Heart Problems
In the last newsletter, we worked through the anatomy of the guts -- primarily to get the groundwork for this issue. By using what we learned within the last issue, we will now explore:
Things which will fail with the guts .
Medical treatments.
Limitations which will be inherent in a number of those treatments.
What you'll do to vary the equation.
Incidentally, if you haven't read the previous newsletter, Anatomy of the guts , you would possibly want to try to to that now. it isn't absolutely necessary, but it'll bring a more rewarding experience as you read this text .
Problems of the epicardium
As you'll remember, the epicardium is that the lining that surrounds the guts muscle -- inside and out. On the within , it's called the endocardium, and on the surface it's called the pericardium. Let's start our discussion of heart problems by watching the epicardium -- not because it is the most vital a part of the guts , but because it is a simple place to start out and lets us dip our toes into the topic before plunging into deeper waters.
Problems which will occur with the guts lining just about fall under two categories
Physical damage.
Inflammation caused by infection.
Physical damage is straightforward to know , and typically easy to repair. You're driving in your car, you get into an accident. You're slammed against the wheel or an airbag. Your body stops suddenly but your heart, powered by inertia (an object in motion tends to remain in motion) keeps moving forward and tears the pericardium that holds it in situ before bouncing back and coming to rest. This causes bleeding within the sac , which is the buffer between the guts and therefore the chest wall and lungs. the additional fluid (blood) pumps into the sac struggling which expands the sac, thereby squeezing and constricting the guts . If the pressure isn't relieved, it can build to the purpose where it constricts the guts such a lot that it prevents it from beating. Herbs and neutraceuticals aren't much use here. Fortunately, medical intervention tends to be easy and effective in these situations. A catheter inserted into the sac to empty the surplus blood and relieve the pressure will usually do the trick -- along side stopping the bleeding.
Inflammation (known as "itis" in medical terminology) may be a little more complex. the first explanation for inflammation of the guts lining is infection, both viral and bacterial. counting on which a part of the liner is affected, it'll be called pericarditis, endocarditis, or epicarditis. The inflammation can cause pain , difficulty pumping, or fever. These symptoms are often mild, acute, or maybe chronic. Standard treatment includes the utilization of antibiotics and antivirals. These are "usually" effective unless the underlying infection is immune to the arsenal of medicine at your doctor's disposal, which may be a growing problem. Fortunately, there are natural alternatives including garlic, olive leaf extract, oil of oregano, grapefruit seed extract, etc. which will work even within the case of drug resistant infections.
Problems with heart valves
Also, as we discussed last issue, your heart valves are constructed like parachutes with tendons or cords anchoring them to the guts muscle to stay them from opening too far. Their role is to permit blood to flow down from the atria into the ventricles, then to seal shut when the ventricles pump in order that blood doesn't copy into the atria, but is instead forced out into the most arteria pulmonalis from the proper ventricle or into the aorta from the ventricle . Problems with the valves are easy to know and fall generally into two categories.
Backflow, or regurgitation, is caused by misshapen or damaged valves or ruptures to the tendons that hold the valves in situ . this stuff cause the valves to imperfectly seal with each heartbeat, thus allowing backflow into the atria.
Stenosis, or hardening of the valves, caused by disease or aging prevents the valves from fully opening. This limits the flow of blood into the ventricles in order that they can't fill completely within the fraction of a second the valves are open. Since the ventricle chamber is now partially empty when it pumps, it generates less pressure with each beat, which ultimately reduces the quantity of blood that flows through the body.
There are often multiple causes for both problems.
- Either you were born with a drag . this will be genetic or it are often the results of nutritional problems in your parents' diet (either before you were conceived or while you were gestating).
- Over time, as a results of aging and poor nutrition, the valves shrink and alter shape.
- Infection has caused the valves to inflame in order that they not seal perfectly.
- Diseases like infectious disease and syphilis have scarred and hardened the valves.
- Valvular tissue are often damaged within the same way as cardiac muscle tissue because the results of a attack .
- Valve tendons may rupture, which suggests the valve not stays in situ when backpressure is made by the squeezing of the ventricles.
The bottom line is that the pumping process becomes less efficient, and your heart has got to pump harder and faster to compensate. Treatments can range from doing nothing, to using drugs to scale back infection and inflammation, to surgically replacing the damaged valves with artificial valves.
Doing nothing you would possibly ask? Absolutely! In most cases, that is what doctors do. Why? the guts has tremendous reserve capacity. Last issue we mentioned that you simply can have 70% blockage of your coronary arteries and never experience any outward symptoms. It doesn't stop there. Your heart also features a tremendous reserve pumping capacity and when called upon can increase output 5-8 times if needed. for instance , in bicuspid valve prolapse (a condition during which the bicuspid valve "falls down", or prolapses too far into the ventricle allowing backflow into the proper atrium), there are usually few symptoms or any problems. In most cases doctors will just make note of it and await any changes.
