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FACEBOOK.COM/WDDTYAUNZ ISSUE 01 | AUG/SEP 2019 | WDDTY 43
SPECIAL REPORTMore heart savers
Current medical research points to many powerful
alternatives to statins and hypertensive drugs,
minus the side-effects. Here are a few:Blue light. University of Surrey researchers
have found that exposure to visible blue
light (radiating at 450 nanometers)
produces positive effects on blood
pressure, arterial stiffness and blood flow
compared to a placebo condition. The light
also boosts levels of heart-protective nitric
oxide compounds in the circulation, similar to
those produced by daily sunlight exposure.^1Vitamin D, the ‘sunshine vitamin’ our skin
manufactures after exposure to sunlight, is
highly heart protective, especially for those at
very high risk who have already had one heart
attack. University of Sydney researchers showed
that vitamin D was able to stop the formation of
cells that cause inflammation and scar tissue after
a heart attack, and so reduce the likelihood of a
second attack.^2
Suggested daily dosage: The Vitamin D Society recommends
that people maintain 25(OH)D blood levels between 100–150
nmol/L or 40–60 ng/ml, or take at least 4,000–10,000 IU dailyAshwagandha. Also known as Indian ginseng,
ashwagandha, used in Ayurvedic medicine
for centuries, is known as an ‘adaptogen’
for its ability to counter stress effects on
the body. Ashwagandha has been shown
to increase the production of nitric oxide
by white blood cells,^3 which may explain its
anti-inflammatory effects and benefits to
cardiovascular health.
Suggested daily dosage: 500 mg twice daily, to
counter stress, recommends cardiologist Joel Kahnl-theanine, an amino acid found in green
and black tea and some mushrooms, has been
shown to reduce stress and stress-induced changes
in blood pressure,^4 which in turn have been linked to
increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Suggested daily dosage: Kahn recommends 200 mg twice
per dayRhodiola rosea, or Arctic root,
is another stress-busting herb
that has been demonstrated to
control irregular heart beat.^5
Suggested daily dosage: 100 mgDon’t forget to
breatheStress has been extensively
linked to heart disease.
Exercise, prayer and meditation,
community volunteering and
yoga are all recommended as
ways to defuse killer stress from
taking its toll on the heart.
Stress is related to shallow,
rapid breathing, so slowing
down and deepening the breath
has the opposite calming effect
on the mind, the body and the
heart. Dr Kahn prescribes a
90-second breathing exercise to
counter palpitations and stress
anywhere, called 4-7-8:- Sit up straight in a chair.
- Place the tip of your tongue
up against the back surface of
the front teeth and keep it there
throughout the exercise. - Breathe in silently and slowly
to the count of 4. - Hold your breath for a count
of 7. - Exhale through your mouth
for 8 counts, making a slight
audible sound (and still
keeping your tongue in place on
the teeth). - Repeat the 4-7-8 breathing
cycle another three times, for a
total of four 4-7-8 cycles.
One 2018 study by researchers in
Finland concluded that the more often
people frequent a sauna and the longer
they stay in one, the less likely they are
to have a fatal cardiovascular event in
middle age.^15Berberine
Berberine, a brightly colored derivative
of the goldthread plant, has been used
in Chinese medicine for more than
2,500 years, and interest in its
medicinal effects on the
heart has grown in
the West recently.
A 2015 review
describes
positive effects
of berberine
on heart
failure, high
blood pressure,
high cholesterol
levels, insulin
resistance, heart
rhythm abnormalities
and blood clotting,^16 and
it has also been shown to reduce
blood sugar levels, fight obesity
and have antioxidant and anti-
inflammatory activity.^17
Suggested daily dosage: 500 mg
three times per dayMagnesium
The essential mineral
magnesium is necessary
for blood pressure
regulation, glycemic
control and the breakdown
of fats in the body. It’s also
critical to cardiovascular function.
According to a 2018 review, roughly
42 percent of hospitalized patients are
deficient in magnesium.^18 Another
study in a cardiac intensive care unit
found that more than half (53 percent)
of patients had magnesium levels below
the lowest normal control.^19
Suggested daily dosage: 400–800 mg,
but 500 mg twice a day if you have heart
palpitations. Choose magnesium chelate or
glycinate, and avoid magnesium oxide, which
may irritate the digestive tract
REFERENCES
1 Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2018; 25: 1875–83
2 Heart Lung Circ, 2018; 27: 967–75
3 Life Sci, 2003; 72: 1617–25
4 Nutrients, 2016; 8: 53
5 J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, 2016; 27: 1093–101