228 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition
blood supply to the heart, resulting in a lack of usable oxygen in the heart
tissue. Nitroglycerin (an explosive!) is given to angina sufferers — the
drugs used are often called calcium channel blockers because, just like
many other muscle pains, a heart pain, or angina, is often due to a lack of
calcium. This lack of calcium causes an uncomfortable tightening or
tensing. Usually when the symptoms are diagnosed as angina pectoris
(which simply means “pains across the chest”), no doctor knows what the
specifi c cause is. Indeed, I have seen this diagnosis given to a variety of
conditions, from simple emotional upset to sudden strenuous exercise,
high cholesterol, or excessive plaque in the arteries. The clogging effect
of excess cholesterol, general debris, or calcium (plaque) causes the
arteries and veins leading to and from the heart to become blocked,
occasionally only allowing a trickle of blood through at a time. This
blockage results in chest pains. Another cause of circulatory blockage can
be pieces of this plaque breaking off and fl oating around the circulatory
system, perhaps fi nally lodging somewhere where a natural narrowing
occurs, and blocking off the vessel to a greater or lesser degree. What
makes it worse is the formation of fresh blood clots, which increase the
size of the obstruction. These could be fatal, causing a heart attack.
Angina can be a warning of that ongoing possibility. Stress can also cause
a lack of oxygen availability to the heart (and chronic candidiasis and
indigestion can mirror and cause angina pains).
For lesser problems, the vessels need immediate dilation to allow more
blood through. For long-term treatment of the cause, the
blockage — whether it be fat or calcium — must be cleared.
- Fats to avoid are polyunsaturated margarine, dairy products, and
meat. Soy margarine would be safe. Virgin olive oil, either heated at
low temperatures (not above 90°F) or raw, is also benefi cial.
(^) - Vitamin C and lysine will be vital.
- Avoid coffee, tea, alcohol, and spicy cooked foods.
- You need lots of garlic^ —^ at least two fat cloves of garlic for lunch and
two for supper. There is no cheaper or more perfect medicine. - Lots of leeks, onions, and spring onions would be good, too.
f You should take some source of GLA: evening primrose seed oil or
black currant seed oil.
f If you usually feel cold, add cayenne powder to your regime. Take up
to three capsules, three times daily. Start at a much lower dose than
this and gradually build up as your body becomes acclimated. Con-
tinue for three months, then stop if you wish.
f A herbal formula that will immediately help the heart and will work
long term would be two parts hawthorn berry, and one part each of
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