Guest guest Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 NATURAL CARDIOVASCULAR SUPPORT Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Approximately 500,000 men and women die each year due to heart related diseases. However, there is growing scientific evidence that suggests dietary changes and supplements as well as lifestyle changes and exercise can decrease these outrageous statistical numbers. The information in this report was gathered to give you a choice to naturally support the strength of your cardiovascular system and to maintain a healthy heart. http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/usa/healthinformation/articles/FloraArticl\ e16.asp GUIDELINES FOR A HEALTHY HEART Herbal Medicine Research Report: Volume 1 No. 3 1998 Malik Cotter, D.A.C., Dipl. O.M. Our heart beats on an average of 100,000 times a day, pumps nearly 6,000 quarts of nutrient rich blood throughout a network of vessels that could stretch twice around the equator of the earth if all tied together, and is constructed to last a lifetime without taking a moments rest. Quite incredible! The heart is the very core of our being, the central force that promotes life within and without. It beats to the music of life, keeping us in rhythm with nature, responding to the high and low notes, the sharps and flats of our existence. In Chinese and Western Medicine both, the function of the heart is to control and regulate the flow of blood through the vessels bringing adequate amounts of nutrients to the cells and tissues. This ensures the continuation and maintenance of our life. The heart is of great importance and yet cardiovascular disease is ranked as the number one killer in the United States. The heart and the vessels need to be kept clean and in a strong working order. This is a plain and simple fact. When the arteries become blocked with plaque, blood flow is diminished and the vital organs, brain and extremities all suffer the effects. Plaque is the result of elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream. The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart itself and the narrowing of these vessels can result in angina pectoris. If they become completely obstructed and blood is cut off, a heart attack may occur and possibly leave permanent damage. Hardening of the arteries, arteriosclerosis, is the most common cause of blood vessel obstruction. High blood pressure is often a signal that heart problems are not far off and that measures must be made to remedy the situation. There are many other types of heart problems and it would serve us all to pay closer attention to the best defense we know: prevention. The foundations of a healthy heart program are these: make necessary changes in dietary habits, exercise moderately, stop destructive lifestyle patterns and engage in daily stress management. Heart disease can be reversed! Eat a diet that is balanced with adequate amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes and use quality unrefined cold pressed or expeller pressed oils. A healthy heart partially depends upon your total cholesterol, and cholesterol is greatly influenced by your food program. Cholesterol is essential and we need it to help manufacture cell membranes, produce bile salts and become a component of various hormones. Cholesterol is very important and if too low could jeopardize normal body functions. However most people seem to have too high a cholesterol level. In our blood we have low-density lipoproteins (LDL), referred to as bad cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins (HDL), referred to as the good cholesterol. Low density lipoproteins transport large amounts of cholesterol from the liver to the cells of the body. The liver produces cholesterol from the foods we eat and deposits it into the bloodstream. High density lipoproteins carry little cholesterol as they circulate through the body removing excess cholesterol from the blood and tissues. The gall bladder works with the liver and high cholesterol is the main cause of gallstones. There is a proper balance to maintain with these lipoproteins. Saturated fats raise the blood cholesterol more than any other food we eat. An unsaturated fat diet combined with sufficient protein and carbohydrates composed primarily of fresh organic produce, low to no salt, plenty of good drinking water and avoidance of stimulants appears to be the healthier choice. Antioxidants such as Co-Q 10 increase oxygen to the heart tissue, vitamins C and E and beta-carotene are effective in prevention of arteriosclerosis. Calcium and magnesium assist the working of the heart muscle and lecithin, a fat emulsifier, keeps cholesterol down. In different formulas are used to treat high cholesterol, and there are herbs that appear to be commonly used. A report from the American Botanical Council by Dr. James Zhou indicates that herbal formulas