| Using the Six Steps of Healing, herbalist and wise | | | | and encourage a steady heartbeat. |
| woman Susun Weed discusses ways to keep | | | | - Women who regularly eat foods rich in |
| your heart healthy! "Open your heart to me, my | | | | carotenes cut their risk of stroke by 40 percent. |
| own," whispers Grandmother Growth so softly | | | | Women who eat broccoli at least once a week |
| you aren't certain you hear her. "Open the | | | | have roughly half the risk of heart disease as |
| wisdom way of compassion here in your heart | | | | women who eat none. |
| and draw me inside. Let Grandmother Growth be | | | | - Eliminating or limiting carbohydrates, especially |
| inside you, helping you encompass the whole, in | | | | refined flours and sugars, has halved the |
| the beat of your own heart, my heart, Crone's | | | | cholesterol of several friends whose totals were |
| heart." | | | | above 400. |
| Step 0: Do Nothing | | | | "What emerges is a clear association of heart |
| Thinking of taking hormone replacement to keep | | | | disease with ... consumption of devitalized, |
| your heart healthy? Think again. Data released in | | | | processed, fabricated food items, including sugar |
| April of the year 2000, from the federal | | | | and fructose, soft drinks, fortified white flour, milk |
| government's Women's Health Initiative, showed | | | | and egg powders, caffeine, imitation broth |
| "a small increase in the number of heart attacks, | | | | products, synthetic vitamins, vegetable oils, and |
| strokes and blood clots in the lungs of women on | | | | hydrogenated fats." - Sally Fallon |
| hormone replacement compared with women on | | | | - Garlic, Knoblauch, Ail (Allium sativum) is a great |
| placebo." The Heart and Estrogen/Progestin | | | | friend to old hearts. Several cloves a day of |
| Replacement Study (HERS), completed in 1998, | | | | fresh, raw garlic can lower blood pressure, reduce |
| found the same connection. For a healthy heart, | | | | phospholipids and cholesterol, strengthen heart |
| don't take hormones. | | | | action, increase immune response, reduce platelet |
| "Recently released data from the federal | | | | clumping and clotting (thus reducing strokes), and |
| government's Women's Health Initiative suggests | | | | stabilize blood sugar levels. |
| that during the first two years of postmenopausal | | | | Don't like raw garlic? Use powdered! A four-year |
| hormone replacement therapy there is a slightly | | | | study found women who ingested 900 mg (1/4 |
| greater risk of heart attack, stroke and blood | | | | teaspoonful) of garlic powder daily had 18 percent |
| clots." | | | | less arterial plaque than those taking a placebo. |
| Heart disease is America's top killer (claiming a life | | | | - Hawthorn berry tincture is the standard herbal |
| every 34 seconds). Women aged 30-50 have far | | | | heart tonic, and for good reason. It is broadly |
| less risk of heart disease than a man their age. | | | | effective, virtually without overdose, and easy to |
| But postmenopausal women die from heart | | | | make from fresh or dried berries. An elegant |
| disease at rates as high as men's. (Women | | | | shrub or small tree, hawthorn is frequently |
| account for 51 percent of all cardiovascular | | | | cultivated in the suburbs. |
| deaths; men, 49 percent.) Is it lack of estrogen? | | | | Injectable forms of Crataegus were used by MDs |
| No. Estrogen does lower LDL cholesterol and | | | | up until the 1950s to treat vascular heart disease, |
| increase HDL cholesterol, but cholesterol is only | | | | high blood pressure, inflammation of the heart |
| weakly linked to heart disease, especially in | | | | muscle, and arteriosclerosis. |
| women. (Most heart attacks happen to people | | | | The action of hawthorn is slow but complete. It |
| with normal cholesterol levels.) | | | | strengthens the heart, establishes a regular |
| Estrogen raises blood pressure (one of the top | | | | heartbeat, relieves water build-up around the |
| three reasons for heart attacks in women), | | | | heart, and resolves stress throughout the |
| increases triglycerides, promotes clotting (a leading | | | | cardiovascular system. Dose is 25-40 drops of |
