This Valentine’s Day, Be Good To Your Heart

Since Valentine’s Day is a day that is associated symbolically with the heart, I thought it would be fitting to write an article about how to care for your heart. Statistics show that heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States and has been since the early 1900’s. This just does not make any sense, especially given all of the advances in medicine we have had since then. In addition, stress, anxiety and depression have all been implicated as contributing factors in heart disease and are some of the top reasons why people visit their health care provider. 

What seems to be missing and what I think is the key to a healthy heart, and to a happy life, is following a healthy lifestyle. In fact, our health problems have become so chronic in nature that until we change our usual approach in how we treat disease AND unless lifestyle changes are implemented, those with heart disease will continue to progressively worsen and ultimately die of their heart disease, as we can easily surmise from the statistics. And those with other ailments won’t be much better off.

However, there is good news in all of this. A person with heart disease can actually halt the progression and even reverse their disease as evidenced in the “Lifestyle Heart Trial” study conducted by Dr. Dean Ornish. A pioneer in the field of medicine, Dr. Ornish is the first physician ever, to demonstrate the reversal of heart disease in patients who had been diagnosed, by integrating lifestyle changes, and subsequently, he has developed a comprehensive nutrition program specifically for reversing heart disease without drugs or surgery. It is also important to keep in mind that the whole person needs to be treated, not just the disease or symptoms, which simply are red flags and the body’s way of saying that there is a break in the Body-Mind-Spirit connection. 

Your heart needs to be to be nourished emotionally and spiritually, not just physically and it is important to integrate all three of these components in order to achieve optimal health. Physically, your heart requires the proper nutrition, exercise and rest. As far as nutrition is concerned, recommendations for a heart healthy diet include eating  low-fat foods and choosing the right fats such as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). It is equally as important to avoid fried foods and foods that contain those dreaded trans fats.

Physically, your heart is a muscle that needs to be exercised just like any of the other muscles in your body, in order to keep it healthy and strong. Physical activity is good for your heart and has numerous health benefits for your heart and for the rest of your body too including helping to lower cholesterol and blood glucose levels, promote joint, cartilage and bone strength, maintain flexibility, assist with weight loss, and elevate mood. The truth is that in many cases, diet and exercise should replace surgery in treating heart disease. Always consult with your health care provider before starting exercise. 

Emotionally, stress has now been linked to heart disease, but don’t let that stress you out! There is a very simple remedy, and I am not talking about paxil or prozac. It’s called breathing. Usually when we are anxious, nervous or uptight, our breathing becomes more rapid and shallow. When faced with stressful situations, our bodies prepare for the “Fight or Flight Response,” a response in which the adrenal glands pump out cortisol and adrenaline to prepare the body for action. These stress hormones which are released into the body cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Alternatively, slowing down and deepening the breath induces the “Relaxation Response,” a physiological state of quietude, which counteracts and is the antidote to the stress response. Add a half smile to your breathing which causes pressure on the vagus nerve and stimulates the release of serotonin, and you’ll get that feel good feeling too. All you need to do is to take three slow, deep belly breaths with a half smile on your face and see how much better you will feel. This technique can be done several times a day or as often as is needed and takes only a moment.

The last component for caring for your heart is to nourish it spiritually with Love. Love is an energy that arises spontaneously in the heart and is our essential nature. It is always ready to flow; however, if we are not experiencing love right now, it is not because we are failing to create it, but because we are preventing it from arising. Love is always there, waiting deep within our hearts and waiting for us to surrender to it. And, when we do, it rewards us with the greatest fulfillment in life: that Divine connection with our Higher Being, Source, or God. If you sometimes find it difficult to make that heartfelt connection try practicing gratitude and try to be grateful for both the blessings and the challenges that life brings.

Ultimately, how we treat our heart is in our own control, whether we have heart disease or not. Being good to our heart is vital for a healthy life. Developing lifestyle changes is a process that takes place over time, but the rewards naturally lead to heart health and happiness on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels of existence. So this Valentine’s Day, do yourself a favor and be good to your heart!