.
- For people who have cardiac problems, the following website can be very useful: http://www.heartsupport.com/
You want to know more? Keep reading.
First of all: Eat
healthy especially pregnant women. Research shows that what the “mother to be, eats” will be translated in the
genes. A bad diet can result in a tendency for cardiac disease in the baby. So if you want to change your family history start
now with the mothers to be.
In this article I
will address: Omega 3 and 6, protein intake, diet and how to avoid polysaturated fats, exercise and what kind of social emotional
compounds can influence your heart in a negative way.
Omega 6 and 3.
Be sure to get the
right kind of fats in. They are called the Omega 3 and 6 and are part of a healthy cardiac diet. Olive oil and Canola oil
are good sources for omega 6, but do not cook with the oil. They need to be used cold, for example as a salad dressing and
favorable with vegetables. Omega 3 and 6 is fuel for the heart, prevents blood clotting and reduces high blood fats like bad
cholesterol. They play a major role in our brain health.
For your omega 3 the
best source is flax. Some grind up two-table spoon each day in heir cereal. Others use 30 cc flax seed oil. Be sure to get
a good quality.
See also flaxseed
in the section tips: http://www.pieternel.com/healthy_living.html
See my breakfast recipe: 200 cc kefir
( 1 cup)
5 tablespoons full of quick oats
2 tablespoons of flaxseed or 30 cc of flax oil.
3 tablespoons of sesame seeds
2 or more tablespoons of blueberries.
Mix in the evening
and eat it next morning or the following day. Stays good for 4 days at least.
PROTEINS
Protein
are the building blocks for our body. Protein plays a crucial role in the brain development. To eat a variety of proteins
is a key to health. Many vegetables (Mediterranean diet) consist of a wide variety of protein:
Eat a variety of proteins to get all your essential proteins in. A good book to read is “The Zone” from
Berry Sears. Other people follow blood group diet and have good results. Observe what works for you and stick with it.
A person needs one-gram protein per day per 1 kg. So if you weigh 186 lbs, you need 75 mg of protein. One serving of
dairy in the form of yogurt, kefir has already 10 grams of proteins. If you alternate different kinds of proteins you might
get most of your essential amino acids into your system.
LOW GRADE INFECTIONS
Ask
your doctor for a C protein lab test to see if you are prone to low grade infections. There is latest research that makes
connections between infections low grade in your body and the development of cardiac disease. Low grade infections can be
dental infections, yeast infections, allergies, auto immune diseases, having colds often upsets the digestive system etc,
prostates, tendency for bladder infections, UTI’s e. See also http://www.pieternel.com/oregano_oil.html
C. pneumoniae seem
to be an infection that causes plagues in the arteries and plays a major role in the existence of cardiac disease. More research
is following and we are working on a new Oil of Oregano mixture with rosemary and cayenne pepper to especially attack the
C pneumoniae. (Whipe your telephone if other people use yours.)Call us if you
want to be on the list for this remedy.
We are looking for
people who do the C protein test and could take the new Oil of Oregano mixture and 6 months later get retested again. Extra
bonus promised.
Have your doctor test for cholesterol the good and the bad kind. A friend of me dropped his cholesterol with 75 with
this following “recipe”: It is now 172.
CHOLESTEROL
375 mg of Niacin to your diet in the form of a supplement or by food.
Take psyllium 4-6 tablespoon
Add lecithin
Keep your cholesterol in check. Do your regular check ups with the good and bad cholesterol.
We need 15 mg of niacin a day for your heart health in general preferable from foods: Foods rich in Niacin are: beef liver, brewer’s yeast, broccoli,
carrots, cheese, corn flour, dandelion greens, dates, eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, pork, potatoes, tomatoes, wheat germ, and
whole wheat products. Herbs containing niacin are: Alfa alfa, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, eyebright,
fennel seed, hops, licorice, mullein, nettle, oat straw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, rose hips, slippery
elm and yellow dock. Research shows that 15 mg of niacin helps mental function too.
Be sure to add a multivitamin as psyllium removes toxins out of your system, binding minerals and vitamins too.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEART HEALTH
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
is a potent antioxidant that has been linked to normal cardiac functioning and many cardiologists recommend supplemental CoQ10
to those taking statin drugs (which can effectively lower cholesterol, but reduce the production of CoQ10). It also has shown
potential benefits for anyone with risk factors for heart disease.
Be sure to add a multivitamin with magnesium.
To support your heart be sure you take a multi vitamin with folic acid and magnesium.
Add 100 mg L- arginine as this boasts up your immune system. And helps diminish anti oxidants in your system.
Smoking and hydration
Smoking is a big factor and more voices state that also chronic dehydration plays a role. The body is not able to get
rid of its waste and the arteries are like polluted rivers not able to bring the nutrients to the necessary organs in the
body.
The social emotional connection
Research shows: men who live alone, have an increased change for cardiac disease.
This also counts for alcohol abuse (probably due to a bad diet anyway).
People who have a lack of a good social network also have more chances to suffer cardiac disease.
EXERCISE
At least 3 times a week an hour and more preferable. You do not like the upbeat movements? (I feel with you). Yoga,
tai chi both have a very good effect on heart health when you practice these techniques regularly.
Hawthorn
Chew a hawthorn berry
each day. Dilates the arteries. Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels and restores heart muscles. Very effective against
congestive heart failure. For more information click on: http://www.usadrug.com/IMCAccess/ConsHerbs/Hawthornch.shtml
Prickle pear
Prickle pear is on
the news as an anti cholesterol food. Worth trying!
This article has been
a compilation of information for a healthy heart. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you have heart problems. Also if you take
medication check with your doctor if you can also do alternative medications/herbs.
Warmly
Pieternel
© 2005 Pieternel van Giersbergen. www.pieternel.com
www.pieternel.com
