According to National Statistics online, nearly 15% of the population of the UK are suffering or have suffered from a cardiac health event in their lifetimes. That means that for every 100 people in the room, about 15 of them will have a heart attack or suffer from a coronary disease. Interestingly enough, this statistic includes both men and women, with men only having a slight advantage over the women in terms of number of cases. Even with all we know about heart disease and how to prevent it, it seems that there is so much more to learn.

What is Heart Disease?

The heart is the muscle in the body that allows for transportation of materials throughout the body. When a person takes in food, these meals are broken down by the digestive system in order to be accessible for functions in the body. As the food is broken down into nutrients, these nutrients are then transported into the blood stream in order to get to the right areas of the body. When the heart pumps, it moves these blood cells around to the extremities and then when it contracts, it pulls the blood into itself by means of the veins in order to push that blood into the body into the arteries. When the heart is unable to function properly, this process can not take place.

There are a number of reasons and names for the idea of heart disease. At its simplest definition, heart disease is when the heart is damaged or just unable to work as it should. This can be a hereditary and congenital condition, like in the instance of a valve problem. A patient can have this from birth and never need to have anything done to repair it, while other patients need to have this fixed in order to make sure that heart works properly.

Heart disease can be grouped into being caused by heredity, lifestyle or by a defect or injury. Hereditary factors like a predisposition to high cholesterol can cause troubles like heart attacks and myocardial infarction. Then again, if a patient takes in too much cholesterol and fat into their diet, they can also increase their risk for heart disease.

The heart disease cases that cause troubles for patients will have conditions like hardening of the arteries, blockages of the vessels, and a narrowing/widening of these passageways for the blood. When the vessels become too blocked, blood can not get to the heart, resulting in heart damage and death.

What are the Symptoms of Heart Disease?

The real concern when it comes to heart disease is that there may be few, if any, symptoms at first. A patient may have completely normal lab results as well as no noticeable physical symptoms. In more advanced cases, the cholesterol levels will be high, the LDL levels will be high, and HDL levels will be low. Blood pressure readings may increase and the patient may report mild chest pain and tightness. Some patients even report troubles with breathing during activity. The heart rate may be higher as has become more difficult for the heart to do the same job on a lower number of beats per minute.

In an emergent condition, the symptoms would be an increased heart rate, crushing chest pain, and possibly nausea. Others report that they had a raised temperature and sweating, as well as left arm weakness.

How Can Fish Oil Help?

According to recent studies done at Harvard Medical University, fish oil seems to be able to prevent heart disease. With its anti-inflammatory properties, fish oil seems to allow the body to repair smaller damage spots before they become too problematic. There have also been previous studies linking the idea of using fish oil and lowering bad cholesterol as well as increasing good cholesterol. The essential fatty acids in fish oil help the body process the cholesterol and other toxins in the body before they build up in the liver and cause damage.

Where Can You Find Fish Oil Sources?

Understandably so, fish oil can be found in its purest form in oily fishes. Fish choices like salmon, herring, kipper, and mackerel all contain high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids that can help to protect the heart from heart disease. In addition, there are studies being done now that indicate that fish oil might be able to help in the repair of damage from previous concerns with heart disease and heart attacks. In countries with a high fish consumption, the prevalence of heart disease is much lower, even with the high smoking rates (as in Japan, for example).

Conclusion

While there are many studies that are questioning the use of fish oil in the treatment and prevention of heart disease, it’s clear that there is some connection. Since the body can not make this essential fatty acid on its own, adding a supplement to the diet can not be a hard decision to make.

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Can Cayenne Pepper actually lower your cholesterol? Yes it can. Cayenne pepper is one of the most powerful herbs in the world yet most just think of it as a condiment. Its uses and tremendous health benefits, however, go far beyond its culinary uses. It is a proven herb that has been used for decades by wise herbalists and home health practitioners.

Cayenne is extremely beneficial for the entire venous structure and for the heart. Its nutrients are what give Cayenne such proficiency. In fact, it’s not only a very nutritional herb but it’s a medicinal herb as well. It is very high in Vitamins A, C, and the B complexes. It also is teeming with assimilable calcium and potassium. Its abundance of potassium is one of the reasons why it is so beneficial for the human heart.

