Heart disease

The heart muscle contracts eighty times per minute, every hour of every day without resting. It is one of the body's most vital organs, ensuring that blood and oxygen are supplied to every cell. Heart attacks can occur with very little warning and yet they can end in sudden death. Arteriosclerosis affects the cardiovascular system in a painless, destructive process. If heart disease runs in the family, cholesterol and blood pressure will be high. Heart failure is a condition which develops if the heart muscle weakens, and it is most common in the elderly. Some warning signs of heart failure are excessive tiredness, breathlessness from climbing stairs, and edema.

Heart disease can be prevented even if there is a strong tendency for heart problems in the family. The main cause for most heart problems is improper diet, particularly eating too much meat and saturated fat, salt and sugar. Raw foods, fiber and wholesome, unrefined foods, as well as physical activity, are essential. Lack of exercise deprives the heart of a sufficient supply of oxygen, resulting in fatty deposits in the arteries. Coffee, alcohol and large meals are also bad for the heart, and the risks for heart disease increase with smoking and high blood pressure. Bacteria and viruses can afflict the heart and cause infection, in some cases unnoticed, leaving behind problems that resurface years later.

Constant stress is one of the most dangerous conditions for the heart. Heart palpitations are usually a reaction to anxiety and nervousness and are rarely serious, though they should be evaluated by a medical professional to rule out more serious problems. A nervously beating heart can also be related to an overactive thyroid, for instance. Tension from hectic living causes a reaction in the body where the heart must pound faster and harder. We must learn to enjoy life by slowing down and learning coping mechanisms to better manage and counteract the damaging effects of stress.

Supplements and herbs

Supplementation should be used to complement and not replace a healthy diet and lifestyle, which are the main preventers of heart disease. Coenzyme Q10 is an excellent supplement for the heart. A substance normally found in the body, coenzyme Q10 is often deficient in those with heart disease, and those with irregular heartbeats. Coenzyme Q10 improves oxygen supply to the heart while supporting heart function and muscle strength.

The heart muscle requires adequate amounts of carnitine in order to function properly. L-Carnitine lowers triglycerides and LDL cholesterol while raising HDL cholesterol and helps increase muscle strength and stamina. It is important as part of an enzyme system that lowers total fat in the body. In the body carnitine is manufactured from the amino acids lysine and methionine with the help of vitamins B3, B6 and C. Linus Pauline advocates the use of high doses of L-lysine and vitamin C in patients with angina. His studies indicate a significant improvement, possibly because of greater manufacture of carnitine in the body from lysine and vitamin C. L-carnitine transports fatty acids into cells so that they can be burned as fuel. In fact, some types of metabolic obesity are caused by a deficiency of carnitine. D-carnitine and D, L-carnitine can be toxic and should not be used. Use only the L-carnitine.

Proline is a nonessential amino acid highly concentrated in many tissues in the body and recommended for the reversal of heart disease. Proline helps strengthen the heart muscle and is an ingredient found in many natural commercial formulations marketed to the general public for reversing heart disease. Proline is synthesized in the body from other amino acids, namely ornithine and glutamic acid. The metabolism of proline is intimately connected to enzymes using niacin (vitamin B3) and vitamin C as cofactors.

Knowledge of proline supplementation is limited. Excess levels of proline have been linked to convulsions, elevated blood calcium and osteoporosis.

magnesium supplementation should be considered for heart disease, as many heart patients have low magnesium levels in their blood. A magnesium deficiency often causes spasms in the coronary arteries that lead to angina attacks. Deficiencies are also responsible for irregular or quickened heartbeats. Supplements also exist with magnesium and the heart herb hawthorn combined together in one pill.

Vitamin C protects the artery walls from damage, and since blood clots have a tendency to form at these damaged areas, this vitamin hinders clotting. The need for vitamin C tends to increase during arteriosclerosis, as vitamin C lowers cholesterol levels. Bioflavonoids should be added to strengthen cell walls, lower cholesterol and improve absorption of vitamin C.

Vitamin E is often recommended as a supplement for heart disease, since it strengthens artery walls and improves muscle function. It also improves oxygen supply to the cells, thereby reducing the likelihood of a *heart attack. Like vitamin C, it is an antioxidant, preventing free radicals from damaging cells. Because it can raise *blood-pressure levels, supplementation should begin in low dosages and increase over time.

In conjunction with nutritional treatment, herbal remedies help lower cholesterol levels and repair heart damage.

• Hawthorn berries regulate, heal, repair and soothe the heart. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tsp. of hawthorn blossoms, steep for five to ten minutes, strain and take 2-3 cups daily for a month or take 10 drops of extract in liquid twice daily.
• Garlic is an excellent remedy for reducing blood-cholesterol levels, and helps prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. The capsules contain less odor than the raw clove. Take 3 capsules three times daily.
• Mistletoe strengthens capillary walls, encourages repair and slows heart rate. Soak 1/2 tsp. of herb in 1 cup of water for twelve hours. Strain and drink 3 cups daily.
• Violets strengthen capillary walls. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tsp. of blossoms, steep for five minutes and drink 3 cups daily.
• Cinchona bark reduces the heart rate and improves irregular heart beats.

What else you can do

• Moderate, regular exercise like brisk walking three times per week for thirty minutes will benefit general health. Walking daily, even for ten minutes, will greatly improve heart health. Over-exertion is not healthy and will not help you get in shape any faster. Everybody at any age can do some kind of regular exercise that suits his or her lifestyle and condition. It is not so much what kind of exercise you do, but rather how regularly you do it.
• Outdoor exercise in fresh air is preferable to a gym or indoor pool. Do not walk along busy streets where you are exposed to the fumes from automobiles. Stroll through a park or along a beach, where there is plenty of fresh air. Deep breathe while you are walking (count to seven while inhaling and again to seven while exhaling).

How much to take

• Coenzyme Q10, 50 mg three times daily
• Magnesium, 600 mg
• Vitamin C, with bioflavonoids, 1,000 mg
• Vitamin E, with mixed tocopherols, 400 IU daily
• L-carnitine, 500 mg three times daily

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