On the opposite hand, sometimes, there are symptoms. These can include:
- That old standby, pain .
- Fatigue and/or dizziness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Low or high vital sign , counting on which valve is affected.
- Palpitations caused by irregular heartbeats.
- Even migraine headaches.
In those cases the valves are often replaced with mechanical valves. At just one occasion , you'll actually hear the mechanical valves make a small clicking sound as they opened and closed 70-80 times a moment . This drove some people crazy once they tried to sleep in the dark . Newer models have overcome that problem and are silent.
Now you would possibly think since problems with valves are mechanical in nature that nutrition and supplements wouldn't play much of a task in resolving them. If so, you'd be wrong. Most medical doctors aren't conscious of this fact, but there are numerous studies showing nutrients matter -- and supplementation can actually change the mechanical aspects of valve function. for instance , it's been shown that magnesium plays a task in bicuspid valve prolapse.
Therapeutic effect of a magnesium salt in patients affected by mitral valvular prolapse and latent tetany.
Magnesium Deficiency within the Pathogenesis of bicuspid valve Prolapse.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, nutrition and supplementation can play a primary role in maintaining optimum heart health -- and even reversing many chronic heart problems. we'll talk more about this later; except for now let's explore problems that happen within the coronary arteries.
Circulatory problems
The first blood vessels off the aorta are the 2 coronary arteries, which subsequently split off into numerous branches that feed the guts . Blockage of those arteries through the build from plaque is one among the foremost common causes of death. internet result's ischemia, which suggests a "reduced blood supply." As i discussed last issue, because there's such a lot redundancy within the branching of the coronary arteries, you'll have up to 70% blockage and yet haven't any obvious symptoms. At some point, though, you'll have a attack , also referred to as myocardial infarct . The myocardium is that the name of the guts muscle, and infarction means the "death of tissue." In other words, a attack is that the results of loss of blood flow to the guts muscle, which causes death of cardiac muscle tissue. The severity of the attack is decided by:
Which a part of the muscle is broken . (Some parts are more critical than others.)
How extensive the damage is.
In some cases, people do indeed die from their first attack . In most cases, though, the attacks are progressive -- with each attack killing more and more tissue until the remaining cardiac muscle can not carry the load. counting on the extent of the damage, standard medical treatments include:
Drugs, such as:
- Beta-blockers to slow heart rates and reduce vital sign -- thus lowering the heart's demand for oxygen.
- Nitroglycerin to open coronary arteries and reduce the heart's demand for oxygen.
- Calcium channel blockers to open coronary arteries to extend blood flow to the guts muscle.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme to permit blood to be due the guts more easily, decreasing the workload on the guts .
- Angioplasty uses a balloon inflated inside the blocked artery to press the plaque against the arterial wall, thus clearing the blockage -- a minimum of temporarily.
- Stents are like angioplasty on steroids. rather than just pressing the plaque against the wall of the artery, the balloon is additionally wont to also press a wire mesh against the arterial wall to carry the artery open.
- Bypass surgery involves employing a vein (usually taken from the leg) to literally create a bypass round the clogged area of the arteria coronaria .
Heart transplants.
None of those options is ideal . Angioplasty and bypass surgery (even though they need been in use for years) are literally unproven (for those of you who think everything in medicine is backed by peer reviewed studies). In fact, recent studies indicate that they'll actually give only slight temporary relief with no extension of life -- to not mention an increased risk of stroke. Both stents and angioplasties (and bypasses too, for that matter) quickly re-plug, a drag called restenosis, and wish to be periodically redone or replaced. New sorts of stents are coated with drugs to hamper restenosis but accompany their own set of problems. Bypass surgery produces a dramatically increased risk of stroke, infection and profound depression. And heart transplants force you to remain on immunosuppressant drugs for the remainder of your life.
Far and away the most important problem with all of those treatments, though, is that they only treat one manifestation of the matter , not the underlying cause -- the very fact that the arteries are blocking within the first place. it's here that alternative therapies excel -- both short term, and future . For example:
Dietary changes can have a profound impact in reversing coronary heart condition as can variety of supplements.
Shifting the balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids can eliminate a serious source of heart attacks.
Hawthorne berries are tonic for the guts , working to support the relief and dilation of coronary arteries and increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to and from the guts . In effect, Hawthorne berries work very similar to prescribed drugs , but without the side effects.
Blood Clots
Another aspect of coronary heart condition is that the grume or thrombus. (If it becomes dislodged and floats free, it's called an embolus.) In larger arteries, a clot will only impede the flow of blood. In smaller arteries, it can completely block it. Thrombi form most frequently within the veins of the leg, where they then float off (now called emboli) and find yourself lodging in and blocking the smaller arteries of the guts , lungs, and brain. There are often many triggers for the formation of clots and emboli, but one among the more interesting is deep vein thrombosis -- the formation of blood clots because the results of prolonged sitting in airplanes and cars.
