Top natural remedies for heart (Cardiac) diseases and problems (Heart attack, heart failure and other heart problems)

Heart disease is the number one killer in civilized nations.

There are so many aspects to this, that it seems well to combine them all in one article rather than divide them into several.

 Part of the confusion is that everything is so interrelated: diet, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, angina, and other degenerative heart changes.

 The underlying cause of most heart disease is atherosclerosis. This is brought on by high blood cholesterol levels which are themselves caused by a diet low in antioxidants and high in animals fat, butter, and hydrogenated vegetable fats.

SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACK

Signs of a soon-coming heart attack may include nausea, sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, feelings of anxiety, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, sudden ringing in the ears, and loss of speech.

 The medical term for heart attack is angina.

 The heart attack itself may feel as a band of intense pressure to the heart. A powerful pain is produced, which may last for several minutes. It often extends to the shoulder, arm, neck, or jaw.

  But it may be a small attack, producing relatively little discomfort. Sometimes it is mistaken as indigestion. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all. This is termed a “silent heart attack.”

  An angina pectoris shows itself as recurrent pain beneath the sternum. It lasts 30-60 seconds. It is a severe constricting pain in the chest, often radiating from the heart to the left shoulder and down the arm.

SYMPTOMS OF HEART FAILURE

Shortness of breath, poor color, fatigue, accumulation of fluids, especially around the ankles (edema).

WHAT BRINGS ON A HEART ATTACK

What is a heart attack? What leads up to it? This article will provide you with an overview of the problem, along with several specific suggestions

  The cardiovascular system starts with the heart, which is a blood pump. The blood is sent through arteries and veins throughout the body.

   Cardiovascular disease is the name given to several problems which can stop the heart and can lead to death.

   1-A coronary is one type of cardiovascular disease. The arteries which nourish the heart muscle itself are the coronary arteries. But if these arteries become narrowed, not enough oxygen and nutrients are supplied to the heart; and not enough carbon dioxide and waste products are carried off. This oxygen deprivation causes a tight, heavy chest pain, usually following some exertion or after a meal. There is a sharp, debilitating pain in the center of the chest. It is called angina pectoris (or simply angina). The pain generally reduces when the person rests. But it is a forewarning of events to come.

    An angina attack may be precipitated by stress, exertion, a large meal (especially late in the evening), extreme cold, emotion, or other factors. Average life expectancy after the first onset of angina is 5-7 years.

    2-If that blood flow through the coronaries becomes entirely blocked or limited enough, so that it does not reach part of the heart, then a heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs. This refers to the formation of infarcts (areas of local tissue decay or death) in the myocardium (heart muscle). A heart attack does not always kill. But, whether it is mild or severe, a heart attack always produces some irreparable damage to the heart.

   3-The problem may not be in the heart, but in the arteries which nourish it. The arteries have hardened (called arteriosclerosis); and, when cholesterol and other materials flow through them, a clot (also called a thrombus) occurs. The hardened walls do not flex to let the blob pass on through. Arteriosclerosis is responsible for most of the deaths due to heart attack.

   4-Lack of oxygen and nutrients can also cause spasm of the coronary arteries, resulting in heart attack.

   5-Then there is high blood pressure (called hypertension). This is another form of cardiovascular disease, which also prepares the way for a heart attack. When the heart pumps blood, the blood shoots through the body at a fairly rapid speed. The muscular contractions of the heart produce a certain amount of pressure which produces this pumping action throughout the body. But sometimes the pressure builds up too high. This also is not the fault of the heart.

   Here are some of the things which produce high blood pressure

·         Hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) is a primary cause. Earlier, the flexing of the walls kept the pressure lower.

·         Clogged arteries: A second major cause of hypertension is a reduction in the size (interior dimension) of the arteries. They come to look like old water pipes, with congealed stuff sticking to the walls. For years, certain foods had been eaten which caused this problem (meat fat, grease, saturated fats, hydrogenated vegetables oils, margarine, butter, corn chips, etc.)

·         Too much sodium in the diet, eaten for too long a time, is another cause of hypertension. The solution should have been to earlier stop eating sodium (salty) foods.

