Scientists tell us that our heart more closely resembles the brain than a muscle, that it contains millions of neurons, and is in constant communication with the thinking brain. Our heart and brain appear to act in concert, with the heart functioning as the feeling part of our brain. Indeed, the latest research tells us that our heart is an acutely sensitive organ of perception. It is no secret that the mid-life years bring a rise in the risk of heart attack, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and stroke for both men and women. Heart disease claims one life every 34 seconds in the United States alone. Taking care of our hearts is critically important, if we want to live to be healthy, wise, and compassionate elders. To ensure a healthy heart and minimize your risk of heart disease and stroke, pay special attention to nourishing this all-important organ throughout your mid-life years and beyond. Research has clearly demonstrated that expressing your full range of emotions is very important for heart health, and that holding our true feelings inside, not giving them expression, helps set the stage for heart disease. Additionally, emotions such as grief, depression, and anxiety, when allowed to become chronic, are known to cause a constriction of the blood vessels, hindering the flow of blood. The pressure of blood in the arteries depends on both the force with which the heart contracts and the resistance that the blood meets as it passes through the small vessels in the body’s tissues. We want a nice, strong, rhythmic beating action of the heart, in combination with clear open passageways. The caliber of the arterioles and the rate and force of the heartbeat are constantly changing under the influence of the autonomic nervous system, which consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers, and are also altered by hormones, especially adrenaline. Learning to open our wild hearts, to connect with the physical earth, cultivating love and compassion for nature, people, plants and animals, touching and being touched, expressing joy and acceptance, all help keep our hearts well toned and functioning. Consuming heart-healthy, low-fat foods, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as sardines, salmon and herring, and flax seed and hemp seed oils, helps protect us against heart disease and stroke. Other foods and beverages that bring a host of benefits to the heart include herbal meads and fermented beverages in moderation, green tea, nuts and seeds rich in essential fatty acids, oatmeal, seaweeds, antioxidant-rich blueberries and other anthocyanidin-rich fruits such as bilberry, blackberry, elderberries and grapes, foods rich in carotenes like carrots and sweet potatoes, and potassium-rich foods such as bananas, apples and potatoes. Some of my favorite herbs for nourishing and toning the heart include motherwort, dandelion, oatstraw, ginkgo, rosemary, angelica, ginseng, ginger, rose, nettles, hawthorn, elderberry, garlic, lemon balm, red clover, and willow. In addition, maintaining a healthy weight and getting plenty of exercise will also go a long way toward keeping your heart hale and robust well into old age. Excerpt from Traversing the Wild Terrain of Menopause; Herbal Allies for Midlife Women and Men by Gail Faith Edwards copyright 2005 Gail Faith Edwards This article may be reproduced with the author's permission as long as you give full credit to the author and provide a link to this website - www.blessedmaineherbs.com |