macrobiotic healing heart disease
This article explores macrobiotic healing heart disease. It includes foods, less stress, exercise, teas and positive changes. Macrobiotic healing heart disease applies to high blood pressure, cholesterol and creating a healthy heart.
how to reduce high blood pressure
What is high blood pressure?
As our heart contracts it pumps blood into our body through arteries. The pumping action creates pressure, which move the nutrients and oxygen to every cell, and then brings the blood back to the heart.
Systolic /Diastolic
During contraction the blood pressure increases and this is measured as the systolic pressure. When the heart relaxes and expands the blood pressure decreases and this measurement is called the diastolic pressure. Blood pressure is usual written with the systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure.
What is a Healthy Blood Pressure
The World Health Organisation suggests the following categorisation of blood pressure in mmhg.
120/80 Optimal
Up to 130/85 Normal
Up to 140/90 Normal systolic value
Up to 160/100 Mild hypertension
Up to 180/110 Moderate hypertension
Over 180/110 Severe hypertension
You can test your own blood pressure with a home blood pressure monitor. They are relatively cheap to buy and a useful way to track what strategies work and bring down high blood pressure. It is normal for blood pressure to increase with age and may vary considerably depending on our mood, time of day and recent activity.
blood quality and arteries
The thicker our blood is the higher blood pressure will be, whereas being more slippery may reduce blood pressure. Blood quality will change through diet. An excess of salt and saturated fat is thought to eventually lead to hardening and narrowing of arteries making it harder for blood to pass, raising blood pressure.
foods that bring down HBP
Foods that can reduce blood pressure include;
Porridge and other whole grains
Vegetables particularly beetroot and sweet potatoe
Fruits including lemon, oranges and berries
Fish
Flax seed oil, olive oil and other healthy oils
Teas including green teas, and hibiscus,
Herbs and spices instead of salt
It is claimed that oily fish or seeds high in omega 3 help reduce inflammation of the arteries and therefore that flaxseeds or chia seeds along with fish help open arteries.
Whilst reducing;
Caffein
Salt
Saturated fat from meat, eggs and dairy foods
Alcohol
Refined sugar
stretching
Regular stretching may help keep our arteries more flexible, making it easier for blood to pass, reducing blood pressure.
exercise
Daily exercise will encourage better blood circulation and create a healthy heart.
meditation
Stress can contract capillaries and raise blood pressure in preparation for being in a fight or flight situation. Meditation, laughter, relaxation and enjoying life help reduce blood pressure.
reducing high cholesterol
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol forms a vital part of the outer membrane that surrounds our cells. It insulates nerve fibres and makes hormones, which carry chemical signals around the body. Dr. Rath also claims cholesterol helps protect and repair cells in arteries. Too much cholesterol in the blood, however, increases the risk of coronary heart disease and disease of the arteries.
We make our own cholesterol and only eggs and shell fish are a significant dietary source of cholesterol.
There are two type of cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein LDL and High Density Lipoprotein HDL. HDL helps break down cholestrol through our liver.
what is high cholesterol?
The UK government recommends healthy adults have total cholesterol levels below 5mmol/L and LDL lower than 3mmol/L. They recommend lower levels for those with heart disease. At the same time it may be that our bodies raise cholesterol for a good reason temporarily and that high cholesterol is not serious for a short term if the HDL is also high. This can be measured as a ratio by dividing LDL by HDL. It is currently thought that a ratio below 4.5 is generally healthy.
saturated fats & sugar
Saturated fats in our diet our processed in our livers and research suggests too much saturated fat leads to elevated cholesterol levels. Foods high in saturated fat include meat, eggs and dairy.
It is also important to note that added sugar stimulates a process that raises LDL, and in this respect behaves in a similar way to eating saturated fat. Essentially the body turns the excess energy that is rapidly delivered by sugar or foods high in the GI into stored energy or fat.
mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated oils
A lot of positive research using oils suggests they are better than saturated fat, rather than that the oil is helpful in itself, however, phenols in olive oil are claimed to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and clot-preventing powers. It is also possible that moderate levels of good quality oil reduce the tendency for plaque to build up on artery walls.
Why Humans Have Heart Attacks and Animals Don’t?
Dr, Rath claims one of the reason we make more cholesterol is to repair arteries and that the main nutrient we need to repair arteries is vitamin C. Animals make their own vitamin C, whereas we need to eat it. So it may be that by consuming higher quantities of vitamin C through raw fruits and vegetables, we can reduce our need to make cholesterol.
foods that can reduce cholesterol
Generally eating a natural plant based high fibre diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains, will help reduce cholesterol. The following are foods that are thought be particularly helpful to include.
Green Tea
Oats
Celery
Radishes / daikon / mooli
Mushrooms
Leafy green vegetables
Lemon
Strawberries
Oily Fish
Walnuts, almonds and other nuts
Whilst reducing or avoiding
Meat
Eggs
Dairy foods
Added sugar or sweeteners
creating a healthy heart
macrobiotic healing heart disease
Heart surgeon and specialist, Doctor Esselstyn, claims that eating a plant based diet with no processed oil, reduces cholesterol, prevents cardiac events and opens up narrowed arteries. Normally the process of narrowing arteries is considered irreversible, so to find documented evidence that a change of diet can lead to healthy arteries and heart may be very encouraging for those wanting to try a natural approach.
6 ways to enjoy a healthy heart
Eat a primarily plant based, natural foods diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds.
When eating animal foods choose fish.
Reduce salt, alcohol and added sugar
Enjoy a relaxing daily cup of tea
Reduce stress with regular meditation.
Enjoy daily exercise through walking, stretching, running, swimming and sports.
personal macrobiotic healing heart disease help
You can have an in person or skype / facetime session or personal macrobiotic consultation with Simon in London to help you reduce blood pressure or cholesterol and explore practical ways to creat a healthy heart. To find out more or book your session fill in this form or call 07543663227.