Holistic Approach to Heart Health

by Liz Nierzwicki

Heart disease kills far more people than any other illness, more than all forms of cancer combined.  It’s easy to get caught up in the latest scientific findings – the promising new drug, the life saving surgery, the breakthrough insights into the complex relationship between cholesterol and heart disease – but if you’re willing to dig a little deeper, you’ll discover that ancient yogic teachings on diet and lifestyle reflect a practical wisdom that modern medicine is gradually validating. 

The holistic approach to heart disease doesn’t reject the tools like drugs or surgery when necessary, but if you take the holistic approach, you are less likely to need them.  Here are a few simple things you can do to keep your heart healthy and strong for years to come.      

What To Eat

A low fat, clean, and dare I say, maybe even a vegetarian diet.  What is a clean diet?  Clean eating is staying close to the basics: a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, fish, and organic meats.

Yoga

Chronic emotional stress makes plaque build up twice as fast in the coronary arteries the feed the heart.  Yoga is perhaps the most effective stress reduction method ever invented.  If you’re looking for stress reducing techniques try following:  

• Do yogic relaxation techniques, such as breathing, for at least 5 minutes everyday.  Research suggests it can increase your resiliency to stress. 
• Balance your emotions with a regular yoga practice.  Studies suggest that yoga helps diffuse emotions such as anger, hostility, and impatience that are linked to heart attacks.
• Combat loneliness, another risk factor for heart disease, by becoming part of a community (a yoga group/class).  
• Offer service to those in less fortunate circumstances than yourself – whether that means volunteering in a food pantry, or volunteering your services elsewhere.  According to yogic tradition, there is no better way to open your heart.

Heart Smart Workout

There is evidence that less-intense exercise provides major benefits. 

• Don’t over exercise.  Recent studies suggest that extreme exercise, like running 10 miles (if that is not your norm) may cause inflammation. 
• Practicing yoga asanas for 30-60 minutes every day – this can make a huge difference moving you towards that healthier heart.

Take notice of your overall body and mind feeling after a few weeks of yoga.  Do your pants feel a little looser?  Do you feel happier?  Do you sleep better?  Have you started eating more healthy?  Take notice of the little things and keep track in a journal of those small but yet very meaningful changes in your body and mind.

The path to changing a lifestyle involves many small steps, knowing what to eat, how to exercise, and perhaps the most important step of all... patience with yourself!  Experience each step as meaningful and important on your path to a healthy lifestyle.

Thanks for reading everybody. We'd love to hear how yoga helps you, please let us know in the comments below. 

Liz Nierzwicki, BS, ACSM-CPT, E-RYT elevates personal growth as a lifestyle, as an entrepreneur and life coach. She is the founder of Solace Yoga Studio and creator of the online lifestyle program called figureFIT! (figurefitlife.com). Liz is the personal trainer, yoga teacher, and lifestyle coach to many clients all over the globe via her online figureFIT! program. She spends most of her time in Mishawaka, Indiana either running the business and teaching at Solace Yoga Studio or creating content for her online community. As a passionate advocate for mind, body, and spiritual health, she is writing her first book, "figureFIT! The Keys to Health and Happiness" detailing the figureFIT! program and how to balance our lives to be truly happy and healthy.

She is a frequent contributor to Paleo Magazine, Sassy Magazine, and Family Magazine. You’ll find many of her articles on the following blogs; GoFITTY, Mind Body Green and The Huffington Post. Liz leads annual yoga and fitness retreats around the globe and also runs Solace Yoga School programs twice per year.


For more from Solace, please sign up for our newsletter at solaceyogastudio.com. For more from Liz, check out her figureFIT! lifestyle program to become your best self; or sign up for her newsletter at: www.figurefitlife.com. It’s only via her newsletter where you will receive exclusive video blogs, podcasts, workouts, yoga videos, and meditation audios.