Ayureda and Heart

According to Ayurveda, the heart is not merely a pumping machine propelling blood to various parts of the body. It is considered to be the seat of the mind and soul. Apart from its physical form, it also has an associated "invisible heart", which carries out life functions at a subtle level, thus affecting the mind, emotions, and spiritual faculties of an individual.

It is for this reason that Ayurvedic physicians prescribe not only medicines and special diets to heart patients, but they also provide counseling with respect to moral, social and spiritual matters. This unified, multi-dimensional view provides a substantially different perspective from that of modern medical practitioners, who attempt to isolate and treat heart disorders in a non-holistic manner.

In recent years, research carried out by scientists lends support to the Ayurvedic view on the relation of the heart with the mind and soul. For example, California-based research as reported in Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrated that anger and hostility caused hardening of coronary arteries.

The Archives of Internal Medicine recently published a study that found that people suffering from depression had more than a 70 % greater risk of heart attacks and other heart diseases. Another research was conducted on patients who had gone through bypass surgery. It was found that those having a spiritual inclination recovered faster after the surgery than those who did not.

According to Ayurveda, the heart is the hub of ten important "channels." Prana or life force and blood is transported to the rest of the body through these channels. Ojas, a vital fluid necessary for keeping us alive, is also stored in the heart. In addition to the physical body, there are four layers or sheaths, which form the astral or the subtle body of every individual. There are thousands of subtle energy-carrying channels or nadis and plexuses or charkas controlling various functions in the astral body. Their remote control is located in the heart.

Thus, the heart is the basis of life, and as such, truly warrants sincere care. Below are some Ayurvedic suggestions that you can adopt to provide your heart with that much needed attention that it deserves.

Restrict ama or formation of toxins in the body

Ama is a very prominent factor responsible for clogging of coronary arteries. It is a toxic substance that arises from undigested food. When formed in large quantities, ama mixes with the blood and causes blockage in the arteries. Some of the common symptoms that indicate indigestion of food and presence of ama in the body include: a white coating on the tongue, presence of mucus in stool, a feeling of lethargy, lack of appetite, body-ache, constipation, heaviness in the stomach after eating, formation of wind in stomach and burping.

First of all, you should live by the golden rule of Ayurveda: ‘Eat only what you can digest.’ Eating a light breakfast and dinner with lunch as the main meal is the best way to balance your eating. When you feel symptoms are manifesting as detailed above, you should fast or have only fruits and juices. This is an excellent way to reverse the symptoms.

Sweating, steaming and regular exercise are good for cleansing the ama from the body. Also, chewing a piece of fresh ginger five minutes before eating meals, aids the digestive fire, and restricts the formation of ama.

Do not overburden your mind

We are living in a busy and fast-paced world, where the mind reels under the constant pressure of competition and deadlines. Although technology has lessened our physical workload in the knowledge society, it has increased our mental labor. This newly evolved strain on the mind is a prominent cause of heart diseases today. Ayurveda's advice on counteracting mental stress has shown tremendous results on those who practice yoga and pranayama or breathing exercises. Meditation is another effective way to reduce mental stress.

Watch your weight

Excessive bodily fat can be dangerous for the heart, as it forces heart to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. In addition, fatty tissues accumulate and ultimately restrict blood flow in the heart muscle, causing symptoms such as chest pain, which can lead to heart attack.

While modern diet fads come and go, Ayurveda prescribes that people live by the principle of ‘eat what you can digest.’ The restrictive regimen imposed by conventional diets is often counterproductive, as it creates frustration, and often sends dieters into obsessive eating sprees. You might be happy to hear that Ayurveda opposes forceful suppression of natural urges! However, it does recommend an approach of listening to your body and its true requirements to ward against "comfort eating."

Home remedies

• Try a full body massages once a week with sesame oil. Sesame oil helps to increase the blood circulation and assists in the excretion of toxins from it.
• Keep water overnight in a copper pot, and drink one or two glasses in the morning on empty stomach. This prevents heart diseases and also helps lower high blood pressure.
• The bark of Arjuna tree (Terminalia arjuna) is a useful treatment for heart diseases. It nourishes the heart muscles, increases blood circulation and prevents the blockage of coronary arteries. Either a decoction or powder made from the bark can be used.
• Fruit of Rudraksha (Elaeocarpus ganitrus), a tree found mainly in Himalayas, is used for preventing heart diseases. The dried fruits can be worn in the form of a necklace. Soaking 2-3 seeds in one glass of water overnight and drinking it early next morning are also beneficial.
• Eat 4-5 leaves of Holy Basil or Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) every morning.
• As far as possible avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, and intoxicating drugs.