·         Other causes include stress, enzyme imbalances, certain drugs (including oral contraceptives), and nutritional deficiencies.

·          There are still more factors which could be involved: hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, adrenal or pituitary disorders, and heredity.

Unfortunately, there is no pain as the hardening and clogging of arteries (both of which produce hypertension) progresses, So people keep living and eating the wrong way until one day the crisis comes.

HEART FAILURE

So far, we have only discussed heart attack, which is an interruption in the blood flow to the heart. But there is also heart failure, which is inadequate blood flow from the heart. It is not providing enough blood to supply the needs of the body. Heart failure can be acute (short-term) or chronic.

Here are some of the problems which, over a period of time, can occur in the heart:

1-Arrhythmia. The heart does not beat right. The natural rhythms are more irregular. This is caused by problems in the cells in the heart which send out electrical signals to do the pumping sequences.

2-Palpitations occur when the heart seems to pound, whether regular or irregular.

3-Tachycardia occurs when the heart beats too fast when it is resting.

4-Bradycardia occurs when the heart beats too slowly.

5-Ectopic beats (also called skipped beats) are beats which are premature, producing longer rests between some beats than between others.

6-Fibrillation and flutter are a little different. An electrical error occurs, which sends some beat signals to the heart muscle, causing it to twitch instead of carrying out its normal blood pumping action.

7-Valvular disease is the name for problems in the heart valves, so they do not open and/or shut properly. Sometimes this is congenital; at other times it is caused by rheumatic fever or endocarditis (infection of the heart muscle).

OTHER HEART PROBLEMS

There are a variety of problems which trace their cause to coronary problems, artery problems, or heart muscle problems. Here are some of them:

1-Cardiomegaly (cardiac hypertrophy) occurs when the heart can no longer function normally. It works so hard that it enlarges. But this only weakens it. Causes of an enlarged heart include too much resistance from blood flow through the arteries.

2-Congestive heart failure is a chronic condition that results in fluids accumulating in the heart and edema in the feet and ankles. There is labored breathing after mild exertion.

3-Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart just stops beating. Because fresh blood is no longer reaching the brain, the person falls unconscious. Coronary artery problems are often the cause.

There are other problems which can occur in the heart, which can also weaken it. But these do not trace their causes to coronary or artery problems.

1-Carditis is an infection in the heart muscle, sometimes caused by rheumatic fever. It can lead to permanent heart damage.

2-Endocarditis is an infection of the endocardium. This is the sac-like membrane which surrounds the heart. People with damaged immune systems (from HIV, etc.) can acquire. It can also be caused by surgery, to replace defective heart valves. Permanent heart damage occurs.

3- Cardiomyopathy summarizes several heart problems, including enlargement of one or more heart chambers, heart muscle rigidity, etc. Causes include inherited defects and certain diseases.

NATURAL REMEDIES

Cardiovascular disease (which includes heart attack, stroke, and other disorders of the heart and blood vessel system) is the leading health problem in the western world. Over 50 million Americans have heart and blood vessel disease; many do not realize it, since symptoms have not appeared yet. Here is a brief overview of some facts you need to know, if you would avoid a later buildup of conditions leading to heart attack.

DIET

·         Be sure to drink enough water everyday, and frequently throughout the day! This cannot be stressed too much. Sludged blood is a very real cause of heart and vessel problems. If you sense your heart is bothering you, immediately drink two glasses of water.

·         Do not eat meat. Fat is in all meat. Do not eat meat and you will have a longer life. It is well-known that vegetarians live longer than others. They have less coronary disease, fewer heart attacks, and less heart failure.

·         Eat smaller meals.

·         Do not use refined, processed, fried, white flour, or junk foods.

·         Do not eat type of grease or oil (fatty foods, meat, margarine, butter, peanut butter, hydrogenated oils), saturated fats (animal fats), hydrogenated vegetable oils, or overheated or oxidized vegetable oils. Dean Ornish says: “Only a diet almost entirely free of animal fat, oil and cholesterol will significantly lower blood cholesterol levels reliably in just about everyone.” Do that which will keep you from having elevated cholesterol, triglyceride, and uric acid levels.

