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 hate to see the end of summer and school starting up again but at least I have my oils and herbs. This month we will discuss ATTENTION, FOCUS, and EMOTIONAL STABILITY. The Essential Oils, Herbs, and Blessed Waters that will be discussed have been a huge blessing in my life for my children and myself. I have seen them help so many people. They can bless you and your family so I hope you take the opportunity to learn about them. See the full list of topics.
I have had several rather personal experiences of late that have shown me just how important it is to focus on EMOTIONAL SUPPORT and RESILIENCE to be better prepared for the trials that this life will inevitably throw at us. I am super excited to announce the two new essential oil blends with this very focus in mind. The Resilience has become one that sits on my desk and is used daily. Many of the other things we will talk about on this blog are long-time favorites of mine. I am so grateful for these herbs, oils, and blessed waters.
See the full list of topics.
Essential oils are wonderful things. Their ability to affect our emotions, enhance communication, or bolster our courage are just some of the reasons I love them. One of the best books I have ever read for improving relationships is the book The Five Languages of Love by Gary Chapman. In this blog we will look at these five love languages and then address some of the underlying emotions that might make speaking them to our loved ones difficult for us. This time of year often focuses on romantic relationships. These love languages and accompanying oils can be of great benefit in all our relationships. They have been invaluable to me with my children. You can learn more about these languages here.
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.
In August our discussion will be centered around LEARNING and CONCENTRATION. There are so many great herbal remedies to
Make Sure Your Kids Have the Best School Year Possible.
Take the time today to learn about herbs that will feed the brain and oils that will help them concentrate and retain the information they are learning. We will cover a wide range of topics including memory aids, confidence, fear of failure, and ADHD. You can learn more about using essential oils with children by clicking here.
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.
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…
#2 – Headaches – Emotions If you can accept that your emotions impact your health then it follows that headaches more than likely have at least one emotional driver. Understanding that emotions impact health was a new, and New Age-y, sort of philosophy when I first began living and…