| factor in heart attacks and strokes), and raises | | | | the berry tincture, up to 4 times a day. Expect |
| levels of C-reactive protein (a marker for | | | | results no sooner than 6-8 weeks. |
| inflammation associated with heart disease). Take | | | | - Motherwort, that dear friend of menopausal |
| progestins/progesterone too and you increase | | | | women, is a favorite heart tonic. A dose of 10-20 |
| your risk of heart disease even more. Hormone | | | | drops of the tincture of the flowering tops, taken |
| replacement really isn't heart healthy. | | | | up to three times a day, helps lower blood |
| Aren't there studies linking estrogen usage to | | | | pressure, strengthen heart action, ease |
| lowered risk of heart disease? Only retrospective | | | | palpitations and irregular heartbeats, and make |
| ones, which cannot establish a cause-and-effect | | | | room in the heart for compassion. |
| link. And the women in those studies ate well, | | | | - Keep your heart healthy by eating chocolate. |
| exercised regularly, and were unlikely to smoke - | | | | Sound too good to be true? Despite its |
| behaviors that are critical to heart health. The | | | | reputation, chocolate is loaded with heart healthy |
| simple truth is more than 90 percent of all heart | | | | phytochemicals. Cocoa's tretramers curb oxidation |
| disease is preventable with lifestyle choices. | | | | of the blood vessel walls, short-circuiting the build |
| The three top risk factors for heart disease in | | | | up of atherosclerotic plaque; they also help keep |
| women are too much belly fat, smoking, and | | | | the vessels relaxed, keeping blood pressure down. |
| untreated hypertension. High cholesterol is one of | | | | Chocolate's flavonoids are more powerful than |
| the top three risk factors for men, but not for | | | | vitamin C in limiting oxidation of LDL; they protect |
| women. (This is because, after menopause, we | | | | all lipids in the blood from free-radical damage. |
| make heart healthy hormones from our | | | | Procyanidins are flavonoids that work like mild |
| cholesterol.) | | | | aspirins, keeping the blood thin and free-flowing. |
| Step 1: Collect Information | | | | Polyphenols are heart-healthy substances found |
| The Nurses Health Study - which followed 86,000 | | | | abundantly in red wine, green tea, and chocolate. |
| women for 14 years - shows what happens to | | | | Daily use may prevent stroke by delaying blood |
| those wise old Crones who follow heart healthy | | | | clotting time. (75 ounces/20 grams of dark |
| behaviors: | | | | chocolate = one-half cup tea = one glass red |
| - Those who ate more fish than meat, plus plenty | | | | wine.) |
| of whole grains, beans, leafy greens, fruits, and | | | | Chocolate also prevents blood platelet |
| vegetables reduced their risk of heart disease by | | | | fragmentation (which occurs when platelets get |
| one-third compared to those who ate a "normal" | | | | sticky), and boosts HDL (good) cholesterol. No |
| American diet. Eating one serving a day of | | | | wonder it often comes in heart-shaped boxes! |
| whole-grain foods reduced heart attacks by 34 | | | | - Lemon balm is so strengthening to the heart, it |
| percent in another study of 34,000 | | | | is said those who drink it daily will live forever. |
| postmenopausal women. | | | | Brew fresh or dried leaves in a cup of water for |
| - Those who ate at least 5 ounces of nuts a | | | | 5-10 minutes. Or steep fresh leaves in a glass of |
| week were only half as likely to have a heart | | | | white wine for 1-2 hours and drink with dinner. Or |
| attack as those who ate none. | | | | enjoy 1-2 tablespoons/15-30 ml of the vinegar. |
| - Women who walked a total of three hours per | | | | - You don't have to sweat, but you do have to |
| week or who exercised vigorously for at least 90 | | | | move to keep your heart healthy. However you |
| minutes a week had one third fewer heart | | | | can do it, do it; no excuses. |
| attacks than women who got no exercise. Those | | | | - Dandelion root tincture lowers blood pressure |
| who walked five or more hours a week cut their | | | | and keeps your heart and cardiovascular system |
