The Real Reasons Behind Heart Disease are Hiding in Your Kitchen (and So are the Solutions)

Heart imbalances in TCM include angina (heart attacks); blood clots; irregular heartbeat / "A-Fib"; hypertension (high blood pressure); and also, sometimes, insomnia and anxiety. 

The amount of mis-information about your heart is astounding. Cholesterol is just one of those.

In TCM, the Heart is the "Emperor" of the organs.  Some acupuncturists believe you only needle the Heart meridian if absolutely necessary, and not until other needles are in place. Just like the Queen/King in chess. 

The Heart gets what it needs to heal from the rest of the body.  It doesn't need to be directed and can't be controlled.  

I'd like to argue that most non-congenital heart problems are treatable with solid nutrition.

The foods we currently eat (even if you eat healthy) are vitamin-deficient compared to the foods people ate a hundred years ago.  You need more than one salad a day to "eat healthy." 

Our ancestors ate a variety of animals, with the organs ("offal") being the most revered.  Heart, brain, liver, and other organs have certain trace minerals and B-vitamins that are hard to find in such a high quantity in other foods.  

Most crops are planted in soil depleted of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.  This is due to current farming practices and lack of crop rotation.  (Q:  Why?  A:  usually $$$ and time)  Ideally, say if a field of corn is planted one season, which depletes the soil of nitrogen, you'd plant beans the next to return nitrogen to the soil.  Most modern farmers are NOT doing this type of crop rotation. 

When we're deficient in nutritients that our muscles need to grow, move, and relax, problems can develop.  For example, tension or cramping in the muscles.  Or weak muscles.  

Your heart is a muscle!  

Cholesterol lowering medications ("statins") don't always prevent heart disease.  

High cholesterol alone does NOT mean you have blocked arteries. 

If you have arterial damage, there's more of a chance that the excess cholesterol will attach itself to the damaged vessel walls. That's what leads to blocked arteries: damaged blood vessels.

Blood vessel damage comes from 

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Excess blood sugar (diabetes)
• Smoking
• Inflammation from poor diet (fried foods, for example)
• Physical trauma (not as likely, but possible)

NEWS FLASH: 📰 People with slightly elevated cholesterol - 210-249 - actually live longer! 🥳 Seriously, this is one of the most extensive studies ever done on cholesterol and that was the conclusion. Read it here.

Statin drugs interfere in the production of CoQ10 in your liver and the transport of CoQ10 to your muscles. CoQ10 is an antioxidant that your body naturally produces.  It gives energy to your muscles, including your heart.  So instead of helping your heart, the statin drugs actually stop a natural process in your body that your heart needs to be healthy. 

How do arteries become damaged in the first place? 

The first place I'd look is at trans-fatty acids: 

Crisco ("oleo"); things fried in soybean/vegetable oil (donuts, fries, etc.); conventional junk foods like pre-packaged cookies or microwave popcorn, and margarine are full of trans-fats. It's when liquid vegetable oils are converted into solids.  

In your body, trans-fats directly correlate with blood stasis.  They stick to the walls of your arteries where they cause damage.  Erosion of the glycocalyx, the hairy lining of the arteries (1), is a leading indicator of heart disease.   

Once that lining is gone, it's gone.  

A statin medication can't reverse this type of damage.  Maybe this is why heart disease is still the #1 cause of adult deaths in the US, despite almost every single one of those people being on a cholesterol-lowering medication...(?!)

The role of nutrition

Calcium and Magnesium

Calcium and magnesium are 2 macro-minerals that your muscles (like your heart) absolutely need. Calcium carbonate is the least expensive, but may not be absorbed well.  Calcium lactate absorbs the fastest. 

A diet that has enough calcium doesn't necessarily have to include a lot of dairy products. A lot of folks are sensitive to it. Most people can digest and absorp raw (unpasteurized) dairy, if you can find it.  Other acceptable forms of dietary calcium include almonds, walnuts, leafy green vegetables, and some forms of fish like salmon and anchovies.  

If you're not eating a wide variety of vegetables regularly, you're most certainly deficient in magnesium, which your muscles need in order to relax.  Even people eating a healthy, balanced diet may need to supplement magnesium.  

Healthy Fats

A low-fat diet, once all the rage, is now scientifically known to be poor nutritional advice.  Essential fatty acids – like the ones found in fish, nuts, olive and coconut oils, and eggs – aid in the absorption of calcium and other trace elements. 

For ideal functioning of your Heart (and brain, and joints...), you need roughly the same amount of Omega 3 oils as you do Omega 6. At the most, no more than 4 times the amount of Omega 6 keeps inflammation in check.

However, most people eating the Standard American Diet (SAD!), are getting approximately 16 times the amount of Omega 6's. That's from fried and processed foods, mostly. This is fix-able, with a bit of effort, care, and attention. 

Smoking, Nutrient Deficiency, and Absorption

Smoking has been shown in studies to hinder the absorption of several vitamins such as vitamin D, calcium, vitamin C and A, and iron.  Smokers also use about 30% more vitamin C and A than the average person which further makes them vulnerable to deficiency.  

B-Vitamins

Beriberi is a dis-ease most of us think of as “old-timey,” a thing of the past.  But people still get it, and it effects your heart.  Not too many doctors, unfortunately, look for vitamin deficiencies as potential causes of health problems.