·         Vegetables, fruits, grains, and beans are low in the heart-hurting saturated fat found in meat and dairy products. But they are high in heart-healing fiber, and loaded with heart-nourishing vitamins and minerals. Avoid an excess of carbohydrates (especially refined ones) and sugar. Sugar increases triglyceride levels, platelet adhesiveness, uric acid levels, and blood pressure.

·         Garlic lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the “good cholesterol”)

·         Use cold-pressed vegetable oil. Take 1-2 tablespoons daily of uncooked flax-seed oil. It contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which reduce the stickiness of platelets, blood components that can bunch together and form the kind of clot that lodges in an artery and causes a heart attack. You want a high HDL-to-cholesterol ratio, in order to avoid cholesterol deposits in your blood vessels.

·         Be sure to include natural fat emulsifiers (especially lecithin) in your diet.

·         Eat a high-fiber diet, using whole grains, brown rice, beans, and fresh fruit and vegetables. A 6-year Harvard study of more than 40,000 men showed that those who ate the most fiber had only one-third the risk of heart attacks.

·         Do not eat many peanuts; but, when you do, leave the papery red skin on them because they contain the heart-protective compounds called oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs). OPCs are potent antioxidants that help prevent, not only heart attacks but also, cancer and stroke. OPCs are also in number of other vegetables including grape skins.

·         Do not use MSG (mono-sodium glutamate)

·         Locate your food allergies and eliminate them.

NUTRIENTS

·         Through nourishing food and supplements, obtain all vitamins and minerals you need. Calcium, magnesium, and potassium are important; so are the vitamins (A, B complex, C, and E). Eat Nova Scotia dulse or Norwegian kelp for trace minerals.

·         Helpful antioxidants include white germ oil, which raises oxygen levels 30%. Also good: Vitamin E (400 IU) with selenium, pycnogenol, ginkgo biloba extract, and rosemary.

·         Three  B vitamins (folic acid, B₆, and B₁₂) help convert the amino acid, homo-cysteine to two other amino acids which do not injure your coronary arteries (by scarring them so arterial plaque can stick). As much as 30% of heart problems are partly due to high homo-cysteine levels. Each day take 800-1,000 g of folic acid, 400 mcg B ₁₂, and 50 mg B₆.

·         Heart attacks were reduced 40% in nurses who took vitamin E supplements. In another study, the arteries of men who had undergone bypass surgery were examined; and those who had taken vitamin E for the two previous years were found to have smaller lesions.

·         If you are an adult, avoid very much Vitamin D intake (from meat, milk, eggs, or sunlight). Taking over 3,000 units a day adds to the plaque development and hardening of atherosclerosis. It can result in calcification of the coronary arteries. But carotene (pro-vitamin A) in the diet, from orange and yellow vegetables and fruits, will not cause this problem.

HERBS

·         Tonic herbs which help strengthen the heart include hawthorn extract, cayenne, ginger, garlic, and Siberian ginseng extract.

·         L-carnitine helps dissolve fat deposits around the heart. Germanium strengthen veins and provide oxygen to the blood and cells.

·         In Europe, people use hawthorn (as a syrup, extract, or fresh juice) as a heart tonic. The berry leaves, and flowering tops contain proyanidin flavonoids which help patients with cardiac insufficiency. American herbalists also strongly recommended this.

Hawthorn has been used for thousands of years as an herbal medicine to strengthen the heart. It has been studied scientifically since the 19^th century. The flowers mainly (with lesser amounts in its fruits) contain flavonic glycosides (polyphenols), which is known for its action on the heart and circulatory system. Several other chemicals enhance its cardio-tonic effect. It blocks the destruction of ATP, thus providing more energy in the cells and increasing the contractile strength of the heart. It is good for coronary insufficiency (weak heart) and arrhythmia (heartbeat disorders). It reduces angina pectoris by increasing the amount of blood in the coronary arteries and reducing spasms. Like garlic, hawthorn has balancing effect on blood pressure, decreasing it in those with high blood pressure.

