When a Heart Beats Irregularly

[Guest guest]

You certainly may not wish to even comtemplate as low fat a diet, not to mention

its vegetariansim, as Dr. Dean Ornish or Dr. John McDougal prescribe to people,

but it's as close to a fool-proof way of eliminating all sorts of heart disease

symptoms, including arrythmias as you will find anywhere. There is no magic

here. Depending on the severity of your heart problems, you are simply put on a

diet restricting fats to roughly 10% of total calories, to which an exercise

program, and a few other details, are added, and you're done.

jp

 

 

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surpriseshan2

mcs-canada

Friday, December 22, 2006 11:04 AM

When a Heart Beats Irregularly

 

 

 

Heart Arrythmia Articles...

http://www.essense-of-life.com/info/tarrhythmia.htm#magnesium2

 

When a Heart Beats Irregularly

By William Collinge

 

Arrhythmias (also known as an irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations) can

threaten your life. So talk to your doctor before you change anything about

your treatment.

 

Question:

I have a heart arrhythmia and don't want to take drugs or get a pacemaker.

Are there any good alternatives?

 

Answer:

March 27, 2000 (Mill Valley, Calif.) -- A proper diet and stress reduction

may help. But whether you can get by without medication or a pacemaker will

largely depend on the severity of your condition. Don't take any chances.

Arrhythmias (also known as an irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations) can

threaten

your life. So talk to your doctor before you change anything about your

treatment.

 

That said, you might want to consider checking your magnesium level.

 

(snip)

[Guest guest]

Heart Arrythmia Articles

 

http://www.essense-of-life.com/info/tarrhythmia.htm#magnesium2

 

When a Heart Beats Irregularly

By William Collinge

 

Arrhythmias (also known as an irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations) can

threaten your life. So talk to your doctor before you change anything about

your treatment.

 

Question:

I have a heart arrhythmia and don't want to take drugs or get a pacemaker.

Are there any good alternatives?

 

Answer:

March 27, 2000 (Mill Valley, Calif.) -- A proper diet and stress reduction

may help. But whether you can get by without medication or a pacemaker will

largely depend on the severity of your condition. Don't take any chances.

Arrhythmias (also known as an irregular heartbeat or heart palpitations) can threaten

your life. So talk to your doctor before you change anything about your

treatment.

 

That said, you might want to consider checking your magnesium level. (You can

have this done at most medical clinics with a routine blood test.) Your heart

needs magnesium and potassium to maintain the electrical impulses controlling

its rhythm. Researchers suspect that magnesium shortage in the heart causes a

shortage of potassium, leading in turn to the potential for an arrhythmia.

 

The promise of magnesium as a treatment for some arrhythmias was demonstrated

in a small study reported in the June 15, 1994 issue of the American Journal

of Cardiology. Researchers treated eighteen patients who suffered from a type

of arrhythmia, new-onset atrial fibrillation, in which the heart's beating

becomes rapid and uncontrolled.

 

These patients all received the common anti-arrhythmia drug digoxin

intravenously. In addition, one group were given 10 grams of a magnesium sulfate

solution intravenously, and the rest received an intravenous dextrose solution as a

placebo.

 

After 24 hours, although their heart rhythms were still abnormal, the

magnesium patients averaged a rate of 80 beats per minute, a more normal speed than

the 105 beats per minute experienced by the placebo group. The magnesium group

suffered no significant side effects.

 

While this research is preliminary, it can't hurt to be sure you're getting

the right amount of magnesium. Be advised that supplements of this mineral will

help only if you aren't already getting enough. Too much magnesium could

actually make your arrhythmia worse, so work with your doctor to make sure you're

getting the right amount.

 

Whether or not magnesium helps, you may be able to improve your heart's

rhythm by reducing stress. Studies have shown that stress can harm the heart in

many ways.

 

One study, published in the January 2000 issue of Circulation, studied 18

people with pacemakers. Researchers asked them to describe memories of

frustrating events while an interviewer asked them irritating questions. The resulting

mental stress triggered significant increases in heart rate, blood pressure,

and arrhythmias.

 

To protect your own heart from stress, get plenty of rest and try relaxation

techniques such as meditation or yoga. Ask your physician what kind of

exercise is best for your condition.

 

One last cautionary note: Some alternative practitioners recommend licorice

tea as a stress-buster, but it has been shown to contribute to high blood

pressure, which can be a problem for someone with an arrhythmia. So avoid it if

your blood pressure is high.

 

William Collinge, MPH, PhD, is a teacher, researcher, and author in the field

of integrative health.

 

For more information from WebMD:

SHN Chat Room Transcript: Arrhythmia

2000 Healtheon/WebMD. All rights reserved.