Healthy Heart - Happy Life
How much thought do you give to your heart every day? Your heart has its own set of blood vessels and muscular system that pumps 14,000 liters of blood every day. That means it pumps 10,000,000 liters every year of your life. Do you think you could remember to tell your heart to beat 70 or more times every minute? Thankfully the automated nervous system remembers for you.
There are some things you do need to remember if you expect your heart to support a happy, healthy life. When you are feeling stressed, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in and your heart beats faster and your blood pressure goes up. If you stay stuck in your stress then your heart will not support a happy life.
So how do you know if your heart is struggling? Do you have some swelling around your ankles, or do your hands and feet feel cold most of the time. If either of these conditions plagues your day, there are some easy things you can do to support your circulatory system and in turn make it easier for your heart to pump your way to a happy life.
First, consider what you are feeding your body. Hopefully, you know how important it is to stay away from artificial ingredients, flavors, colors, and genetically modified (GMO) foods or ingredients.
Second, ask yourself if you are feeding those little powerhouses inside your cells, the mitochondria, with enough nutrients to support the amount of energy they have to make every day. The heart, because it is a muscle, has more mitochondria than any other organ in your body.
Maybe you’re telling yourself, ha-ha I take a multivitamin so I’m giving my body what it needs. But are you? The mitochondria specifically need therapeutic amounts of B-Vitamins along with amino acids and minerals. If you’re buying your multivitamin off the shelf at Wal-Mart, you are wasting your money because you are getting no where near the amount of each nutrient that you really need. A holistic nutritionist can go over any supplements you are taking and make sure you are getting the most nutrition for the money you are spending.
So now, let’s take for granted that you have your mitochondria taken care of. Now it is time to get specific with other things you can do to boost your heart function and circulation. If you are familiar with herbs at all, you have heard about Hawthorn for your heart. Well today I’m going to introduce you to a different herb that supports your heart by stimulating blood circulation while allowing your body to stay in parasympathetic mode. This herb is called Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum). Eclectic physicians used the bark of the prickly ash tree like more modern physicians use cayenne. The difference is that prickly ash bark stimulates circulation at a slower rate and the effect lasts longer. Like your other supplements, make sure you are dosing this and any other herbs at the proper therapeutic range. For prickly ash, stay between 250mg-500mg or 2g to 5g in either one or two doses per day. Prickly ash bark can be taken as a solo herb in tincture, capsule, or decocted into a tea or it can be added to a blend prepared in any of these forms. If you’re particular about the flavor of your tea, keep in mind that prickly ash bark has a spicy/pungent flavor making it very warming but also drying.
Earlier I asked if you had swelling around your ankles or if your hands and feet felt cold most of the time. Those are two symptoms of a struggling heart. Another symptom you may have never associated with a stressed heart are achy joints. When the blood fails to circulate and move out cellular waste inflammation sets in. With inflammation comes the aches and pain. The prickly ash bark can be ground into a powder and made into a poultice. Simply take a clean cloth, spread a thin layer of honey, and sprinkle the ground prickly ash bark on top. All that’s left is to tape the poultice over the top of the achy/painful/injured or congested area. I suggest you do this right before you go to bed. This allows the medicinal properties to soak in while you sleep. This is also the time when your body is doing its best repair work and the herb will support that.
If you want a Happy Life – keep your Heart Healthy!
References
Berry, J. (2021). Everything you need to know about berberine. Retrieved from the Medical News Today website at https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325798
Drake, V. (2021). Lignans. Retrieved from the Linus Pauling Institute. Micronutrient Information Center, website at https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/lignans#authors-reviewers
Ealy, H. (2017). Herbs for a Healthy Heart. Retrieved from the Energetic Health Institute – HNC203 – Supplements & Herbs Pro – Lesson 5, at https://our.energetichealthinstitute.org/course/1378835025/materials/gp/1379315297
Hoffman, D. (2003). Cardiovascular Herbs. From the book, Medical Herbalism. Healing Arts Press, 1st Edition, Rochester, VT
Prickly ash. Gaia Herbs. (n.d.). Retrieved June 29, 2022, from the Gaia Herbs website at https://www.gaiaherbs.com/blogs/herbs/prickly-ash
Tierra, M. (1992). The Nature of Herbs. From the book, Planetary Herbology. Lotus Press. Twin Lakes, WI