which contain He Shou Wu, Cassia seeds, Hawthorn, Alisma, Codonopsis, Bupleurum, Ginseng and drinking Green Tea, have had success in lowering cholesterol when properly used in correct proportion to the other herbs of the formula. treats the cause, and does not just check the symptoms. At the root there may be a liver, kidney or spleen imbalance, excessive phlegm, weak digestion or poor metabolism. Exercise is also of major importance. Find the type of daily exercise that you enjoy and make it an integral part of your healthy heart program. Brisk walking for 30 minutes a day can do wonders for your health. Look into stretching exercises like yoga and tai qi, ride your bicycle, swim and walk up and down the stairs when you can and forget the escalator. Put exercise into your lifestyle and the rewards and benefits will increase your vitality. Breathing has long been a beneficial agent in any smart health heart program. It's the cord that unites the body, mind and spirit. Breath is a very powerful asset, something we need to continue and carry on life with, and yet so many breathe so shallow. Breathing influences the way we think, act and move. It can relieve anxiety and boost the immune system. It has more potential to heal than any other physical tool we have. Train yourself daily with long, slow, full, deep belly breathing. relates that the heart is the seat of our mental, psychological and spiritual faculties. It's the force that shapes our beliefs, values and the rules that we live by. The quality that gives meaning to the events of life an influences our perceptions. Western Medicine clearly addresses stress management as a major player in heart health. Our stresses lure us into making big things out of the little ones, and we get trapped into believing them. Our frustrations, irritations, and over reactions upset the rhythmical working of the heart. This puts undue stress on the heart, makes it work harder, pump out more blood and leads to various diseases in the body, while the urgency mind set generates the rush to deal with the emergency. Cortisol is one of the hormones secreted by the adrenal glands. It is manufactured in response to stress. Cortisol is not harmful in low or moderate amounts, but when produced daily due to chronic stress, it becomes toxic and injures or kills millions of brain cells. Try replacing old habits of stress and reaction with a new way by putting things into perspective and taking them on one at a time in order of your priority. It can be said very simply that stress kills the nerves, the digestion, the brain, the heart, and the body. Herbal formulas like Flora's Tranquil Spirit and Secret of Longevity will assist in your quest for a calmer quality of life. The Premenstrual Harmony formula with Bupleurum, works to assist the liver with it's cholesterol function. The Athletic Tone Formula with proper amounts of He Shou Wu and four types of Ginseng, supports the adrenals and the body as a general over-all tonic, needed for those on the fast-paced cutting edge. Herbs, vitamins and minerals, and nutritional supplements will help, but still the real power lies within yourself. Practice relaxation techniques, get sufficient rest and sleep, take time for yourself and be in nature. Practice meditation, release judgment, fears, pessimism and the false belief that you need to be an over-achiever. Live from the center of your being. Life is full of choices and they are there for us to enjoy. A strong heart gives an empowered will force, and nothing builds heart more than a life lived with compassion. Sources and References: American Botanical Council, Herb Clip, January 1998, Zhou, James, Ph.D. Chinese Herbs for Cholesterol. Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease by Dean Ornish, M.D. Controlling Cholesterol, Kenneth Cooper, M.D. The Complete Illustrated Guide To , Tom Williams, Ph.D. and Dr. Han Liping Prescription for Nutritional Healing, James Balch. M.D. and Phyllis Balch, N.C. Brain Longevity, Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. Teaching Manual For Traditional Yin-Yang Herbals, W. Malik Cotter, D.Ac., Dipl. O.M. About the author: W. Malik Cotter, trained in the U.S. and mainland China in Traditional Chinese Medicine. He holds a Doctor of Acupuncture degree, a Diplomate in Oriental Medicine, and has been given a professorship at a major Chinese medical university. He has a clinical practice in Hawaii, and travels extensively teaching health related subjects. _________________ JoAnn Guest mrsjoguest DietaryTipsForHBP www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes AIM Barleygreen " Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future " http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html Mail - now with 250MB free storage. Learn more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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