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Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the number 1 cause of death globally. More people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause. An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2016, representing 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke (1).
There are an estimated 7 million people living with cardiovascular disease in the UK. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes more than a quarter of all deaths in the UK, or around 160,000 deaths each year (2).
These are alarming statistics which are on the increase as each year passes. If you’re worried about your cardiovascular health, one of the most important things you can do today is to start making positive changes to your diet and lifestyle habits.
One of the main functions of the cardiovascular system is to support the transfer of blood to all major organs, muscles and tissues throughout the body. Our circulatory system has five types of blood vessels which are arteries, muscular arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules and veins. They all play different roles in supporting the transfer of blood but also helping to maintain tone and structure as well as regulating inflammation and immune activity.
Our blood contains red blood cells which help transport oxygen (98.5% of oxygen is carried in RBCs as Oxyhaemoglobin) and carbon dioxide, nutrients, hormones, heat and waste around the body. Ensuring that our blood is the correct pH, temperature and adequately hydrated is important part of good cardiovascular health.
As Naturopaths, we are aware that the body functions as a whole and it is important to recognise that cardiovascular health should not be assessed in isolation. Our nervous system, immune system and endocrine systems all play an important role in understanding our cardiovascular health.
If feel your cardiovascular system is under stress, there are a range of signs of symptoms you should be aware of:
Here are a range of common pathologies that are linked directly with the cardiovascular system which are as follows:
If you are experiencing several of these symptoms but haven’t been diagnosed with a pathology it is recommended that you speak with your GP or a qualified practitioner as soon as possible to investigate further and prevent these symptoms manifesting into a more serious condition.
There are several important risk factors you need to consider when evaluating your own cardiovascular health too.
The non-changeable risk factors are:
The risk factors which are changeable and therefore in our control are as follows:
Having more than one risk factor means the overall risk of getting some type of cardiovascular disease increases. If you can identify with any of these and you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, it is important that you look to address these sooner rather than later as prevention is better than cure. On a positive note, changeable risk factors can easily be overridden through constructive nutritional and lifestyle changes.
A variety of hormones can influence your blood vessels, including stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, serotonin, testosterone and thyroid hormones. Stress hormones especially play an influential role on blood pressure regulation via sympathetic nervous system feedback (stress response).
What this means is the higher the stress response typically the higher your blood pressure will be. Identifying and resolving issues that may be causing an individual to experience high levels of stress will play a part in improving your cardiovascular health.
A typical Western-type diet (meat-based dietary pattern) is associated with higher levels of low-grade inflammation whilst a healthy diet does not (6). Dietary interventions allow for a better combination of multiple foods and nutrients to support the body.
The current body of evidence shows that healthy dietary patterns to support cardiovascular health are linked to as a high intake of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, low intake of salt, low refined sugar, low saturated fats and carbohydrates of a low glycaemic index (7).
Addressing the risk factors mentioned above through lifestyle changes all contribute to the overall message the body is receiving and allowing it to heal. While you don’t need to change everything about your diet all at once, the more you take these nutrition recommendations to heart, the better off your heart will be.
However, to make these changes we often need to understand why the changes are important, effect they are having on the body and how they are relevant to the illness. Without this information we are likely to fall back into bad habits.
Ever heard the phrase ‘my heart is broken?’ The emotions you feel within your heart have an important role to play in your cardiovascular health. Feelings of loss, heartbreak, anguish can all have a direct impact not only on your heart health but the entire cardiovascular system. These emotions may be linked to traumatic memories or negative belief systems that are working against you.
There are several research papers which talk about cardiovascular arterial calcification due to the impact of these emotions which leads to stiffness of our blood vessels which then leads to other health complications (5).
Positive emotions on the other hand, like kindness, optimism and life satisfaction are increasingly considered to have protective roles for cardiovascular health with Oxytocin being one of the key hormones involved.
Techniques such as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Matrix Reimprinting are very powerful tools in helping work with these emotions or traumatic memories by clearing the energy behind them. Once the energy has been cleared health returns to the body.
There are many factors involved when looking at cardiovascular health concerns and why the body may not be functioning optimally. These require investigating holistically and the individual needs to be assessed as a whole to truly determine the root cause(s).
Adjusting your nutritional intake and lifestyle habits, supporting mental wellbeing as well as assessing your spiritual wellbeing will play a crucial role in getting the cardiovascular system back into balance.
Everyone is individual and therefore there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to health. It is important to get a health plan tailored to your needs, symptoms and life circumstances.
At Higher Healing, being qualified in Naturopathy, Nutrition, Emotional Freedom Technique and Matrix Reimprinting we have a truly holistic offering to provide right support to transform your health. We also are able to offer private functional testing to assess in detail imbalances within the body to give you a clear picture of your health.
Our wish is for you to reach a higher level of healing, so you are able to transform your health. It is possible and you can do it. Start by taking the first step, get in touch to see how Higher Healing can help.
Find out how we can help you achieve your health goals. Simply call us or leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Naturopaths, Nutritional Therapists, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Matrix Reimprinting practitioners based in Solihull, UK.
Serving clients throughout the West Midlands, across the UK and all over the world through online consultations.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER – The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on our blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay medical treatment because of something you have read on this website.