So, why is it so helpful in the lowering of cholesterol? Cayenne is an herb that once digested by the body, helps to clean the bloodstream of unwanted elements. How specifically? Cayenne somehow processes fat without absorbing it and it helps the body excrete the fats through normal bowel movements. Its speed and efficacy in which it works is nothing short of amazing. If taken daily, it will not only strengthen the heart, but will lower cholesterol by scouring the blood. The therapeutic value of cayenne has been repeatedly validated, but don’t take my or various scientific studies’ word for it. Use it for 30 days and you’ll have your own story to tell.

The Cayenne Pepper Detoxification Drink — How to Take It
I’d advise you take it in warm water. The warm water is much faster than tablets, capsules, or cold water as the warm cayenne water opens up the cell structure. It makes the cells expand and utilizes the cayenne that much faster. Famed herbal and homeopathic Dr. John Christopher testified repeatedly in his writing of the virtual instantaneous nature of cayenne upon the heart. If someone were having a heart attack, if they can drink the warm concoction of very warm water and cayenne pepper, it will in about 15 seconds take the person out of the heart attack. While a severe cut or lesion is not related to lowering cholesterol, if one can put some cayenne pepper into it and perhaps drink some, it will stop the bleeding in literally 10 to 15 seconds

You may be surprised to hear about the medicinal efficacy of cayenne pepper but in truth it’s been used as a medicine (as well as an herbal condiment) for literally centuries all around the world. Due to the stranglehold Big Pharma has upon the medical establishment, not to mention the hold modern Western medicine has upon our healthcare, the benefits of cayenne pepper and other herbs remains relatively unknown, and herbalist practitioners are persecuted and prosecuted by the healthcare powers that be.

Money, Money, Money
So why haven’t most heard of cayenne’s amazing therapeutic abilities? Money. The number-one-selling drug in the US is Lipitor — ostensibly sold to reduce cholesterol. In 2005 alone, Lipitor had 12.2 billion in sales. According to CNN, Lipitor totaled 13 billion. Needless to say, Cayenne pepper could eliminate all that. Consider the difference: it costs anywhere from $10 to $20 to buy a pound of cayenne pepper. The average price dosage of Lipitor is $80. When you’re making $13 billion a year in sales on one drug, you don’t want to give that up, nor do you want others to know about something that works better. Now you know in part why herbal medicine is publically mocked by the medical establishment and criminalized by the government. Of course, herbal medicine has been respected for years among true health practitioners and cayenne pepper

The cayenne pepper detoxification drink as I call it takes some getting used to, but its benefits are tremendous. Your cholesterol will lower, your heart will strengthen, and you’ll experience other health benefits as well. Drink the cayenne pepper detoxification drink. It’s inexpensive and while drinking a glass of warm cayenne pepper water seems odd, its health benefits will be noticeable. Don’t rely on doctors to “cure” you of lower cholesterol. Take matters into your own hands; be self-reliant about your health. Doctors can certainly be a great blessing, but by learning of alternative means to help your health, you will benefit greatly.

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When dealing with heart problems there are many things that you can do. You need to manage your stress levels, improve your diet to increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that you eat to about 60-80% and you need to increase the exercise that you have, There are also vitamins and herbs that you can take to cleanse your body of toxins and thus cleanse your arteries and to build and repair your arteries and strengthen the heart itself. In a previous article we looked at the vitamins and minerals that you need and in this article we will explore the herbs that can help to overcome heart disease.

There are two main groupings of herbs for the circulatory system:

• those that have a direct action on the heart, and
• those that affect the peripheral blood vessels (that is, vessels of the limbs).

Herbs for the Heart

• broom - strengthens and normalizes the heart and also rids the body of any build-up of water that is due to insufficient heart strength. Care has to be taken though with this herb as it can increase blood pressure.
• bugleweed - whilst this herb increases the strength of the heart beat it also decreases its rate and is valuable as a relaxant as well.
• figwort - is known for its treatment of skin problems but it also strengthens the heart’s contractions.
• hawthorn berries - are one of the most valuable remedies for the circulatory system. They strengthen the force of the contraction of the heart muscle while also dilating the vessels of the coronary circulation. They can be used in most circulatory problems as they will relax or stimulate the heart according to its need and normalize heart function.
• lily of the valley - can be used where the strength of the heart is insufficient, as in angina, or in the treatment of an aging heart. This is particularly the case when there are fatty deposits in the blood vessels.
• motherwort - is a relaxing herb and for the circulatory system it will strengthen and normalize the heart function.
• night blooming cereus - can be use similarly to lily of the valley and is particularly useful where there is any change in the rhythm of the heart beat.