Preventing blood clots reduces the danger of stroke, attack and embolism . the quality treatment for those in danger of embolisms involves the utilization of medicine like Heparin or warfarin (a sort of rat poison), which are anticoagulants wont to inhibit the formation and growth of existing blood clots.
But these drugs are dangerous and need constant watching and regulating since they will cause internal bleeding. Far safer (and better since they also dissolve plaque and help promote the repair of arterial tissue) are protease formulations that incorporate specialized enzymes like nattokinase.
Problems with the guts muscle -- the myocardium
In the end, when you're talking about the guts , it mostly comes right down to the myocardium -- the guts muscle. The danger of coronary heart condition , for instance , is that it starves the myocardium of oxygen and kills it. The danger of a valve problem is that it forces the myocardium to figure too hard. The danger of a bio-electrical/conductivity problem is that it throws the guts muscle out of rhythm and causes it to lose its beat, or to fibrillate. (Fibrillation occurs when a heart chamber "quivers" thanks to an abnormally fast rhythm and may not pump blood well. Fibrillation of the atrium is named atrial fibrillation; within the ventricle it's called fibrillation . fibrillation usually results in death.) To paraphrase the Clinton campaign within the '90's, "It's all about the myocardium."
Problems within the atria
For the foremost part, problems within the atria aren't life threatening. albeit both atria totally lose their ability to pump or weaken and balloon out, you lose maybe 30% of your total heart function. Without pumping, gravity and suction will still bring most of the blood down into the ventricles. There are, of course, times your doctor will want to deal with problems, except for the foremost part, you'll live for years with barely functioning atria.
Problems with the ventricles
Ah, but the ventricles are a special story. When the ventricle goes into fibrillation, we're talking asystole . it is time to tug out the electrical paddles. So what sorts of problems are we talking about?
Myocarditis, or inflammation of the guts , may be a sort of cardiomyopathy (which literally translates as "heart muscle disease"). the matter here is that blood flows more slowly through an cardiomegaly , which increases the likelihood of blood clots. additionally , people with cardiomyopathy are often in danger of arrhythmia and/or sudden cardiac death. When cardiomyopathy leads to a significantly cardiomegaly , the mitral and tricuspid valves might not be ready to close properly, leading to murmurs. There could also be multiple causes of myocarditis, including virus infection . Common culprits include: influenza, herpes, Epstein-Barr, hepatitis, and salmonella.
Ischemic cardiomyopathy may be a weakness within the muscle of the guts thanks to inadequate oxygen delivery to the myocardium, with arteria coronaria disease being the foremost common cause. (Ischemia simply means "reduced blood flow.") Anemia, apnea , and hyperthyroidism also can contribute to ischemic myocardium.
Myocardial infarction literally means the "death of cardiac muscle tissue." Since cardiac muscle doesn't grow back, this features a snowball effect. If you've got a attack that starves a part of the guts muscle of oxygen in order that it dies, that connective tissue doesn't recover. You now have a weakened heart that's more likely to suffer a subsequent attack -- resulting in more cardiac muscle damage and increased chances for a 3rd attack. And so on. it isn't too hard to ascertain where this leads -- to long-term loss of cardiac muscle activity and chronic coronary failure .
Congestive coronary failure (CHF) may be a condition during which your weakened heart can not pump out all the blood that flows into it. CHF is that the commonest explanation for hospitalization for people over age 65. It kills quite 50,000 people a year within the US and costs the health care system quite $50 billion per annum . the guts is simply like other muscles. When it's weakened, it becomes enlarged and inefficient. This results in congestion and flaccid muscular tonus . In fact, it can even cause prolapse of the guts during which the guts literally "drops" from its original position within the chest. it's commonplace to need a stethoscope placement three to 5 inches below the traditional area when taking note of a weakened heart.
Unfortunately, modern medicine comes up short when it involves problems of the myocardium. Mostly it just deals with the aftermath.
If the guts stops beating, use the electrical paddles to urge it going again.
If no paddles are near, pop a nitroglycerine tablet.
Perform a coronary bypass surgery to undertake and stop any longer damage.
Use nitroglycerine tablets to open up the arteries in an emergency and stop a attack .
When it involves the muscle itself, nothing! But as luck would have it, here's where alternative therapies shine.
- All of the B vitamins, but especially vitamin B4 are essential for heart health.
- Congestive coronary failure has been strongly tied to significantly low blood and tissue levels of CoQ10.
- Supplementation with CoQ10 can literally change the dimensions and shape of the guts .
- Studies have shown that prime concentrations of heavy metals like mercury directly correlate to higher incidences of acute coronary events. Regular heavy metal detoxing directly reduces and eventually eliminates that risk.