·         Rosemary tea is a quieting tonic and helps the kidneys reduce edema caused by a malfunctioning heart.

·         Grape-speed extract contains oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs); and it tends to lower high blood, which can cause heart disease.

OTHER THINGS

·         Do not put much salt and other sodium products (look at the labels!) into your body. Do not drink chemically softened water. Water softeners have sodium in them.

·         Do not use coffee. Caffeine blocks the breakdown of adrenaline, resulting in the same response as heavy stress. Heavy caffeine consumption doubles the risk of coronary heart disease.

·         Do not use alcohol.

·         Do not use tobacco. The dangers of tobacco in producing heart attacks and other heart problems are well-documented.

·         Do not use drugs.

·         Make sure you are getting enough exercise. Sedentary living can kill you. Go outdoors and do something. Doing this is extremely important! All the nutrition in the world cannot help you, if you sit all the time. Regular exercise helps control weight, brings down high blood pressure, lowers blood sugar, increases HDL (the good cholesterol), reduces emotional stress, and helps reverse heart disease. Exercise outside 4-6 times a week. But if you have already had a heart attack, you will have to exercise more cautiously –but you must still exercise.

·         Hot and cold showers are a good way to increase circulation.

·         Keep weight down.

·         If you have high blood pressure, use natural ways to reduce it.

·         Research studies by the Chinese reveal that constipation is a significant factor in many heart attacks.

·         Special problems: Diabetes or gout. Taking birth control pills. Heavy metal poisoning. A family history of heart trouble, living under heavy stress, having a type-A personality.

·         If you tend to experience angina attacks at night, place 3-4 inch blocks under the head of your bed. This will reduce the attacks. More blood pools in the legs, and not so much tries to crowd in through the narrowed arteries into the heart.

Do everything in the above list that you can, and you will live a lot longer.

How to check your heartbeat:

·         Check your heartbeat every so often. The best way to begin the day is to check your pulse when you wake up in the morning. If it is under 60 beats per minutes, you are doing all right. But if your resting heart rate is above 80, that is not so good: it indicates that you may be developing hypertension or already have it. An estimated 25% of those who have heart attacks experienced no previous symptoms. So, right now, start eating right and living right.

An easy way to check your heartbeat: Place your finger on the side of your neck; looking at your watch, count the pulse for 15 seconds. Multiply that by four. A count of 15 means you are doing very well; you have a pulse of 60. A count of 20 means you are not; you have a pulse of 80. Immediately after jogging, it should no go above 30, which translates to a pulse of 120.

   Sodium is a problem which must be dealt with; since it can increase the likelihood of heart disease. Here are items to omit from the diet:

·         Table salt. Use a small amount of Nova Scotia dulse or Norwegian kelp instead. That will supply some salt, plus many vital trace minerals.

·         MSG (mono-sodium glutamate), which is an accent flavor enhancer.

·         Diet soft drinks.

·         Canned vegetables.

·         Commercially prepared food.

·         Baking soda.

·         Foods with preservatives.

·         Meat tenderizers.

·         Softened water.

·         Saccharin products.

·         Foods with mold inhibitors.

·         Some medical drugs.

·         Some toothpaste.

·         If you have any kind of heart problem, see your physician. Prevention-living right and eating right ahead of time-is the best key to success.

Specific help for specific problems:

·         Heart disease: Eat no fried foods. Avoid vitamin D. Instead, obtain essential fatty acids; the best is cold-pressed flax-seed oil or wheat germ oil. Also take selenium, vitamin E, 5-10 alfalfa tablets daily. And, if needed, supplementary hydrochloric acid. Take a 30 minute walk outside every day, Keep a 30- minute oxygen tank in your house, ready for use when you need it.

·         Palpitations: Do not eat MSG, caffeine, sugar, or processed foods. Avoid food allergens (foods that bother you). Obtain vitamins B₁, B₃, C, selenium, and potassium.

·         Cardiac arrhythmia: Avoid food allergens and MSG. Add selenium, chromium, magnesium, potassium to your diet. Hypoglycemia (chronic low blood sugar) can be a cause.

