HEART HEALTH: Protect Your Cardiovascular System Through Self-Care, Mindfulness & Yoga

Above all else,

guard your heart, 

for it is the wellspring of life.

-King Soloman

The World Health Organization's (WHO) most recent statistics reveal that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the leading cause of death globally, affecting approximately 17.9 million lives annually. CVDs comprise a group of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels. More than 80% of these deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and an estimated 33% occur in individuals under the age of 70. These are staggering numbers. Despite significant advancement in pharmacological intervention, CVDs continue to be major medical challenges.  

Enormous attention has been applied to research with the hopes of obtaining new and efficient tools for diagnosis and treatment. While genetics play a role in CVDs, incorporating heart healthy habits into your life can mitigate risk factors. When blood pressure and blood glucose, cortisol and stress levels are appropriately managed, the risk decreases, significantly! Appropriately identifying those at highest risk of CVDs and providing resources and treatment can notably prevent or reduce premature deaths. 

Whereas we're all familiar with the role genes play in our health, we must also pay respect to the role behaviors and our environment affect our overall well-being. Acts of self-care affect how our bodies react to potential health threats.  

BEING MINDFUL of the PROBLEMS 

that CAN LEAD to CVDs

Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure,  is a key precursor of heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure can damage your arteries  (the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood away from your heart for delivery to every part of your body) by making them less elastic. This results in a decreased blood flow and oxygen to your heart. Decreased blood flow can cause chest pain, also known as angina. 

Blood pressure, which can change and fluctuate throughout the course of your day, drops when there is less tension on the heart and arteries and can dramatically spike during an anxiety episode. Deep diaphragmatic breathing helps when experiencing an anxiety spike. 

Blood glucose

Blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart and these vessels. Excess blood sugar decreases the elasticity of blood vessels which will cause them to narrow, resulting in the hindrance of blood flow. This in turn can give rise to hypertension and, over time, lead to heart disease. 

When cortisol (described next) and adrenaline levels are stabilized (among other factors), blood sugar levels generally improve. 

Cortisol

Cortisol, an essential hormone produced by your adrenal glands sitting atop your kidneys, affects almost every organ and tissue in your body, and it regulates your stress response. It helps manage several important functions such as keeping levels of inflammation down, regulating blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and controlling your sleep/wake cycle. It also plays a role in how your body uses nutrients.

Balancing this hormone is key to energy and healthy living. Cortisol levels rise when pressure or tension is perceived, and they naturally re-balance when you're no longer feeling stressed. However, what happens when the stress is protracted; when there's no end in sight? Unfortunately, the answer is not good!  

Our sympathetic nervous system is responsible for keeping us alert in case of danger and was only meant to be engaged for a brief period of time (as a protective mechanism). Following a brief period of stress, the body will naturally return to homeostasis. The heart rate slows, the muscles relax, and breathing returns to normal. It is the heaviness of chronic stress that increases the likelihood of poor health. Typically, this turns into lowered levels of immune and cognitive functioning, mixed with higher levels of fatigue, lethargy and joylessness.  

Chronic Stress

In modern times, many individuals are over-worked, over-scheduled, and over-stimulated. We have become mass consumers of distressing news, and are chronically living with a sense of burdensome deadlines and urgency.  An off-shoot of chronic stress is the eventual feeling of burnout. 

BURNOUT

The coining of the  term "burnout" from a clinical perspective is largely attributed to American psychologist, Herbert Freudenberger,  who in 1974 described it as the outcome of severe stress in "helping" professionals. 

Over time, the term "burnout" has generalized to other professions and is no longer restricted to  those in the healing arts. Employees at all levels and across domains are reporting feeling on edge. 

Burnout results in feelings of:

• energy exhaustion 
• workplace disconnection
• reduced productivity

Without a self-care practice in place, our life can quickly become scattered and feel out of control. In a society in which heavy emphasis is placed on productivity, self-care often falls to the wayside. By carving out time to engage in self-care, you will relieve the day-to-day pressures of life and help re-balance yourself back to health, vitality, and energy. Your heart is highly dependent on your self-care practice. 

What's good for the mind also tends to be good for the heart.

Anything you do to keep yourself healthy and energized is self-care.

So What Can We Do? 

In recent times, the popularity of the terms alternative and complementary medicine has increased. While "alternative" describes a treatment or intervention used in lieu of conventional medicine, "complementary" is designated for treatments or interventions that are used in conjunction with standard medical care. 

Such treatments can include but are certainly not limited to the following: acupuncture, chiropractic, hypnosis, aromatherapy, herbal remedies, breathwork, massage, music therapy , and yoga. 

THE PRESCRIPTION: 

Moving Toward a Calmer Way of Being

We often hear of the benefits of a balanced diet and exercise as healthy habits toward strengthening our cardiovascular system. However, and although it's gaining support, we don't hear enough from our health care professionals about self -care and incorporating a mindfulness practice. This includes journaling, meditation and yoga as significant contributors to not only heart health but overall health and immune functioning. 

The good news is that there has been a recent shift among cardiologists and other health professionals about expressing to their patients the importance of mindfulness and yoga (and their benefits).  

Mindfulness is the act of paying attention to the present moment with a non-judgmental attitude. In essence, mindfulness is the basic human ability to become fully present,  without feelings of overwhelm or over-reactivity. In our busy worlds, where multitasking has become synonymous with efficiency and productivity, we find ourselves buried under the pressures of a never ending To-Do list and time constraints that create a dysregulated and unbalanced life. 

