Heart Helpers

[Fae Oonagh]

Heart Helpers
According to the results of a study, orchestra conductors live an average of seven and a half years longer than the average person.

To strengthen your heart, tone up your circulatory system and have some fun, go through the motions of conducting an orchestra. Do it for at least 10 minutes a day, or 20 minutes three days a week. Conduct to music that inspires you. If you don't have a baton, use a ruler or a chopstick. Pretend each day of exercise is a command performance. Throw your whole self into it physically and emotionally.

NOTE: If you have a history of heart problems, be sure to check with your doctor before you begin conducting.

Healing Honey

Two teaspoons of raw honey a day, either in a glass of water or straight off the spoon, is thought by many nutritionists to be the best tonic for strengthening the heart, as well as for general physical repair.
WARNING: Diabetics and people with honey allergies should not use honey.

Okay, so you don't want to join a gym. You don't have to. For the best exercise and the perfect body stimulator, just take an old-fashioned walk-make it a brisk walk-daily. Brisk means walking a mile every 20 minutes (three miles an hour). It's slower than running or race-walking, but faster than a stroll.
In addition to the walking, those who did vigorous exercise for 90 minutes a week cut their risk almost in half. Gardening and house­work are considered vigorous exercise. So you can have a clean house, a beautiful garden and a healthy heart.

According to renowned research biochemist Richard A. Passwater, PhD, vitamin B15 quickens the healing of scar tissue around the heart and also limits the side effects of some heart medications. The suggested dosage is 150 mg a day along with a B-complex vitamin.
CAUTION: Broccoli and turnip greens are rich in vitamin K, the clot-promoting vitamin. If you take anticlotting medication prescribed by your physician, be aware that eating big portions of those vegetables can counteract the effects of the medicine.

This remedy is recommended for people who have a history of heart problems-right before going to bed, take a 10-minute footbath. Step into calf-high water, as hot as you can take it without scalding yourself. As the minutes pass and the water cools, add more hot water. After 10 minutes, step out of the tub and dry your feet thoroughly; preferably with a rough towel.
Once your feet are dry; give them a one­minute massage, manipulating the toes as well as the entire foot. This footbath/massage may help circulation, remove congestion around the heart and lead you to a peaceful night's sleep.

We recently read a list of supposed benefits of hawthorn berries. We followed up by researching the herb and, as a result, we now take hawthorn supplements daily.
Benefits: Normalizes blood pressure by regulating heart action..improves heart valve defects...helps people with a lot of stress... strengthens weakened heart muscle. . .and prevents atherosclerosis.

NOTE: Check with your health professional for dosage, depending on your size and the state of your heart health.

Omega-3 fatty acids impact many factors linked to cardiovascular disease. They help lower LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides. inhibit excessive platelet aggregation, lower fibrinogen levels and lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
Omega- 3s are found in many foods. including salmon, mackerel and other fatty fish. Flaxseed oil offers the most cost-effective and beneficial method for increasing the intake of omega-3 oils in the diet.
For a healthier heart, eat wheat germ every day. You might also want to supplement with vitamin E. It's said to help reduce hardening of the arteries. Check with your doctor for amount.
Take a garlic supplement every day to protect and strengthen the heart and help thin the blood. Also, use garlic in cooking and eat it raw in salads.
Red Roses for Love

If someone wants to give you an edible treat, instead of candy, suggest red roses. They're said to help strengthen the heart as well as other organs of the body, not to mention what they do for a relationship.
Remove the bitter white part on the bottom of the rose petals and eat the rest of the petals raw, or make rose-petal tea to drink. Be sure the roses are organically grown and haven't been sprayed. "

Eat onions once a day. According to Russian scientists, onions are beneficial for all kinds of heart problems.
Every morning, before breakfast, drink the juice of half a lemon in a cup of warm water. It's reputed to be helpful for all kinds of body functions, from proper fluid action in the blood to regularity in the bathroom.
Rev Up Your Circulation

Once a day, mix 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a cup of water and drink it down. It's not easy to take, but it may be beneficial to the circulatory system, since cayenne pepper is reputed to be the purest herbal stimulant.
Japanese medicine recommends ginger footbaths to improve circulation. Add a cup of fresh, minced ginger to a basin with 2 quarts of warm water, or divide the water and ginger into two plastic shoe boxes. Soak your feet in the water until they're rosy red. Then dry thoroughly and notice a more energized feeling.