The pains across the chest experienced in angina are caused by a lack of blood supply to the heart, resulting in a lack of usable oxygen in the heart tissue. Nitroglycerin (an explosive!) is given to angina sufferers—the drugs used are often called calcium channel blockers because, just like many other muscle pains, a heart pain, or angina, is often due to a lack of calcium. This lack of calcium causes an uncomfortable tightening or tensing. Usually when the symptoms are diagnosed as angina pectoris (which simply means “pains across the chest”), no doctor knows what the specific cause is. Indeed, I have seen this diagnosis given to a variety of conditions, from simple emotional upset to sudden strenuous exercise, high cholesterol, or excessive plaque in the arteries. The clogging effect of excess cholesterol, general debris, or calcium (plaque) causes the arteries and veins leading to and from the heart to become blocked, occasionally only allowing a trickle of blood through at a time. This blockage results in chest pains. Another cause of circulatory blockage can be pieces of this plaque breaking off and floating around the circulatory system, perhaps finally lodging somewhere where a natural narrowing occurs, and blocking off the vessel to a greater or lesser degree. What makes it worse is the formation of fresh blood clots, which increase the size of the obstruction. These could be fatal, causing a heart attack. Angina can be a warning of that ongoing possibility. Stress can also cause a lack of oxygen availability to the heart (and chronic candidiasis and indigestion can mirror and cause angina pains).
For lesser problems, the vessels need immediate dilation to allow more blood through. For long-term treatment of the cause, the blockage—whether it be fat or calcium—must be cleared.
Fats to avoid are polyunsaturated margarine, dairy products, and meat. Soy margarine would be safe. Virgin olive oil, either heated at low temperatures (not above 90°F) or raw, is also beneficial.
Vitamin C and lysine will be vital.
Avoid coffee, tea, alcohol, and spicy cooked foods.
You need lots of garlic—at least two fat cloves of garlic for lunch and two for supper. There is no cheaper or more perfect medicine.
Lots of leeks, onions, and spring onions would be good, too.
You should take some source of GLA: evening primrose seed oil or black currant seed oil.
If you usually feel cold, add cayenne powder to your regime. Take up to three capsules, three times daily. Start at a much lower dose than this and gradually build up as your body becomes acclimated. Continue for three months, then stop if you wish.
A herbal formula that will immediately help the heart and will work long term would be two parts hawthorn berry, and one part each of ginkgo leaf, motherwort leaf, and cayenne pod. They can be used in tincture form if capsules are unsuitable.
Herbs to calm and relax would be skullcap leaf, black cohosh root, oat straw, passionflower, gotu kola herb, lobelia pod, and, in the short term, valerian root.
A nutritional herbal drink would be equal parts of alfalfa leaf, red clover flower, and nettle leaf tea.
Cleanses and hot and cold showers will be vital.
Exercise, but pace yourself. You will need expert help and guidance, because overdoing it could be dangerous. Taking no exercise at all, however, could be equally dangerous. You need to find the correct middle way for your own needs. Start with gentle walking interspersed with frequent rests, making sure that you have someone else with you in case any problems arise. Increase as your heart and chest pains allow. You could eventually walk alone, but always let someone know you’re out and roughly how long you intend to be. Eventually, cycling and a wider variety of exercise may be possible.
This Heart Disease Causes & Herbal Treatment article is taken from :
The complete home guide to herbs, natural healing, and nutrition / Jill Rosemary Davies.
