It’s February, the month of love with Valentines Day, just around the corner. In this article, I will be talking all about your heart. To keep in balance, it’s not just cardio we need to think of, there is so much more to it!

Think of the phrases which include your heart – eat to your heart’s desire! Follow your heart,  head over heart, or heart over head, decisions.

In Indian traditions, your heart is one of the major energy centers of the body, a chakra.  It is involved in one’s ability to give and receive love and compassion. How good are you at receiving love?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the heart meridian runs up the inside of your arm to the armpit and then to the centre of your chest. It is said to house Shen.  Our consciousness and perception reside in our heart and not our head, as we think in Western medicine. Is your heart centre balanced? In TCM, your heart is linked to your sleep among other symptoms.

“There is more to our heart than just a mechanical pump of blood around our body.”

There is more to our heart than just a mechanical pump of blood around our body. In neuro-cardiology, the heart is called “the little brain” for its ability to pick up signals around us. The stronger our heart emits an electromagnetic field, the more others “feel” our presence. It is felt up to 3ft outside our body. We can pick up, or give out, emotions and these are perceived by the heart, which then signals to the brain. 

The brain-heart connection is being studied further but a majority of this information has been documented already in traditional therapies.

So how to keep your heart in balance?

First, let’s look at the muscle. The muscle of the heart physically needs to be fed. We know omega 3 fatty acids are fantastic for the function of the heart and blood system. Omega 3 sources include walnuts, linseeds, oily fish, sardines, and salmon! Try to include these days in your diet as we tend to consume more omega 6, leading to an imbalance. Too much omega 6 and not enough omega 3, leads to inflammation. So keep those omega 3 levels up!

Why not try my omega 3 pesto recipe? Have this on the menu for your Valentine’s Day meal. This recipe is also vegan which is reported to benefit our heart.

Movement

Herbal Support

I want to share with you however the wonderful benefits herbalism has to offer. The plant Crataegus, also known as hawthorn, has been used in traditional medicine to strengthen the heart muscle. Proanthocyanidins contained in Hawthorn support the blood vessels which help relieve stress on the heart and balance high blood pressure*.  This wonderful herb can be safely consumed in tea. For more in-depth use, it’s advised to visit a qualified practitioner.

These are just a few ideas of methods to keep your heart in balance. But the most important remedy, joy.  How we feel is our heart speaking to us. Why not give it a listen and hear what it wants to tell you?

*Fong, H. H., & Bauman, J. L. (2002). Hawthorn. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 16(4), 1-8.

Julia Edgely