What the AHA is NOT Saying About Your Heart

February is a month dedicated to the heart- an organ of great interest to me in the human physiology.
The American Heart Association posted that women now account for at least 50% of deaths by this killer disease. Breast cancer is not the only thing women have to be concerned with these days.
 
On November 10, 2010, my eldest sister delivered a beautiful baby girl, a first in the family after 12 years. Within seconds however, she suffered 6 cardiac arrests and lost over 12 pints of blood. She walked in a healthy woman and is still in a state of shock as to what happened.

I am grateful that both my sister and my niece are doing fine now.
We in the U.S spend billions of dollars on gym memberships, sporting and recreational events, the best organic healthy foods and medical check ups but never quite the same attention to the emotional heart, the one that masks some scars that go deeper than you may be consciously aware. A heart that isn’t easy to measure by a heart rate monitor, cholesterol levels or red blood cell counts. That heart that may carry pain and anger and has not opened up to its true nature. My sister is amongst the millions of women, men and children who bear such a heart.

I can compare the merits of Atkins , South Beach or Low carb diets but I get confused by the ever changing food choices that the food pyramid has to contend with. Instead, I’d like to focus on the emotional heart for a moment.
Why the increase in heart attacks in women? Certainly the stress levels are higher, traditional roles shifted with workplace changes, larger number of women in businesses , delaying childbirth, keeping fit and doing all this while making it look as if it is all effortless!
How do you keep your heart healthy besides exercise and eating right?
1) Become aware of your emotions. Is it primarily anxiety, anger or grief? Write down the events that trigger these responses and when they occur most, at home or the workplace etc
2) Something bothering you? Talk to someone you trust,a health care practitioner, call a girlfriend, dance, paint or do anything creative to get it out of your mind. The heart heavy thing to do is to hold it in and do nothing about it, causing depression and grief.
3) Give time to heal from a wounded heart- such as death of a loved one , betrayal of a trusted friend or divorce . Often it is easier to just move on and get to the to -do list and busy yourself with activities. Looking at your pain through a magnifying lens takes longer than eating that cup of bluberries or soy protein.
4) Develop a meditation practice slowly. Sit for five minutues first with gradual increments. A yoga practice is one way to initiate this.
Nature walks are equally meditative but be mindful of chatter if you go with a friend. The whole purpose is listening in solitude in nature.
5) Observe how you are showing up in the world. Are you really who others think you are? Do you feel you have to look, act and be a certain person in order to fit in? When you live from your heart and it is open, you’ll know how to show up authentically and have more energy and purpose.

 
Take care of your heart- it needs exercise, good food and lots of love!
 
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