How Ayurveda can Guard Your Heart from Illness

Ayurveda is an ancient line of medicine that dates back about 5000 years. Ayurvedic principles dictate that maintaining a healthy body starts by eating clean, using natural herbs, and engaging in yogic exercises. 

Just by following these three principles, we can cure many of our modern diseases without artificial medicine. 

Lately, even the western world is showing immense interest in the health benefits of following an Ayurvedic way of living.

Ayurvedic practices are now being widely researched in labs all over the world. We have enough scientific backing to prove that following ayurvedic practices significantly promotes overall health and well-being. 

When it comes to taking care of our heart health, some frightening statistics show that heart disease is the biggest killer of men and women in the United States. Similarly, new statistics show that in South Asia, particularly in India, 52% of all cardiovascular deaths occur before 60. 

Hence it is imperative to protect your heart and start making heart-healthy dietary and lifestyle choices to prevent getting heart disease. 

Let us look at some early indications of heart diseases and how we can prevent cardiovascular fatalities from happening through the power of Ayurveda. 

Ayurvedic Definition of a Healthy Heart 

Ayurveda defines our heart as the storehouse of all energy. Our heart is what keeps us going, from our first to our last breath, and we should not corrupt it by making unhealthy lifestyle decisions. 

Practicing natural remedies and precautions advocated by our ancient ayurvedic system help protect your heart and work towards holistic disease prevention. 

Ayurvedic medicine believes that our bodies are made of five natural elements: Aakash or Space, Jal or Water, Prithvi or Earth, Teja or Fire, and Vayu or Air. 

Each element, when combined, produces three doshas named Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These doshas decide an individual's unique physiological, mental, and emotional constitution. 

In addition to these three basic doshas, heart health is defined by three sub doshas named as Vyana Vata or blood flow and heartbeat, Sadhaka Pitta or emotional balance, and Avalambaka Kapha or stability and strength. 

These three doshas are present everywhere in the body, and our heart functions at its best capacity when these biological energies are in sync. 

So to protect your heart from unwanted diseases, it is imperative to take extra good care of your heart. Keep your stress levels under control, eat the right kind of food according to your dosha, and indulge in heart-healthy ayurvedic treatments and remedies to achieve optimal health. 

Early Indications of Potential Heart Disease 

Shortness of Breath 

One may experience shortness of breath when the heart can't pump blood as efficiently as it should. Some fluid found in the lungs can make it difficult for carbon dioxide to be easily replaced with fresh oxygen.

This fluid can leak into the lungs and may cause shortness of breath. This might be a symptom of early heart failure and must be monitored carefully.

Chest Pain 
 

Chest pain is defined as discomfort or pain that can be felt all over your body or specifically between your upper abdomen and neck. Although there can be many causes of experiencing chest pain, it may also be linked to early heart disease and life-threatening. 

Chest pain typically signifies poor blood flow to the heart; a condition called angina. The intensity and type of chest pain vary from person to person and can range from mild discomfort to a sharp burning pain in your chest, making it all the more important to protect your heart.

Fatigue 

When the heart can't pump oxygen-rich blood to fulfill our body's energy needs, an inevitable feeling of tiredness sets in, this is known as fatigue. Fatigue hampers our ability to engage in normal activities and makes the body tired easily.

Swelling in Legs, Ankles, or Feet 

Visible sweeping in the bottom of the legs is another common symptom of an early heart problem. It is also known as edema, and it occurs when the flow of blood slows down to the veins in your legs. This leads to a high amount of fluid build-up in the legs, due to which they swell up and cause uneasiness.

Ayurvedic Principles to Follow to Prevent Heart Disease -

Eating Right  

It is crucial to consume a nutritionally balanced diet and clock it 8-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night to protect your heart from unnecessary diseases. Our generation is deeply engrossed in fast food culture that adversely affects our organs and promotes a sedentary lifestyle.

To combat this, eat more often at home and incorporate essential herbs like Garlic, Guggulu, and Ashwagandha into your diet. These herbs are known to balance cholesterol levels effectively and remove blockages that may lead to heart problems later on. 

Staying Positive 

The primary function of our heart is not just to pump blood, but it is also the source of all of our emotions. Therefore, to protect your heart, we must take care of both our emotional and physical health. The act of Digestion has a profound meaning in Ayurveda, and this involves digesting our in such a way that they nourish us and give inner peace, emotional strength, and joy.

So take care of what kind of thoughts you put into your mind, block out all sorts of negative energies, and take time every day to truly relax and be positive. 

Regular Exercise 

Ayurveda strictly emphasizes the regularity of physical movement and eating according to your innate constitution to protect your heart. To keep your heart health in check, it is recommended that one goes for a 30-minute walk, 3-5 times a week, along with essential yogic exercises like sun salutations and pranayama to prevent the risk of heart disease. 

Curb Your Stress 

Our fast-paced lifestyles do not allow us to live stress-free. The world is competitive, and while chasing our high-paying jobs and lucrative careers, we often ignore our health. Stress is the biggest contributor to getting untimely heart disease and can severely hamper the healthy functioning of our body's hormones.

To protect your heart and overall cardiovascular health in check, monitor your stress levels daily, and indulge in mindful practices like yoga and meditation at least four times a week to see a visible difference in your mental and physical health.

Get Enough Sleep 

Countless studies have pointed out that individuals who suffer from sleep deprivation are highly likely to develop cardiovascular diseases. Good sleep is sincerely stressed in Ayurvedic practices as it helps to holistically heal our body and mind. To protect your heart, take a vow to get in 8-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep so that you wake up feeling balanced and nourished and also safeguard your heart from unnecessary diseases. 

Conclusion 

Maintaining long-term cardiovascular health is not rocket science but requires a strong diet and lifestyle changes. To keep your physical and emotional heart feeling balanced and nourished at all times, it is best to follow the simple and easy Ayurvedic principles mentioned above. These principles will keep your biological energies in sync and protect your heart from severe ailments.