Nurturing the Miraculous, Multitasking Heart by Kristy Harvell
W
e already know that we can’t live without our heart, but let’s take a deeper look at this incredible organ. The heart can paint the picture of the amazing design of the body perhaps better than any other part of the body. A better understanding of heart health is necessary because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States as well as worldwide. One person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. About 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that’s one in every four deaths.
Mechanical Heart Our heart beats about 100,000 times in one day, pumping 2,000 gallons of blood. If one were to stretch out one’s capillaries, arteries and veins, they would reach 100,000 miles in length. All of these mechanics have a very important job—to pump oxygen-rich blood and fluids to nourish the cells and organs of the body, and pump carbon dioxide and other waste materials back through the lungs, kidneys and digestive system along with the lymphatic system. When circulation slows down, we experience fatigue, swelling, and aches and 10
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February is American Heart Month. This is a perfect time to focus on life-long, heart-nurturing habits. pains. The signs and symptoms of stress on the circulatory system can be subtle or can be expressed by more serious conditions, such as hypertension, edema, varicose veins or even cancer. Therapies that can improve the mechanical aspect of the heart include pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, ionic footbaths, lymphatic brushing, lymphatic massage, rebounder exercises, and various supplementation and herbs. Some of the most common nutrients and herbs include hawthorn, horse chestnut, wholefood vitamins E and C, bilberry, cayenne and cinnamon. Marjoram and cypress essential oils are also useful.
Hormonal Heart Many of us may not be aware that hormones are also carried around through the bloodstream. Most of us, however, have experienced the effect of the hormone adrenaline on heart function. We have probably felt the rush or fight or flight
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when we had to stomp on the brakes to avoid an accident, or even during times of excitement. Less obvious might be the effects that estrogen and thyroid hormones have on heart rate, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Hormonal health is important for heart health and can often be handled by supporting natural liver detoxification and balance. Adrenal and thyroid glandular products as well as adaptogenic herbs are helpful in moderating the stress response. Stress is related to 95 percent of all disease processes. While we can’t always avoid stressors and responsibility, we can improve our body’s ability to adapt to stress and to build up our reserve levels. The more we have in our gas tank, so to speak, the larger buffer we have between health and disease. Additional stress-management techniques include exercise, meditation, journaling, daily devotionals and positive affirmations.
Electrical Heart It is quite miraculous that our heart beats approximately once every second from an electrical impulse, even though we aren’t plugged into an external source. While
