5 Steps to a Healthy Heart with
Acupuncture
February is the
American Heart Association's Heart Health Awareness Month,
emphasizing the
dangers of heart disease and the importance of heart health.
Heart disease includes conditions affecting the heart, such as
coronary
heart disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and
congenital
heart disease. Despite dramatic medical advances over the past fifty
years,
heart disease remains a leading cause of death globally and the
number one
cause of death in the United States. By integrating acupuncture and
Oriental medicine into your heart healthy lifestyle, you can
dramatically
reduce your risk of heart disease.
Taking small steps to improve your health can reduce your risk for
heart
disease by as much as eighty percent. Steps to prevention include
managing
high blood pressure, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight,
reducing stress and improved sleep - all of which can be helped with
acupuncture.
1. Manage High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure makes the heart work harder, increasing its
oxygen
demands and contributing to angina. This excessive pressure can lead
to an
enlarged heart (cardiomegaly), as well as damage to blood vessels in
the
kidneys and brain. It increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke
and
kidney disease.
Acupuncture has been found to be particularly helpful in lowering
blood
pressure. By applying acupuncture needles at specific sites along
the
wrist, inside the forearm or in the leg, researchers at the Susan
Samueli
Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California,
Irvine,
were able to stimulate the release of opioids, which decreases the
heart’s
activity and thus its need for oxygen. This, in turn, lowers blood
pressure.
2. Quit Smoking
Most people associate cigarette smoking with breathing problems and
lung
cancer. But did you know that smoking is also a major cause of
coronary
artery disease? In fact, about twenty percent of all deaths from
heart
disease are directly related to cigarette smoking.
Acupuncture has shown to be an effective treatment for smoking.
Acupuncture
treatments for smoking cessation focus on jitters, cravings,
irritability,
and restlessness; symptoms that people commonly complain about when
they
quit. It also aids in relaxation and detoxification.
3. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Obesity is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and
coronary
artery disease, all of which increase the risk of developing heart
disease,
but studies have shown that excess body weight itself (and not just
the
associated medical conditions) can also lead to heart failure. Even
if you
are entirely healthy otherwise, being overweight still places you at
a
greater risk of developing heart failure.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine are an excellent adjunctive tool
when it
comes to losing weight. They can help to energize the body, maximize
the
absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating,
suppress
the appetite, and reduce anxiety.
4. Reduce Stress
Stress is a normal part of life. But if left unmanaged, stress can
lead to
emotional, psychological, and even physical problems, including
heart
disease, high blood pressure, chest pains, or irregular heart beats.
Medical researchers aren't sure exactly how stress increases the
risk of
heart disease. Stress itself might be a risk factor, or it could be
that
high levels of stress make other risk factors worse. For example, if
you
are under stress, your blood pressure goes up, you may overeat, you
may
exercise less, and you may be more likely to smoke.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the substantial benefits of
acupuncture
in the treatment of stress, anxiety and mental health. In addition
to
acupuncture, Oriental medicine offers a whole gamut of tools and
techniques
that can be integrated into your life to keep stress in check. These
tools
include Tui Na, Qi Gong exercises, herbal medicine, dietary therapy,
meditations and acupressure that you can administer at home.
5. Improve Sleep
Poor sleep has been linked with high blood pressure,
atherosclerosis, heart
failure, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. Researchers
have
shown that getting at least eight hours of sleep is needed for good
heart
health and getting less than eight hours of sleep can put you at a
greater
risk for developing heart disease.
Acupuncture has shown great success treating a wide array of sleep
problems
without any of the side effects of prescription or over-the-counter
sleep
aids. The acupuncture treatments for problems sleeping focus on the
root disharmony
within the body that is causing the insomnia. Therefore, those who
use
acupuncture for insomnia achieve not only better sleep, but also an
overall
improvement of physical and mental health.
Come in for a consultation during Heart Health Awareness Month to
see
how acupuncture and Oriental medicine can assist you with your heart
health
and help you to live a long, healthy life.
Study
Shows Acupuncture Significantly Lowers Blood Pressure
A German study
published in the journal, Circulation, found that acupuncture
significantly lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The
extent
of the blood pressure reductions by acupuncture treatments was
comparable
to those seen with antihypertensive medication or aggressive
lifestyle
changes, including radical salt restrictions.
For the study, 160 outpatients with uncomplicated, mild to moderate
hypertension were randomized to six weeks of acupuncture performed
by
Oriental medicine practitioners or to a sham procedure. Patients
underwent
22 sessions, each 30 minutes in length. By the end of the six weeks,
24
hour ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressures were
significantly
reduced from baseline in the acupuncture treated patients (5.4 mm Hg
and
3.0 mm Hg, respectively). No significant changes were seen in the
sham
acupuncture group.
After six months the blood pressure reductions disappeared, leading
investigators to conclude that ongoing acupuncture treatments would
be
required to maintain the blood pressure reductions.
Source: Circulation, June 2007
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In This Issue
·
5 Steps to
a Healthy Heart with Acupuncture
·
Study Shows
Acupuncture Significantly Lowers Blood Pressure
·
Heart
Healthy Foods
Heart Healthy Foods
Here are some
suggestions to support your heart healthy lifestyle.
Green Tea
Green tea contains several powerful antioxidants that reduce bad
cholesterol and boost good cholesterol, improving an individuals
overall
cholesterol profile. Drinking green tea also seems to enhance
cardiovascular health by improving the consistency of platelets in
the
blood and may even lower blood pressure.
Garlic
Just one clove a day--or 300 mg, three times daily--reduces the risk
of a
heart attack at least three ways: It discourages red blood cells
from
sticking together and blocking your arteries, it reduces arterial
damage,
and it discourages cholesterol from lining the arteries and making
them so
narrow that blockages are likely.
Fruit
Oranges contain folic acid that helps lower your levels of
homocysteine, a
heart attack risk factor. Grapes are loaded with flavonoids and
resveratrol, both potent antioxidants that may discourage red blood
cells
from clumping together and forming an artery-blocking clot.
Pomegranate
juice is chock-full of potassium and polyphenols, which promote
heart
health and have been shown to help lower cholesterol
Vegetables
Make sure that cruciferous vegetables such as kale, Brussels
sprouts,
broccoli, and cabbage, which are a gold mine of antioxidants and
other
heart-saving phytochemicals, are part of your heart health diet
every day.
Fish
Fatty fish such as salmon and anchovies are foods loaded with the
omega-3
fatty acids that will help your heart maintain a steady rhythm.
Having even
one fish serving a week could reduce your risk of death from a heart
attack
by fifty two percent.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed is one of the most potent sources of heart health-promoting
omega-3 fats. Studies indicate that adding flaxseed to your diet can
reduce
the development of heart disease by forty six percent while helping
keep
red blood cells from clumping together and forming clots that can
block
arteries. Sprinkle 2 Tbs flaxseed a day on your cereal or salad.
Nuts
Studies have found that those who eat more than 5 oz of nuts a week
are
one-third less likely to have either heart disease or a heart
attack. Just
don't overdo it--nuts can pile on the pounds.
Red Wine
Scientific studies overwhelmingly show that a daily glass of wine
can
reduce your risk of a heart attack. Both plant compounds called
saponins
and antioxidants in the "fruit of the vine" work to protect
arteries. Researchers have found that red is much more effective
than white
for improving heart health.
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