The heart: A broken machine
We treat the heart like it is a machine gone wrong. As if a perfectly functioning piece of equipment decided one day that it was no longer going to work right.
The circulatory system is one of the busiest systems in the body. It is responsible for carrying oxygen to every tissue and cell in the body. It is the determiner of tissue nutrition (what goes in the cells) and detoxification (the vital waste elimination of every cell). When the circulatory system is hampered, it becomes the primary etiology for all degenerative diseases. When speaking of circulatory health, we include blood quality - nutrient density, essential enzymes, hormones and other factors, including the proper viscosity and vascular integrity.
In the U.S. 10 million are diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease, 1.5 million have a heart attack annually, 30 million suffer high BP, 9 million arrhythmias, 3 million strokes, and many more have had bypass surgery, stents and other "rescue" procedures. These are staggering numbers, especially when a mere 100 years ago, cardiovascular disease was a rarity.
Why would this precisely designed, perfectly functioning machine go haywire? If any other piece of machinery stopped working, we would do everything we could to find out why. Did it run out of fuel? Was it not greased properly? Did dirt get into the engine? All of these could also be causes of heart disease.
Our heart needs fuel to operate properly. It needs Vitamins A, B, C, D and E, minerals and amino acids. There are more than likely other nutrients yet to be discovered.
The heart needs to be greased. Cholesterol is that grease. Cholesterol is protective. It's the healing serum used when tissue is damaged, weakened or degenerating. If your cholesterol is high, you should be asking why? Cholesterol performs several functions in the body: it is the foundational nutrient for making/synthesizing hormones, (not just sex hormones, but hormones that stop pain and inflammation, make you happy and feel content, stop food cravings, balance blood sugar, provide energy, regulate water, heal tissue, support immune health, build and repair the gut lining, regulate every gland and organ in the body, help you sleep well, regulate weight and many other functions), it is needed to respond to damage, to make brain cells, the outer coating of cells is made out of cholesterol, it is needed to make bile to emulsify fats, and allows the body to make and use Vitamin D.
If the vascular system is "dirty" - full of rancid cholesterol, triglycerides, waste metabolites, sugar and garbage elements from a horrific food supply, it can cause things to run amok, akin to using dirty gasoline in your car.
So much can be done to prevent and remedy heart disease. It is a shame that we suffer the way we do today when the same principles to keeping any machine functioning properly apply to the cardiovascular system as well.
Learn more by attending our upcoming class, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Health, from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10 in Coeur d'Alene. Fee: $10. RSVP: (208) 765-1994.
Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with more than 32 years of experience. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health-care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d'Alene clinic. Visit Carling's website at www.vitalhealthandfitness.com to learn more about Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.