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Healing the Heart

© Robert M. Oliva

Heart disease kills more people in the United States than any other illness. It has been a major killer for decades. Although deaths from heart disease are down, the ailment remains the number one cause of death.

Heart disease is caused by a variety of factors. According to the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing anything that impedes the “transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the heart can be defined as a risk factor.” With this lack of nutrients the inner lining of the blood vessels are damaged leading to heart disease.

There are many elements in our lives that may initiate this degenerative process. Free radicals formed by tobacco smoke, artificial colors and food additives, gasoline fumes and pollution, along with hypertension lead to what we call arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Eventually calcium deposits, scar tissue, fat and cholesterol form blockages in the arteries leading to the brain or heart and cause heart attacks or strokes.

Types of Heart Disease

There are many kinds of heart disease that generally affect people:

Arteriosclerosis is a progressive thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries. It is usually accompanied by a loss of elasticity and a buildup of calcium along the arterial linings. Eventually there is a buildup of fats along the inside of the coronary walls and heart attacks can occur.

Angina Pectoris is basically a spasm of the heart. Clogged arteries stop an adequate supply of oxygen from reaching the heart. Pain results from this process either in the chest, shoulder, wrist or jaw.

Congestive Heart Failure is an inefficient functioning of the heart tissues that creates an imbalance in the amount of blood pumped to the heart. The blood outflow is exceeded by the inflow and results in a dangerous fluid buildup in the lungs, legs and other organs.

Congenital Heart Disease is a disease that occurs before birth and involves to some extent fetal connections between arterial and venous circulations. Many children are now saved because of modern technology.

Rheumatic Heart Disease is associated with damage to the entire heart and is connected with rheumatic fever. This condition is much less common since the use of antibiotics has become prevalent.

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart that usually occurs in older individuals. It is characterized by an enlargement of the heart muscle due to weakness of some sort.

Cardiac Arrhythmia is an abnormal beat of the heart's upper or lower chambers. This condition is experienced as a pounding or a missed beat.

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