Journaling

Journaling is one of the most effective ways of reducing stress that many psychotherapists recommend it as part of their patients' treatment plan. Research continuously supports that capturing your story and your thoughts in writing helps to promote self-reflection, insight, healing, and growth. 

Whether journaling for life management, creative expression, problem solving, or simply for recording your history, the act of taking pen to paper and writing is powerful. It's healthy for you, both in mind and body. Research also shows that it can be a powerfully effective tool for managing chronic health conditions and pain. 

WE LEARN BY WRITING

WE GAIN CLARITY THROUGH WRITING

Through the conscientious and intentional process of connecting ourselves to pen and journal, we deepen our self-understanding. This understanding leads to meaningful insight. Formerly known as 'keeping a diary,'  Journaling is often experienced as an expression of self-love. It is a place where you can simply and privately write down your thoughts and feelings so as to process and understand them and yourself  more clearly. 

Mindfulness & Meditation

The enigmatic practice of meditation, rooted deeply in cultural and religious history as a pathway toward enlightenment, has found itself in modern times more commonly used to manage stress and induce relaxation. When we hear 'meditation', we often also hear the name of its aforementioned associate or partner- MINDFULNESS. Whereas meditation is a system intended to bring about a heightened state of awareness and focused attention, the latter describes a specific manner of living that is cultivated through this system. 

 

Meditation is a process that allows you to slow down; to go inwardly, accessing deeper insights. In contrast to a time-out, it’s more of a time-in. 

There is a de-emphasis on tomorrow, the next day, or later in the day and an adherence to Ram Dass' most famous expression:

Meditation is the training technique to cultivate mindfulness. Periodically, throughout the day, pausing and conducting a mini check-in is advised. Take a moment and ask questions such as: 

• Do I feel connected to the present activity?

• Is this present activity energizing me or depleting me of my energy?

• How am I feeling right now?

• When I listen to my body, what is it telling me I need?

• What am I paying attention to at this moment? 

• What is the rhythm of my life right now? Too fast, too slow? Smooth, irregular? 

Getting Started: The Basics of a Meditation Practice 

Starting a meditation practice does not have to be complicated. A quiet place and a comfortable seat are all you need to begin. If you carve out just 10 minutes per day, you will reap extraordinary rewards. 

• Sit or lie comfortably. 

• Focus your attention on your breath and on how your body moves with each inhalation and exhalation.

• Breathe naturally.

• Notice when your mind and thoughts wander and bring your attention back to your breath. 

• Optional: Add an essential oil, such as lavender, to facilitate relaxation.

Yoga & Your Healthy Heart

Yoga, a deeply rooted, healing practice emphasizing the mind-body connection, incorporating postures, breathing, and meditation, originated thousands of years ago in India. It's ironic that its healing effect is considered "new age" when it has historically established itself as an interconnected philosophical system aimed at balancing and harmonizing both the mind and body. 

The physical practice of yoga can be viewed as a moving meditation, connecting breath with movement. The degree of movement and its pace will depend on the type of yoga practiced. Pranayama is the formal practice of managing the breath, and a steady, rhythmic breath is central to yoga. 

Whether participating in a slower flow or one that is more upbeat and fast-paced, the breath is key in the flow of movement. Also, a faster, more physically demanding yoga class (such as power yoga) meets the exercise criterion; therefore checking off two self-care activities within one session.  The recommended time dedicated to exercise for overall health is a minimum of 150 minutes per week. 

EXERCISE IS MEDICINE

YOGA IS MEDICINE 

Its consistent practice yields compounding results, meaning each and every time you participate in this moving meditation, you're decreasing the negative effects of stress. 

Using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) found that practicing yoga may elevate gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels. Because GABA is a natural brain relaxant that helps you feel good, higher levels translate into elevated feelings of calm. This calming effect is good for your heart. 

In their literature review synthesizing findings on voluntary diaphragmatic deep breathing (as practiced in yoga), researchers Yau and Loke reported findings supporting its health benefits. These included lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressures, reduced heart rate, a relaxing effect, and lowered levels of anxiety in individuals with hyper- and prehypertensive conditions. 

A fairly inexpensive and easily accessible intervention with a plethora of benefits and few  (if any) side-effects if practiced responsibly, yoga has been shown to promote good health in as little as a few hours per week.  Whether practiced privately or within a group setting, in-studio or on-line, yoga's popularity has made it increasingly available. While science has documented the benefits of yoga, it should not be used as a substitute or  replacement for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 

Yoga's benefits: 

1.    Increases blood flow & lung function

2.   Increases energy & brain function

3.   Improves posture, balance, flexibility and muscle strength

4.   Boosts metabolism and lowers insulin 

5.   Lowers blood pressure 

6.   Lowers stress level  

7.   Relieves/reduces pain

8.   Improves immune function 

9.   Inspires self awareness, and psychological and spiritual growth

10.  Improves sleep

11.  Improves mood, self-esteem, and outlook 

REFERENCEs

Boston University. "Yoga May Elevate Brain GABA Levels, Suggesting Possible Treatment For Depression." ScienceDaily,  22 May 2007

World Health Organization International statistics,  2019

Yau KK, Loke AY. Effects of diaphragmatic deep breathing exercises on prehypertensive or hypertensive adults: A literature review. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2021 May;43:101315. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101315. Epub 2021 Jan 26. PMID: 33530033.

The information presented in this blog is intended for general 

knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. 

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