You will notice that foxglove has been left off the list. It is a plant derived medicine used extensively by orthodox medicine as an effective treatment for the heart. However there are marked dangers with this poisonous plant and therefore it has been left out. This does not mean however that there are no effective herbal remedies for the heart. Lily of the valley is one of these effective herbs. The danger of poisoning with lily of the valley does not exist as its glycosides have a unique chemical structure that ensures they are easily excreted and do not build up in the body - but there is still the possibility of some toxicity. To strengthen the heart the following mixture should be taken over an extended period of time.

• 2 parts hawthorn berries
• 2 parts motherwort
• 1 part lily of the valley

Pour a cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoons full of the herb mix and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. This should be drunk three times per day. At the same time an adequate intake of potassium has to be ensured. Eat plenty of potassium containing foods, such as grapes, tomatoes and bananas. If there is any water retention 1 part dandelion should be added to the mix above. If tension and anxiety are present use the following:

• 1 part balm
• 1 part lime (linden) blossom

Pour a cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoons full of the dried herbs and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. This should be drunk three times per day or as often as needed. If this does not prove strong enough, use skullcap and valerian instead. If you suffer from angina the following mixture may be of assistance.

• 3 parts hawthorn berries
• 2 parts motherwort
• 2 parts lime (linden) blossom
• 1 part lily of the valley

Pour a cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoons full of the dried herbs and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. This should be drunk three times per day over a long period. It will not immediately relieve the pain of an attack.Herbs for Peripheral Circulation As was the case with the heart herbs, a number of herbs are available to improve the peripheral circulation. The most important herbal agents for the circulation include:

• broom,
• buckwheat,
• cayenne,
• dandelion,
• ginger,
• hawthorn,
• horse chestnut,
• lime (linden) blossom,
• mistletoe and
• yarrow,

Some of these herbs are also heart tonics, while others stimulate the peripheral circulation (cayenne and ginger) and others are diuretics (yarrow). The actual herbs used will depend on the nature of the problems for a particular individual and the range of causes and contributing factors.Additional herbs When problems with the circulatory system develop there is often the need to assist the body in the removal of water. When the heart is weak and fails to circulate effectively and insufficient blood is passed through the kidneys or when the blood vessels (particularly the veins in the legs) are weak, a build up of water in the body can occur. In such conditions herbal diuretics can help. These diuretics include:

• broom,
• dandelion,
• lily of the valley, and
• yarrow.

One of the most important diuretics for the circulatory system is dandelion. When any remedy is used to increase the function of the heart there is always the danger of causing potassium depletion in the body - this would in turn aggravate the heart problem. Therefore whenever a diuretic is prescribed in orthodox medicine (other than the so-called ‘potassium sparing’ varieties) a potassium supplement is almost always added. However, when dandelion is used it already contains a high level of potassium. Indeed there is an overall gain in potassium with dandelion, which makes its value apparent. Anxiety and stress can lead to circulatory system problems and it is sometimes difficult to isolate a particular cause. Whenever there is a cardiovascular problem the use of relaxing herbs needs to be considered as in many cases stress and anxiety are involved. The most useful nervines for cardiovascular system problems are:

• balm,
• hops,
• lime (linden) flowers,
• motherwort,
• pasque flowers,
• skullcap and
• valerian.

There are many things that you can do to improve the health of the heart. It is important to remove accumulated toxins from your body - the accumulation of atheroma on your arteries is an example of toxic build up. You need to start with cleaning you colon and liver and then cleanse your arteries. I recommend you read Safe Colon Cleansing Your Good Health Guide. You need to start by cleansing your major organs of elimination (colon and liver). When they are clean they will function better and assist in the work of cleaning you arteries. If you smoke you also need to quit - smoking is a cause of heart disease. You can also use vitamin and minerals and herbs to help to repair and heal your body. If you are new to herbal remedies be sure to read about how to use them safely and seek the assistance of a herbalist if you have any doubts.

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