Beriberi is a B1 (thiamine) deficiency originally discovered in populations eating mainly white (processed) rice.  It’s also commonly found in alcoholics.  Symptoms include muscular weakness, heart palpitations, swelling of the lower body, and cardiac failure.

A diet lacking in wholesome B-complex vitamins will lead to muscular weakness.  And, of course, your heart is a muscle.  The best sources of B-complex are organic, free-range, antibiotic and hormone-free animal products such as grass-fed beef, natural chicken and eggs, ocean (not farmed) salmon, whole grains (not white, processed flour products), beans, and leafy green vegetables such as kale and broccoli.

Studies find lower risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and hypertension among people with higher intakes of folate, found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Blood stagnation is related to the circulation of oxygen in your blood.

All the “western medical” resources like WebMD; heart.org; the Mayo Clinic; medicine.net; American Heart Association; etc. note the following as heart dis-ease risk factors:  obesity, lack of exercise, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and smoking.  

Let’s look at obesity.  In a study done by the Mayo Clinic, it was found that for every 10 pounds a person is overweight, the capacity for blood flow in the body’s vessels is reduced by 50%.  Being overweight literally causes Qi stagnation.  

Being overweight also impacts how vitamin B12 is absorbed in your body.  It’s hard to say if the deficiency is due to a dietary deficiency, or if increased body mass affects absorption.  

"Sweet diet, bitter life.  Bitter diet, sweet life."  ~ old saying 

Recommendations for a Healthy Heart 

B-Vitamins

I used to get heart palpitations.

My son did too, at the tender age of 7. I guess it runs in the family. A visit to a pediatrician, unfortunately, ended up being a complete waste of time. They sent a referral to a cardiologist, who never got the order, and hence, wouldn't schedule us. The pediatrician didn't understand why they didn't get the order, but also didn't help us to get scheduled, so we never got anything tested. Oh, well. The palpitations are gone, no thanks to them. 

This is what I took: Cardio Plus by Standard Process. (It does come in a Gluten-Free option if you need that.) For someone with low blood pressure, Cataplex B2 may be a better choice. For kids, or if you prefer a chewable, Catalyn works well. Most of these products contain animal Heart (and Liver). I also gave my son a pediatric tonic variety of an herbal formula called Suan Zao Ren Wan. 

There's an old idea that I see work all the time: "like cures like." Meaning, eat Heart to heal your Heart. Heart also happens to be the best source of CoQ10. 

Minerals

Part of my daily supplement routine is now the Cataplex B2 and Organically Bound Minerals. I take them with dinner because they also help me sleep better. The Organically Bound Minerals contains 2 ingredients: kelp (seaweed) and alfalfa grown on the SP farm in their nutrient-dense soil. (I've seen and felt the soil there, at their farm, in Wisconsin. Compared to their next door neighbor's dry dirt from conventional farming technique, you can literally see and feel the difference good soil can make.) It's full of magnesium, vitamins K and C, and copper. 

If you need Calcium, Mintran may be a better fit. It's Organically Bound Minerals + Calcium Lactate.  There's also plain Magnesium. 

Liver Health 

Another root cause of Heart problems could be a Liver or Gall Bladder (paired organs in TCM) imbalance. The Liver is the "mother" of the Heart. Many Heart imbalances come from Liver toxicity ("excess"). But it could also be from lack of nourishment (Liver "deficiency.") Yin and Yang, so to say. 

It doesn't make me LOL, but it does make me CQTM (chuckle quietly to myself) when people, upon hearing there's something going on with their Liver, exclaim, "But I don't drink!" There are tons of things that lead to Liver imbalance. It's not just from alcohol. Stress, for example, impacts the Liver first, according to TCM. As does holding grudges. 🤔

If you're eating a lot of fried or highly processed foods; if you're a type 2 diabetic with obesity; if you've had your Gall Bladder removed; you probably have at least some Liver Excess. The solution - more vegetables. And, while salads are great, adding a variety of other vegetables is where it's at. 

Think: beets; mushrooms; collard, mustard, and other types of greens beyond plain lettuce; taro root; asparagus. Stir-fry them, bake them, stick them in a stew. Use butter and salt - those 2 magical ingredients make anything taste good. If you think veggies are gross, you're probably not cooking them right. Take a class or read a cookbook about it. 

If you're not able to eat a variety of vegetables every day, for whatever reason, you'll need to take them in tablet or pill form. "Take it or eat it." There's AF Betafood (6 per day) and Betacol. Betacol is a bit stronger-acting. Just a couple tablets a day helps Liver function. 

There's Livaplex (2 per day) if you have more Liver deficiency. Liver deficiency is similar to anemia, but doesn't always mean you're iron-deficient.  Also, eating Liver is a good idea. If that's nasty to you (same - that texture...), you can always take it in tablet form. Livaplex has that, as does Catalyn. 

Herbs

There are too many herbs and herbal formulas for Heart health to list here. If nutritional remedies aren't quite making the difference you're looking for, and you don't have access to an Acupuncturist, you can set up an online consultation with an Herbalist (or me) to get the right herbal formula for you. 

Hawthorne is one herb that's considered a "go-to" for almost any Heart condition. It's NOT ideal for pregnant women, people with low blood pressure, or heart failure. It's great for hypertension, anxiety palpitations, and circulation problems.  If you want a Hawthorne variety with garlic in it and other herbs to support detoxification and high cholesterol, there's also a formula called Chelaco. 

For more information on how to eat healthy, download our free cookbook here.