·         Nervous acid: Causes can include anemia and low stomach acid. Obtain B₁, B₁₂, and iron.

·         Angina: If you survive, take calcium, magnesium, essential fatty acids, and extra vitamins and minerals. Exercise for 30 minutes everyday. Reduce vitamin D intake from all sources (meat, fish, dairy products, etc). Avoid caffeine, sugar, and cigarette smoke.

·         Congestive heart failure: Causes can include lung disease and high blood pressure. Obtain vitamin B₁ and selenium.

·         Myocardial infarction: Rebuilding afterward (if you are still alive) should include vitamin C to bowel tolerance, vitamin E, selenium, vitamin A (in the form of beta carotene). Use supplementary hydrochloric acid.

Here is the information about fats and oils:

   Animal flesh contains fat. Do not eat animals. Doing so increases blood cholesterol. Some vegetable oils are also a problem: those that are refined, heat-treated, and partly (or completely) hydrogenated oils.

   Heating the oil changes it from the cis form to the trans form (also called a trans-fat), which is abnormal and can cause heart diseases, just as animal fats do. Only use cold-pressed vegetable oils, and not too much.

    Then there is the LDL and HDL story. It is also important, if you want to live longer. All kinds of fats (both the grease and oil forms) are carried in the blood in a protein-fat molecule, called a lipoprotein. There are two kinds: the low-density lipoprotein (LCDs), which are large cholesterol laden molecules, and the high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), which are smaller molecules with more protein and less cholesterol and triglycerides.

   High level of LDLs in the blood increase the risk of coronary heart disease. But high levels of HDLs actually reduce the risk of heart disease. For this reason, the cholesterol-to-HDL ratio is very important. Physicians even use it to estimate how likely it is that you will have a heart attack. The HDLs get rid of excess cholesterol in your bloodstream! They carry cholesterol from the blood to the liver, so it can be converted into bile and eliminated from the body. Here are nutritional facts which have been found since the importance of HDLs was discovered.

How to make your blood vessels more youthful so you can live longer.

·         Eat bran fiber: It reduces blood cholesterol and triglycerides. It increases HDL and lowers LDL. It also helps prevent the recycling of bile from the bowel back to the liver. So bran fiber in your diet does three very important things.

·         Vitamin C helps increase HDL levels and lower LDL levels. It also activates conversion of cholesterol into bile salts. Taking 1-2 grams a day can produce a 30% reduction in cholesterol levels (which are 400 or above). Vitamin C also lowers triglyceride levels.]

·         Vitamin E helps dissolve blood clots, dilate blood vessels, and conserve oxygen so the heart does not have to work as hard. Because of its antioxidant function, it also prevents fatty acids from becoming toxic.

·         Vitamin B complex helps keep cholesterol from collecting as plaque in the blood vessels.

·         Flax-seed oil (and to a lesser extent, wheat germ oil) is rich in omega 3. It decreases platelet adhesion, reduce blood cholesterol, and increases HDLs.

·         Lecithin is essential for utilizing fat and cholesterol in the body; and it significantly lowers blood cholesterol levels.

·         Brewer’s yeast and chromium reduce LDL levels and cause atherosclerotic plaques to recede.

·         Garlic lowers blood cholesterol and reduces platelet adhesiveness, as well as lowering triglycerides and increasing HDLs. In addition, it also helps normalize blood pressure.

·         Alfalfa meat (from ground seeds) contains saponins which prevent bile-like substances from recirculating to the liver.

·         Soy protein lowers blood cholesterol.

·         It should be noted that coronary bypass surgery has failed to prevent second heart attacks or extend life. It is not the “cure” for coronary atherosclerosis and severe angina that is said to be. Bypass operations are not the solution. They are only emergency repair jobs which do not remove the cause – which, unless properly corrected, will only return. It is a known fact that, unless changes are made in one’s diet and way of life, the bypasses eventually clog up months or years later. $9 billions is spent each year on bypasses (300,000 each year, at a cost of $30,000 on each one).

Fortunately, even the most advanced cases of heart disease can be helped by the discoveries provided by nutritional research