5 Super Fruits for Heart Health.

Many health experts agree that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can improve heart health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Furthermore it can reverse heart related problems such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Juicing fruits is an excellent way to get a densely packed amount of beneficial nutrients. So which fruits are best for fighting heart disease? Research has shown these 5 fruits are powerful protectors for your ticker:

POMEGRANATE
Pomegranate has an abundance of antioxidants gaining a lot of attention in the past few years as a super fruit for the heart. Punicalagins is one of the well researched cardio-protective antioxidants found in pomegranate. It can reduce inflammatory damage of arteries and reduce oxidative stress. Other antioxidants in pomegranateinclude vitamin C, catechins, isoflavones and anthocyanins. All of which have protective qualities for the heart.

Juicer recipes tip: Cut the fruit in half and scoop out the flesh for juicing. Use only the flesh in your juice. The rind and skin will make the juice sour.

RED and PURPLE GRAPES
Resveratrol is the antioxidant found in red and purple grapes and consequently red wine. The French Paradox is the observation that even though the French eat lots of saturated fat and red meat with a high percentage of smokers, they also have a much lower risk of heart disease in comparison to countries like the USA! This is due to their regular intake of red wine. The health benefits of taking resveratrol include reducing the risk of blood clotting, thinning the blood, lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol, preventing damage to blood vessels in the heart and helping to keep blood pressure at a good range.

Juicer recipes tip: when juicing grapes at home you will find the juice looks cloudy. This is not a problem because commercial juices are filtered to look good. The cloudiness simply means there is more nutrition in the juice. Enjoy!

BLUEBERRIES
Blueberries, like pomegranates, are a super fruit loaded with antioxidants. Blueberries contain some resveratrol, but also contain a newly discovered antioxidant called pterostilbene. So far pterostilbene appears to have the same chemo-preventative qualities as resveratrol. A super fruit! Also high in vitamin C.

Juicer recipes tip: You will need a lot of blueberries to make one juice. Four or five cups will do it! Just think how much antioxidant power will be in one single juice!

RED GRAPEFRUIT
A was published in 2006 by the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. It found that giving one grapefruit a day for 30 days to patients with high blood cholesterol actually lowered their cholesterol levels. In this study red grapefruits were found to be more effective than white grapefruit. It is thought that undiscovered antioxidants in the red grapefruit are responsible for its heart healthy effects.

Juicer recipes tip: Remove the outer skin, but keep the white pith for your juice. The pith contains healthy bioflavanoids.

KIWI
Kiwi has earned its wings as a heart healthy fruit. There is evidence that it reduces blood clotting, lowers LDL “bad” cholesterol levels and raises HDL “good” cholesterol levels. Kiwi is a great source of vitiamin C. Vitamin C is needed to create collagen to keep your arteries elastic and supple and to protect the arteries from free radical attacks.

Juicer recipes tip: Drink kiwi juice immediately after juicing. The longer it sits around the more vitamin C it loses.

Have fun with your juicer recipes and stay healthy!

Strophanthus Hispidus

Strophanthus is a muscle poison; it increases the contractile power of all striped muscles. Acts on the heart; increasing the systole and diminishes the rapidity. May be used with advantage to tone the heart, and run off dropsical accumulations. In small doses for weak heart; it feels enlarged.

In mitral regurgitation, where edema and dropsy have supervened (Digit). Strophanthus occasions no gastric distress, has no cumulative effects, is a greater diuretic, and is safer for the aged, as it does not affect the vaso-motors. In pneumonia and in severe prostration from hemorrhage after operations and acute diseases.

After the long use of stimulants;irritable heart of tobacco-smokers.

Arterio-sclerosis; rigid arteries of aged. Restores tone to a brittle tissue, especially of the heart muscle and valves. Especially useful in failing compensation dependent upon fatty heart. Hives. Anemia with palpitation and breathlessness. Exophthalmia goitre. Corpulent persons

Crategus oxycanthus (Hawthorn)

The name Crataegus, from Gr. krataigos, a flowering thorn, is believed to be derived from kratos, strength, alluding to the hardness of the wood. Oxyacantha means 'sharp thorn'. Traditionally hawthorn was thought to have been used for the Crown of Thorns.

