The Heart keeps us alive and is always there for us while we are in our physical form, yet how much so we really know about our heart? The Heartmath institute has done years of study on our hearts and the connection between our brain and heart. You will find information about Heartmath at the bottom of this blog.
What sorts of things can we do to keep our hearts healthy?
- Eat a variety of brightly coloured fruits, and vegetables on a daily basis.
- Cut back on the sugars, the processed oils (canola oil, etc.) and processed foods.
- Exercise, walk, dance, stretch, workout, take up tai chi, etc.
- Get out in Nature, play with your kids and pets, get together with friends.
- Learn to react less to your triggers and stress (don't expect them to just go away)
- Eat more Superfoods: greens, good fats/oils, nuts/seeds, berries, dark chocolate (70%), flax meal, quinoa, buckwheat, beans/legumes, chia seeds, green tea, spices, etc.
- Eat more of a "Mediterranean Diet"
- Take a good Vitamin C (with Bioflavonoids) daily
- Take CoQ10 daily, especially if on a medication that depletes CoQ10: Statins, Beta-Blockers, etc.
- Take a good Magnesium daily, BisGlycinate is a good form, as this mineral relaxes the heart muscles and is deficient is a very large part of the population.
- Take a good Omega 3 supplement daily.
- Take a natural multi-vitamin or a B complex supplement with food, preferably in the morning.
- Other foods/supplements good for the heart: garlic, turmeric, plant sterols, Quercetin.
- Practice stress reducing techniques like meditation, listening to meditations; find out what helps to reduce your stress, learn to set boundaries, etc.
Heartmath:
"The human heart emits the strongest electromagnetic field in our body. This electromagnetic field envelops the entire body extending out in all directions, and it can be measured up to several feet outside of the body. Research from the Institute of HeartMath shows that this emotional information is encoded in this energetic field. HeartMath researchers have also seen that as we consciously focus on feeling a positive emotion - such as care, appreciation, compassion or love - it has a beneficial effect on our own health and well-being, and can have a positive affect on those around us." ~ Heartmath.org