- Studies have also shown an immediate connection between periodontitis and acute coronary events. Regular use of avocado soy unsaponifiables, proteolytic enzymes, immune boosters, and pathogen destroyers can reduce the danger .
- Incidentally, electric paddles aren't the sole thing which will get a cardiac muscle going again. In an emergency cayenne pepper can do the trick too. A teaspoon of cayenne pepper during a glass of warm water taken every fifteen minutes can raise the dead.
- And within the end, the guts may be a muscle, and like all muscles responds to exercise. Cardiovascular exercise, particularly interval training, can improve the efficiency and strength of your heart.
Heart rhythm disorders
The heart is an unusual organ. it's millions and many cells, and every cell has the potential for electrical activity. within the normal heart these electrical impulses occur in regular intervals. When something goes wrong with the heart's electrical system, the guts doesn't beat regularly. Unlike most organs within the body, all the cells within the heart are wired together in order that if one cell fires prematurely or late, the neighboring cells are going to be activated and a mistimed wave will travel over the guts . The irregular beating leads to a rhythm disorder, or arrhythmia.
To quickly review from last issue.
Every heart beat begins within the pacemaker (SA node) located within the right atrium of the heart . The pacemaker is "smart" and adapts to the body's overall need for blood and increases the guts rate when necessary, like during exercise.
Electrical impulses leave the pacemaker and travel through special conducting pathways within the heart to the cardiac muscle (AV, node). the aim of the AV node is to supply a pathway for impulses from the atria to the ventricles. It also creates a delay in conduction from the atria to the ventricle. This delay allows the atria to contract first, allowing the ventricles to fill with blood before they contract themselves.
The delay ensures proper timing in order that the lower chambers have time to fill completely before they contract.
From the AV node, the signal travels down through a gaggle of fibers within the center of the guts called the bundle branch-- then to the ventricles.
So what can go wrong?
Due to natural aging or disease, the pacemaker starts losing function and not produces the right number of signals at the proper rate.
The AV node normally has one group of cells through which the electrical impulse can travel. However, thanks to aging or heart condition , it's possible for the AV node to develop two or more groups of conductive cells. due to the additional conduction pathways, your heart can sometimes beat more quickly than normal.
The bundle branch (see above) becomes "blocked" as a results of a attack which damages the inner cardiac muscle and nerves. This stops the signal from traveling from the AV node to the ventricles. Left to their own devices, the ventricles establish their own rhythm of about 20-40 beats per minute. this is often much too slow for health and leads to weakness, fainting, and shortness of breath.
Valve stenosis (stiffness) causes increased pressure within the atria (since blood never fully clears) which causes ballooning of the walls of 1 or both of the atria (aka atrial dilation). Because the atrium is now bigger, it increases the space signal has got to travel. The increased distance means it takes longer for the signal to succeed in its final destination which throws off the pacing of the heartbeat.
Medical Treatments
Typical medical treatment involves drugs like adenosine, calcium channel blockers (e.g., diltiazem, verapamil), short-acting beta-blockers (e.g., esmolol), and digitalis.
The other option, of course, is that the pacemaker. The pacemaker uses electrodes attached to the guts that take over from the pacemaker to regulate the beating of the guts . The pacemaker is travel by alittle computer installed within the body. Modern pacemakers are externally programmable and permit for the choice of optimum pacing modes for individual patients. Some can even self-regulate and adapt to changing requirements like stress or exertion. and a few combine a pacemaker and defibrillator during a single device.
Drugs and pacemakers work reasonably well at keeping the guts going, but still address the matter after the very fact . confine mind that in most cases the rhythm of the guts was lost through degradation supported nutrition or disease. Installing a pacemaker doesn't address that problem; it merely bypasses it. On the opposite hand, it's possible to reverse many of these conditions nutritionally and thus reverse many of the associated problems.
Alternatives
Mineral deficiencies particularly in calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, and lots of of the trace minerals can have a profound effect on the electrical efficiency of the guts since they're liable for running it. Supplementing with minerals and liquid trace minerals can make a profound difference.
Supplementing with CoQ10 can significantly improve the energy state of every cell within the heart, thus improving its ability to reply to an electrical stimulus and pass the signal on to its neighbor during a timely manner.
Shifting the balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids can eliminate a serious source of potassium imbalance which may trigger heart attacks.
Conclusion
Let's take an opportunity here, and next issue we'll conclude our discussion of the guts by exploring what happens in your doctor's office:
- What tests does your doctor run?
- What do they mean?
- What are you able to tell from them?
- What questions do you have to ask your doctor when viewing the results?
For now, though, it's worth reviewing a key concept:
Although many problems with the guts could seem to be biomechanical in nature and beyond the purview of nutrition and supplements, that's not necessarily true. As we've seen:
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