| risk in half. Step 2: Engage the Energy | | | | healthy and happy. Use 10-15 drops with meals. |
| - Rose flower essence and rose quartz essence | | | | - If you eat meat, be sure to eat whole grains |
| are both recommended for engaging the energy | | | | and beans. Homocysteine is concentrated in the |
| of the heart. | | | | blood of those who eat a lot of animal protein and |
| - Do you attack your heart? Do you close your | | | | don't get enough B vitamins to process it |
| heart to protect it? Love yourself. Give yourself | | | | completely. |
| plenty of nice strokes so you won't have a bad | | | | See New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman |
| stroke. Try Stephen Levine's meditation "Opening | | | | Way, Alternative Approaches for Women 30-90 |
| the Heart" in Who Dies? | | | | for Heart Healthy steps 4, 5, and 6 of the Six |
| - People in Hawaii, New Mexico, and Arizona have | | | | Steps of Healing |
| the healthiest hearts in the United States. Imagine | | | | HEART HEALTHY LIFE STYLE HINTS |
| you live there. | | | | - Eat whole grains, nuts, and beans daily. |
| - Smile! Depression increases your risk of both | | | | - Eat lots of fruits and vegetables every day. |
| heart attack and stroke. In fact, severe | | | | - Eat fatty fish at least once a week. |
| depression is more strongly linked to stroke risk | | | | - Eat dark chocolate regularly. |
| than high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking | | | | - Eat a high monounsaturated-fat diet. |
| cigarettes, being overweight, and nine other | | | | - Stop smoking. |
| known risk factors. When you smile, your brain | | | | - Exercise daily. |
| makes hormones that make you, and your heart, | | | | - Maintain a healthy weight; don't diet. |
| feel good. So, smile. | | | | STOP SMOKING - HEART HEALTHY HINTS |
| Step 3: Nourish & Tonify | | | | Tobacco is highly addictive and you can beat it. |
| - Touch and be touched. In numerous scientific | | | | Get an extra edge on quitting by nourishing |
| studies, people who were touched lovingly every | | | | yourself with a handful of freshly toasted |
| day had significantly fewer heart problems than | | | | sunflower seeds and a cup of nettle or oatstraw |
| those who weren't. | | | | infusion daily for 4-6 weeks before you stop |
| - Nuts to heart attacks. The fats in nuts have | | | | smoking. Sunflower seeds reduce cravings for |
| been linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks. | | | | nicotine by filling nicotine receptor sites. Nettles |
| Volunteers on high-fat diets (35-40 percent of | | | | and oatstraw strengthen nerves and cushion the |
| calories nuts and olive oil) lowered their LDL | | | | impact of withdrawal. Nourish yourself the Wise |
| cholesterol by 13 percent. Greek women do the | | | | Woman Way when you want tobacco: |
| same, and have one of the lowest rates of heart | | | | - Take an oatstraw bath. |
| disease in the world. | | | | - Eat a wild salad (even if its only one dandelion |
| - Essential fatty acids, especially omega-3s, are | | | | leaf). |
| ever so essential to a healthy heart. Look for | | | | - Bring home a flower. |
| them in fish (salmon, sardines, trout, herring are | | | | - Let someone cook dinner for you. |
| highest), seeds, whole grains, beans, and nuts. | | | | - Go to a yoga class or a martial arts class. |
| They are especially abundant in wild seeds such as | | | | - Buy something for yourself instead of |
| plantain, lamb's quarter, and amaranth. And in | | | | cigarettes. |
| freshly ground flax seeds. Women who consume | | | | - Miss your smoke break? Take a break for |
| the EFA alpha-linolenic acid daily have the lowest | | | | pleasure! |
| risk of a fatal heart attack. | | | | - A weight gain of 15 pounds/7 kilos is normal for |
| - Keep your heart healthy with regular use of | | | | quitters. |
| seaweeds. Seaweeds have clinically proven | | | | - Nicotine withdrawal causes constipation. |
| cardiotonic effects: they stabilize blood pressure; | | | | - Read, get, buy The No-Nag, No-Guilt, |
| regulate levels of triglycerides, phospholipids, and | | | | Do-It-Your-Own-Way Guide to Quitting Smoking |
| cholesterols; prolong the life of the heart muscle; | | | | by Tom Ferguson, MD, Ballantine, 1987. |