Prevention of coronary heart disease with Ayurveda

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also known as Coronary artery disease (CAD) and is caused by the narrowing of arteries due to plaque build-up. Coronary heart disease prevents the normal flow of blood in the arteries causing chest pain, fatigue with minimum exertion, difficulty breathing and heart attacks.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS: –
Chest pain or Angina with physical stress . The pain may spread to the left arm or the neck , back , throat or jaw . Exertional dyspnoea is one of the primary signs . There might be numbness ( paresthesia ) or loss of feeling in the arms , shoulders or wrists . The person gets severe sweating , vertigo or dizziness . Sometimes it is associated with nausea or vomitting . There are characteristic ischemic ECG changes during stress test . ST segment depression and angina in the presence of left ventricular wall perfusion abnormalities during thallium or other stress perfusion test .

Prevention of coronary heart disease with Ayurveda

There are several beneficial herbal remedies for Coronary Heart Disease which can be of immense help in prevention and management of the chronic cardiovascular condition. These remedies, in conjunction with some other pre-emptive measures, underscore an excellent preventive approach against heart disease.

 

Arjuna herb

Arjuna herb seems to be the best herb for the heart health. Arjuna extract has been shown to be an immensely powerful antioxidant protecting the heart from the oxidation. The anti-platelet aggregation and anticoagulant action keeps the blood thin, and lowers the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) while enhancing HDL (good cholesterol). It also has hypotensive, cardioprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities.

 

Other herbs with cardiovascular benefits

Herbal formulations prepared from some other potent herbs — other than Arjuna herb — which have proven cardiovascular benefits are also considered to be effective herbal remedies for Coronary Heart Disease.

Some of the well-known cardiovascular-active herbs include: Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Amla (Emblica officinalis), Manduka parni (Centella asiatica), Garlic (Allium sativum), Guggulu (Commiphora mukul), Basil (Ocimum sanctum), Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), and Herde (Terminalia chebula).

Improving nutrition and strengthening the digestive process

According to Ayurveda, Coronary Heart Disease can be prevented and managed effectively by improving the nutrition content in daily diet, and by ensuring the overall health of the digestive system. For preventing cardiovascular diseases, it is important that certain foods which are considered ‘heavy’ should be avoided because they have a tendency to clog the coronary arteries.

Hence, it is vital to add those foods to the diet which do not create toxic and clogging impurities in vessel walls, and are low in cholesterol and saturated fats. Such foods can improve digestive health, and facilitate the natural cleansing and healing processes within the cardiovascular system.

Improving body metabolism

In Ayurveda, it is believed that, for preventing Coronary Heart Disease, a strong metabolism is as essential for the body as a strong digestion and elimination system. Improved metabolism can help the body to build tissues properly and ensure the effective removal of waste products created by cells and tissues.

The importance of improved metabolism of the body is being stressed by Ayurvedic experts for prevention of cardiovascular diseases because high levels of free radicals — toxic waste products — can cause serious cardiovascular damage. If free radicals are allowed to accumulate in the body, they can have a disastrous effect on heart health.

Stress management

Other than the use of herbal remedies for Coronary Heart Disease, along with adequate nutrition and improved metabolism, it is also important to manage stress, in order to prevent heart diseases. Effective stress management can prevent cardiovascular diseases from worsening because chronic stress can place immense pressure on the cardiovascular system because of hormonal changes and other biochemical responses associated with it.

Stress can be a serious risk factor of cardiovascular disease besides hypertension, bad eating habits, weak digestion and slow elimination. For managing stress, the technique of meditation should be learnt from a qualified instructor and should be practised daily because it is an ideal mental approach to fight cardiovascular problems.

Proper sleep and exercise routine

Along with eating healthy foods, it is also necessary to have a proper sleep and exercise routine so that cardiovascular diseases can be prevented. If sleep and exercise patterns fluctuate constantly, the body cannot cleanse or heal itself effectively because it loses its natural balancing cycles and its natural healing process becomes weak.

A proper sleep schedule and a daily exercise routine — including Yoga breathing practices recommended Ayurvedic experts — can improve the balance in a person’s physiology and also help in healing the body. Proper stretching and flexibility exercises and Yoga breathing practices can create a state of restful alertness in the mind and the body.