Herbs like hawthorn, garlic and ginger and
natural therapies such as Ayurveda all help protect the heart, strengthening
its ability to do its work.
Several natural medicines and therapies can
reduce heart disease risk; by the same token, these approaches may also benefit
people already suffering from heart disease.
Nutritional medicine
These nutrients all play a role in heart health.
(Note: Dosages vary from individual to another, so consult a naturopath first.)
Vitamin B6: This is needed for
converting homocysteine to the harmless chemical, cystathione, which prevents
the homocysteine-induced oxidation of cholesterol. Vitamin B6 also inhibits the
platelet aggregation that occurs in atherosclerosis.
Vitamin B12: A deficiency is associated with elevated homocysteine levels.
Vitamin E: This fat-soluble antioxidant helps prevent abnormal blood clot formation, inhibits platelet aggregation, and helps repair blood vessels, plus – along with beta-carotene and coenzyme Q10 – it helps prevent oxidation of cholesterol. Studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that vitamin E can contribute greatly to the prevention of heart disease. In one study, undertaken at Harvard Medical School, it was found that those women who took vitamin E daily for over two years had a 46 percent lower risk of heart disease.
Vitamin C: This helps prevent formation of oxysterols and, when combined with the amino acid lysine, it may help dissolve clots in the bloodstream. Studies show that vitamin C is required for collagen synthesis and so is needed for arterial wall integrity.
Coenzyme Q10: It is over 40 years since Dr Karl Folkers, a biomedical scientist at the University of Texas, discovered that this nutrient helps to strengthen the heart muscle and energise the cardiovascular system. Subsequent studies show that coQ10 protects against atherosclerosis, and has potent antioxidant properties which protect against the formation of oxysterols.
Vitamin B12: A deficiency is associated with elevated homocysteine levels.
Vitamin E: This fat-soluble antioxidant helps prevent abnormal blood clot formation, inhibits platelet aggregation, and helps repair blood vessels, plus – along with beta-carotene and coenzyme Q10 – it helps prevent oxidation of cholesterol. Studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that vitamin E can contribute greatly to the prevention of heart disease. In one study, undertaken at Harvard Medical School, it was found that those women who took vitamin E daily for over two years had a 46 percent lower risk of heart disease.
Vitamin C: This helps prevent formation of oxysterols and, when combined with the amino acid lysine, it may help dissolve clots in the bloodstream. Studies show that vitamin C is required for collagen synthesis and so is needed for arterial wall integrity.
Coenzyme Q10: It is over 40 years since Dr Karl Folkers, a biomedical scientist at the University of Texas, discovered that this nutrient helps to strengthen the heart muscle and energise the cardiovascular system. Subsequent studies show that coQ10 protects against atherosclerosis, and has potent antioxidant properties which protect against the formation of oxysterols.
Herbal medicine
One of the most promising herbs for treating
heart disease is an extract from the hawthorn berry, which has been found to
improve the circulation of blood to the heart by dilating the blood vessels and
relieving spasms of the arterial walls. Garlic and ginger also have many
heart-healthy properties: garlic contains sulphur compounds, which work as
antioxidants and help dissolve clots, while ginger has been shown to lower
cholesterol levels and make blood platelets less sticky.
Ayurvedic medicine
In treating heart disease, Ayurvedic doctors use
several methods which result in the reduction of free radicals. By using
specific herbal supplements and pancha karma (detoxification and purification
techniques), free radicals and lipid peroxides are reduced. As it is especially
important that people with heart disease lower their stress levels, a program
of transcendental meditation is also recommended.
Source : Nature and Health
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