It is the symbol of hope, probably the hope that nobody will gain access to a spot blocked off by hawthorns. In olden days, these were especially the places of sacrifice, holy places, but also citadels and castles.

The hawthorn was used in ancient Greece as a marriage torch. Greek brides often used sprigs of hawthorn, and the wedding altar was adorned with its blossoms to bring a blessed future for the bride and groom. The ancient Romans dedicated the hawthorn to Cardea, protector of physical well being. Cardea refers to Gr. kardia, heart, the protector of well being.

"The German name of Hagedorn, meaning Hedgethorn, shows that from a very early period the Germans divided their land into plots by hedges; the word haw is also an old word for hedge." [Grieve]

Read more: http://homeoresearch.blogspot.com/2010/01/crataegus-oxyacantha-cornus-circinata.html#ixzz1VY2x4FpX

Natural Order : Pomaceae.

Common Name : White or May Thorn, English Hawthorn

Preparation : The fresh berries are pounded to a pulp and macerated in two times their weight of alcohol.

(The New York Medical Journal, October 10, 1896, published a communication from Dr. M. C. Jennings, under the heading "Crataegus Oxyacantha in the treatment of Heart Disease," of which the following is the substance)

Dr. Green, of Ennis, Ireland, for many years had a reputation for the cure of heart disease that caused patients to flock to him all parts of the United Kingdom.

He cured the most of them and amassed considerable wealth by means of his secret, for, contrary to the code, he, though a physician in good standing, refused to reveal the remedy to his professional brethren.

After his death, about two years ago, his daughter, Mrs. Graham, revealed the name of the remedy her father had used so successfully. It is Crataegus Oxyacantha.

So much for the history of the remedy. Dr. Jennings procured for himself some of the remedy, and his experience with it explains Dr. Green's national reputation.

Produces giddiness, lowered pulse, and air hunger and reduction in blood-pressure. Acts on muscle of heart, and is a heart tonic. No influence on the endocardium.

Myocarditis. Failing compensation. Irregularity of heart. Insomnia of aortic sufferers; anemia; edema; cutaneous chilliness. High arterial tension.

Is a sedative in cross, irritable patients with cardiac symptoms.


Chronic heart disease, with extreme weakness. Very feeble and irregular heart action. General anasarca. Very nervous, with pain in back of head and neck. Collapse of typhoid. Hemorrhage from bowels. Cold extremities, pallor; irregular pulse and breathing. Painful sensation of pressure in left side of chest below the clavicle. Dyspepsia and nervous prostration, with heart failure. In the beginning of heart mischief after rheumatism. Arteriosclerosis.

Said to have a solvent power upon crustaceous and calcareous deposits in arteries.

Cardiac dropsy. Fatty degeneration. Aortic disease.

Extreme dyspnea on least exertion, without much increase of pulse.

Pain in region of heart and under left clavicle. Heart muscles seem flabby, worn out. Cough. Heart dilated; first sound weak. Pulse accelerated, irregular, feeble, intermittent. Valvular murmurs, angina pectoris. Cutaneous chilliness, blueness of fingers and toes; all aggravated by exertion or excitement. Sustains heart in infectious diseases.

Role Of Homeopathy in Preventive Cardiology

“Heart disease and homeopathy”, people are not accustomed to use these words together. They don’t believe homeopathy can work wonders in heart disease. So they do not wish to give it a try too. Well to do families can afford costly regime of medicine and surgery but in a developing country like India, people die of lack of treatment and proper care rather than heart attack. So don’t you think atleast now you need to change your view towards homeopathy? Homeopathy can treat any heart disease and even save a person from undergoing Bypass surgery without much cost. Even the poorest can afford it. The basic concept of homeopathy in the minds of people is homeopathy works late and treats only few chronic ailments which is absolutely wrong. Homeopathy can save life and that too without any side effects. It gives miraculous results and can be given along with any system of medicine. There wont be any drug interaction. Following few drugs are patent remedies that most of the homeopathic physicians use to treat and even save life of a heart patient:


