There is so much we can do to help our heart be healthy. Along with the brain the heart is our most vital organ and is an amazing bit of technology. Its complexity is still not fully understood by medical science.
Global health bodies are doing a terrible job in keeping the populations hearts healthy with heart disease still the number 1 cause of death globally, despite the alarming increase in cancer rates. And this with multiple billions spent on research and drugs.
The good news is, through what Dr Chatterjee calls ‘integrative medicine’, we can look to our lifestyle choices, and make a dramatic impact in our health to help have a healthy heart.
Here are our 5 top tips for a healthy heart.
1 – EXCERCISE
Once again, we look to the ‘magic bullet’ of regular exercise as one of the fundamental pillars of good health. The heart is an organ, but also can be seen as a muscle – and like any muscle it benefits from, and is strengthened by, optimum exercise. As the old saying goes, ‘use it or lose it!’
The type of exercise, intensity and regularity is a very personal thing. The key is to DO SOMETHING! And do something you enjoy regularly – we love walking, cycling, yoga, weights and love making. You might enjoy rugby, karate, running and wild swimming. There is so much help out there to get you moving – in the real world in health clubs, yoga studios and leisure centres – in the online world in youtube videos, fitness apps and online coaching.
Regular exercise is the best way to combat obesity. There is a ‘pandemic’ of obesity in our society and being overweight will obviously put a greater strain on the heart.
2 – GOOD DIET
For heart health we can break this down into 5 main aspects:
A – Wholefood, plant-based diet. Eating mainly a wholefood plant-based diet has been shown, in multiple scientific studies, to enhance longevity and heart health. There are many reasons for which are explored below but a main one is the high levels of healing phytonutrients and antioxidants found in plants.
B – Essential fats. One great benefit of eating a wholefood plant-based diet is the avoidance of cooked animal fats and trans fats, which literally clog our arteries. We need to eat essential fats and look to achieve the correct balance and quantity of omega 3, 6 and 9 fats. You can do this by consuming a wide range of plants including marine phytoplankton, algae oils, hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, avocados and a variety of nuts. It is best to consume these things raw, and in the case of some seeds and nuts – pre-soaked and activated. Our heart health depends on essential fats, so make sure you are getting enough.
C – Vitamin C. Another benefit of a wholefood plant-based diet is the high quantity of vitamin C found in fruit and vegetables. Vitamin C is essential for maintaining the walls of the heart. Deficiencies over time lead to holes appearing these walls, which then need to be plugged. The body does this creating cholesterol which fills the holes. For many decades, doctors have blamed cholesterol as the problem, without understanding it is an effect, not the cause. The cause of the problem is a nutritional deficiency. This has been scientifically demonstrated for decades, but medicine has focused not on a cheap and non-patentable solution – but on a whole range of cholesterol drugs. This being said we want to have regulated and balanced cholesterol for good health. Getting enough vitamin C from food is becoming increasingly difficult with declining soil nutrient levels globally. Eat fresh, local and seasonal plants as much as you can, and supplement with a natural source of vitamin C (as found in All You Need).
D – Magnesium. Eating enough magnesium every day, which is an essential mineral for heart health, is a challenge for many people. This is why it is estimated 70% of people are deficient in this essential mineral, leading to un-told numbers of health problems, including heart problems. That is why a large amount of natural magnesium is found in All You Need.
E – Clean water. The heart needs to be purified to work effectively. Clean water is essential for every cell to function including the complexity of the heart. So much death and disease is needlessly caused by dehydration. We recommend a good water filter as our tap water supplies are becoming increasingly contaminated.
3 – DE - STRESS
Mental and emotional stress can put a terrible strain on the heart. Dr Chatterjee estimates 90% of disease starts from a stress state. The information above will really help you to de-stress: exercise is one of the best stress-busters, magnesium is known as the ‘mineral of relaxation’, adrenaline takes up vitamin C in the body to be processed – providing a link between stress and heart health (see section on Vitamin C, above) and adequate hydration helps mental function. When you eat a plant-based diet you avoid the vibration and hormones of animal products which have been killed, sometimes in horrific scenes. The great yogi Sri Prabupad, founder of the Hare Krishna movement said war is created by the accumulated negative vibrations of large amounts of people eating animals. Plant-based is the world peace diet.
4 – DETOX
Toxins can affect the heart and ultimately cause death. We have seen in the last few years unprecedented levels of myocarditis, stroke and heart attacks – linked by leading cardiologists such as Dr Assem Mallotra and Dr Peter Mccollugh to recently injected toxins. We need to help our body detox. We do this by first of all by avoiding toxins in the first place, and secondly supporting our body to detox with exercise, rest, good diet, hydration, relaxation etc. All You Need contains a wide range of nutrients that support the body to cleanse and heal.
5 – LOVING HEARTS PROTOCOL
A 5-part protocol has been developed to help the heart on a spiritual level. You might like to place your hands over your heart centre as follow this. Or if you have one, spin a loving heart.
1 - Connect to the love within you and send it out to the Universe.
2 - Find gratitude in this moment.
3 - Be kind - to yourself, others, animals and the planet.
4 - Forgive - yourself and others.
5 - Have fun and follow what brings you joy in life.
We wish you wonderful heart health!
