The heart is an incredible muscle—yes, muscle. The amount of work done by the heart each day is almost too incredible to even believe. The body contains approximately six quarts of blood. This blood is pushed through the blood vessels over 1000 times in a day. The heart, incredibly, pumps about 6000 quarts (about 1,500 gallons) of blood in a single day for all the days of one’s life!
There is simply no way that I can cover the complicated workings and anatomy of the heart in this article. (I certainly do try during Foot Zone Therapy classes, as some of you can probably attest, to do my best with pages and pages of information—possibly too much information—in the material provided.
Two systems regulate heart activity. One involves the nerves of the autonomic nervous system and acts as an accelerator and as brakes for the heart rate. The other is the intrinsic conduction system—nodes which are built right into the heart tissue. This system sets the basic rhythm of the heart. For this article, let me stress firmly (very firmly) that when a person is under either physical or emotional stress, the heart works much too hard, pumping faster and more forcefully, in order to make more oxygen and glucose available to the systems of the body. The good news: For people who know how to handle stress more calmly or know how to rest and rejuvenate between periods of stress or hard work, the heart will slow down and beat steadily. This gives the heart a period of rest when the crisis is over.
Stress Cardiomyopathy – Broken Heart Syndrome
A troubled mind may lead to a broken heart in a very literal and physical sense.
Many patients arriving at emergency rooms and doctors’ offices with symptoms of a heart attack have just experienced the death or loss of a loved one. Traumatic experiences such as a car accident or mugging are also recognized as triggers for heart attack-type symptoms.
Intense emotional events can trigger your sympathetic nervous system, unleashing a flood of chemicals. This sudden surge of chemicals can stun the heart’s muscle and leave it temporarily, and sometimes permanently, unable to pump properly. In medical speak, this is referred to as ‘Stress Cardiomyopathy’. Energy workers often refer to this situation as ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’. It is very real!
My point? If we insist on living our lives in real or imaginary stress, we will be increasing, daily, the stress on our hearts.
A second point? Anything that strengthens you emotionally—whether oils, herbs, exercise, faith, or anything else—will benefit your heart. . . and the heart certainly needs all the help that we can give it. Statistically speaking, heart disease of various types is the leading cause of death for both men and women and has been for more than a century!
I was absolutely delighted to see what had been chosen for this month’s topic! February can be such a hard month for so many people, and this coming one promises to be harder than usual for me and those around me. As some of you may have heard, our family experienced the devastating loss of a dear loved one recently. I am very grateful for the opportunity to refresh my own mind, study the remedies that deal with depression, grief, and other emotional and mental issues a bit deeper and then share with you what I know and learn. The use of some of these remedies has already had a profound effect on my own mental health recently.
On a lighter note, my older brother, an advanced mathematics professor, told me once that his classes in February were simply used to play fun (and mildly educational) number/math games. Why? Because, he said, students are just up to too much else in February and they need a bit of fun to cheer them up! I suspect that the darker days of winter and, perhaps even in sunny climes, the let down following the holiday season affects us all. See the full list of topics.
February is one of the hardest times of the year for many people, myself included. Depression and other mental challenges are often worse at this time of year. As a result, it is particularly important for each of us to give some focus to Boosting Mental Health. It is important to make sure we are giving ourselves, and those we care for, the nutrients necessary and the emotional support that will help us through the sometimes dismal days of winter. Essential oils, herbs, and homeopathics can do so much for each of us in these areas. I am frequently grateful for my herbal upbringing, particularly at this time of year and during times of these types of struggles.
See the full list of topics.
The topics in December are Harmony, Happiness, and Healing. Christmas is such a magical time when the world focuses a bit more on others. It is also a time for spending time with family and friends. This blog will focus on helping to harmonize those relationships, strengthen them, and help us to heal from the past. There is something in this newsletter for everyone. Please keep your friends and family in mind as you read it and share this newsletter and these products with them if you can. See the full list of topics.
In November we will be talking about GRATITUDE and SELF CARE. I have always been grateful to a loving Creator who established this world in such a way that the things we need for balance and health in every aspect of our lives are everywhere around us. However, I don’t believe that God requires our gratitude for His glory. The commandment to be grateful is an example of God explaining to us what is best for our own souls. If you don’t do it already, try doing all that you do in this alternative medical world with a large measure of gratitude. I hope that the products we discuss this month will help you take time for yourself and I hope that you will use them and share them with gratitude.
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Tolerance “Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the wrong. Sometime in life, you will have been all of these.” ~George Washington Carver! The word, tolerance, has a variety of meanings in today’s world…
Essential Oils and the Scriptures Exodus 30:22-25 “Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred…