Volume 1, Issue 2 February 2004
Take Heart!
February is National Heart Month. Most of us think about hearts associated with Valentine's Day, but there is much more to heart health this month. The heart works hard every day to keep the body strong and vibrant. The heart is also vulnerable to signals from the outside environment and from the inside of the body. It is important for each of us to nourish our hearts and to celebrate a whole month devoted to heart health.
Chinese Medicine and the Heart
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the heart includes the organ itself and the concept of the heart as a mental/emotional centre. Therefore, the heart regulates blood circulation along with consciousness, spirit, sleep and memory. The advantage of defining the heart in this manner is that the mind is connected with the body along a meridian in the body. Symptoms of a heart-mind imbalance in Chinese medicine include a scattered or confused mind, speech problems, excess or no laughter, depression, loss of memory, poor circulation, weak spirit and aversion to heat. Acupuncture has been used successfully to treat these conditions along with many others. Establishing a strong, calm and clear mind promotes more efficient functioning of all organ systems. A balanced heart leads to a focused mind, better sleep and a centered body.
The Cholesterol Connection
Cholesterol is either manufactured by the body or consumed in animal products. Within the body, it is found in the brain and nervous system, liver, blood, and to a small degree in other body tissues. It is used to form sex and adrenal hormones, vitamin D, and bile, which is needed for the digestion of fats.
A major cause of too much cholesterol in the body is its overconsumption. Other contributing factors are stress, cigarette smoking and consumption of coffee and refined sugar. Chronic high cholesterol levels leads to hardening and thickening of the arteries, heart disease, high blood pressure, and risk of excessive blood clotting.
"For every one percent you lower your serum cholesterol, your subsequent heart attack rate lowers by two percent" - Dr. Castelli, Framington Heart Study.
Specific nutrients that reduce cholesterol and saturated fat in the blood and arteries include lecithin, vitamin E, C and B3. These nutrients function efficiently in cleaning the arteries when taken in whole food or supplement form. Fibre is also important in reducing blood cholesterol. Eating the whole grain with all of its fibre and other nutrients intact produces better results than eating the bran alone. Very often, circulatory problems yield quickly to diet and lifestyle modifications.
Featured Food - Heart Smart Substitutions
To eat healthier, it is important to decrease saturated fat in the diet. Here are a list of simple substitutions.
|
Standard fat quantities |
Substitutes |
Reduced fat |
|
1 cup shortening |
1 cup oil |
50 grams |
|
1 cup sour cream |
1 cup nonfat yogurt |
32 grams |
|
8 oz cream cheese |
8 oz light cream cheese |
22 grams |
|
1 pound ground beef |
1 pound ground turkey |
40 grams |
|
6 oz tuna in oil |
6 oz tuna in water |
20 grams |
Reducing the risk of heart disease
There are certain risk factors that cannot be controlled. These include family history of heart disease, men over age 45, women over age 55 and ethnic descent (African, South Asian and First Nations populations are at a higher risk).
Luckily, many risk factors are easily controlled through lifestyle modification.
Lack of exercise/overweight
Risks: Increased risk for developing high blood pressure, high blood lipids and diabetes. People who are 30% over their ideal body weight are more likely to have coronary heart disease and stroke.
What you can do: Exercise reduces raised blood pressure, promotes weight loss, increases good (HDL) cholesterol, lowers bad (LDL) cholesterol, improves glucose tolerance.
Smoking
Risks: Causes narrowing and hardening of the arteries which leads to stroke and coronary heart disease. Reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood causing an increase in blood pressure. Smoking and second hand smoke decreases good (HDL) cholesterol. Each year in Canada, at least 20,000 deaths from heart attacks and strokes are due to smoking.
What you can do: When you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease is lowered by half within one year. Acupuncture and herbal medicine is often helpful.
Stress
Risks: Increases the incidence of coronary heart disease and stroke. Stress is often associated with unhealthy activities such as smoking, overeating, excessive drinking, worrying or outbursts of anger.
What you can do: Manage your stress through identification of stressors, practicing relaxation techniques, developing a support network and changing the way you respond to stress.
Diet
Risks: Diets high in saturated fat and processed foods lead to coronary heart disease.
What you can do: Eat a healthy
balanced, reduced fat diet. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Incorporate fibre into your diet. Reduce the amount of salt in your
diet. Limit alcohol intake.
Vitamin of the month - Niacin
Niacin is also known as vitamin B3. It is the most stable of the B vitamins. Small amounts may be stored in the liver, but most of the excess is excreted in the urine because it is a water soluble vitamin.
Niacin, taken orally, can produce redness, warmth and itching over areas of the skin. This is known as the niacin flush and usually occurs at doses of 50 mg or more. The flush lasts only 10-20 minutes and is harmless. There are also "flush-free" forms of niacin available.
Niacin is beneficial in the cardiovascular system as it acts to lower blood cholesterol levels, decrease blood pressure and for prevention of heart attacks and strokes.
Exercise and niacin in combination is helpful for people with adult diabetes through their positive effects of blood sugar and cholesterol.
There are some health conditions in which niacin is not helpful, so
this vitamin should only be taken under medical supervision.
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