1. CRATAEGUS OXYACANTHA mother tincture: This is a cardiac tonic. This remedy produces a solvent power on the crustaceous and calcareous deposits in the arteries and so works great in arteriosclerosis(rigid arteries of aged) and even atherosclerosis(fat deposition in arteries). Crataegus can be used in any heart disease whether it be fatty degeneration of heart, aortic disease ,cardiac dropsy ,myocarditis ,low blood pressure ,angina pectoris ,valvular murmurs ,dilated heart, etc… it acts on whole circulatory system excluding endocardium. But overall, this remedy has superb action to keep your heart healthy without any side effects. Add 10drops of tincture to half cup of water and consume it daily twice a day in any heart disease. Long term use is recommended. As it is a heart tonic, it can be used as a preventive for heart disease. Consume once daily for few months.

2. ARJUNA mother tincture: This is second bese remedy that works wonder in heart disease and clears blockages. Ayurvedic physicians recommend it too. Arjuna mother tincture + Crataegus mother tincture can clear blockages of heart and save a person from Bypass surgery. 10 drops mother tincture in half a cup water for long term use.

Both remedies are safe to use in all heart diseases and as a preventive for same. But do not stop taking drugs prescribed by your cardiologist suddenly. As the improvement is evident, doctor may slowly minimize the drug dosage.

3. STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS mother tincture: it also acts on heart esp. weak heart. It tones heart muscle and reduces dropsical accumulations. It has no gastric distress, has no cumulative effect and is safer for the aged to reduce dropsy. Also works wonder after long term use of stimulants i.e. irritable heart of tobacco smokers. Restores tone to brittle tissues, esp. of the heart and valves and reduces arteriosclerosis . 10 drops of mother tincture in half cup water twice a day for few months is recommended.

4. LATRODECTUS MACTANS 6x: this remedy is helpful for patients who have already suffered from heart attack and occasionally complain of chest pain. Dr. William Y. in journal of American institute of homeopathy, Pensillvania, has mentioned about Latrodectus as a prime remedy to avoid 2nd heart attack. Take 4globules twice a day for long term to patient of angina. It is a life saving drug so keep it in your first id box for sure.

If you have a family history of heart disease, are concerned about high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and other cardiovascular risks, or if you are recovering from a heart attack or surgery, you can benefit from the Dr Samir Chaukkar's Preventive Cardiology program.

The program specializes in prevention, early detection and the treatment of cardiac problems, with an emphasis on rehabilitation. Using state-of-the-art technology, program members provide patients with a comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment. Based on those results, a skilled, multidisciplinary team devises an individual plan and educates patients on how to improve their heart health, which can include modifying their diet and lifestyle.

This is accomplished with a combination of individual and group therapies such as diet, food preparation, weight control and smoking cessation classes.

In addition to cardiac problems, patients are screened for all types cardiovascular diseases, including blockages and clotting of the legs, neck, heart and kidneys.

Diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes are our targets for prevention. We examine patients much earlier to prevent these conditions.

Various screenings may include the carotid arteries, coronary arteries, testing for peripheral arterial disease (PAD/PVD), and renal artery stenosis.

When patients begin the program, they will have a complete physical, as well as advanced blood tests, which can include a total cholesterol test called the lipoprotein test. A complete family history, medical history and lifestyle history will be taken.

Patients may undergo non-invasive diagnostic testing like EKGs and stress tests and unlike any typical doctors office, the patients may have more technologically advanced tests such as 3-demensional echocardiography and the 16-slice CT scan to get clear and accurate images of the heart.

The Preventive Cardiology program encompasses the following services: preventive cardiology clinics, which include lipid, hypertension, nutrition and risk reduction clinics; inpatient and outpatient cardiac rehabilitation; pulmonary rehabilitation, risk factor and vascular screening programs, exercise stress testing, exercise prescription and counseling, smoking cessation, stress management and several other clinical, research and educational programs.