- A boy with age 28 years collapsed due to cardiac arrest during trekking. He recovered well after hospitalization and due to crucial help by surrounding people at that moment.
- Your brain is not having enough oxygen supply that is why you are facing problems related to cognitive disfunctioning like dementia. This is all related with compromised cardiovascular system with Coronary Artery Diseases.
- Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death, resulting in 17.9 million deaths per year. Of these, heart attack and stroke are the cause for more than 4 in 5. One third of these deaths happen prematurely under the age of 70. An estimate has been reported that by 2030 the above number will rise to 24 million people globally.
Cardiovascular system – Infrastructure of the body
The cardiovascular system is a vast network of organs and vessels that is responsible for the flow of blood, nutrients, hormones, oxygen and other gases to and from cells. The circulatory system is the body’s transit system equivalent to roads, railways, waterways and airways that provide a medium for transportation.
It plays an important role in helping the body meet the demands of activity, exercise, and
stress. It also helps maintain body temperature, among other things.
Importance of cardiovascular wellness
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining optimal heart health is more important than ever. With heart disease remaining a leading cause of mortality worldwide, adopting proactive measures to safeguard your cardiovascular well-being is paramount.
We can enhance cardiovascular wellness by understanding underlying risk, making healthy choices, and taking steps to reduce your chances of getting heart disease, including coronary heart disease, the most common type.
Ayurveda places the heart in the very center of a complex and intricate web of intersecting physical and energetic pathways. Ayurveda traces on preventive care regarding heart diseases and also traces mainly on removing causative factors to avoid further deterioration of health.
Our fast-paced lives have led to improper dietary habits, lack of exercise and poor stress management. We can mainatain and enhance our heart health by maintaining and adopting good, sustainable, healthy lifestyle described by Ayurveda. Ayurveda holds the key to a healthy and strong heart.
Every cell in the body requires a reliable flow of oxygen-rich blood to function well, cardiovascular diseases can severely impact systemic health and wellbeing.
Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term referring to coronary heart disease (CHD, disease of the blood vessels supplying heart tissues), cardiomyopathies (diseases of the heart muscle), peripheral arterial disease, cerebrovascular disease (diseases of blood vessels supplying the brain), rheumatic heart diseases, venous thromboembolism (blockages in the veins) and congenital heart diseases.
Cardiovascular system- An Ayurveda perspective
According to Ayurveda, the hridaya (heart) is the mulstana ( original place ) for rasa dhatu (nutrient fluid or essence as a result of food being digested), rakta (blood), pranavaha strotas, ojas (energy), manas (mind), buddhi (instructional force that help the mind make decisions) and atma (spirit). It is the organ that governs all emotions and circulation of blood, to keep an individual healthy and alive. If the heart is in a normal state of functioning, then the individual tends to remain healthy.
Several factors such as inappropriate diet, lack or excess exercise, physical strain, strenuous work, mental or emotional stress and sedentary lifestyle causes vikruti (abnormality) in the hridaya.
The thickening of arteries (dhamani pratichaya) and hardening of arteries (dhamani kathinaya) results in obstruction of blood to the heart, thus leading to hridaya rogas (heart-diseases).
Metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes contribute to issues in the heart. When a person consumes a diet high in calories and saturated fats and if he had a sedentary lifestyle for long period of time then digestive power get reduced (mandagni) over the period of time.
A low digestive capacity causes depletion in rasa (body fluid) and rakta (blood), leading to sama rasa (hyperlipidemia). This sama rasa then combines with kapha, pitta, rakta and meda (body fat) and gives rise to atherosclerotic changes, causing obstruction of the arteries (strotorodha).
All these events together contribute to the onset of hridroga i.e. cardiovascular disorders.
Steps in supporting cardiovascular wellness.
Step 1 – Identifying risk factors.
First step in preventing cardiovascular disorders is identifying risk and associated factors.
Check yourself for the following.
Some of the main factors that cause cardiovascular diorders are age, family history, smoking, hypertension, high blood pressure, lipid disorders, Diabetes Mellitus, sedentary lifestyles and obesity.
Ayurveda describes numerous causative factors associated with cardiovascular disorders.
Excessive exercise, trauma (physical and mental), Excessive consumption of hot, heavy, difficult-to-digest food, suppression of natural urges that should not be suppressed, excessive stress, worry or fear, production of ama (toxic undigested waste), which is formed because of a compromised digestion and metabolism are root causes for cardiovascular disorders.
Identifying the factors and trying to reduce its impact is very essential for best preventive care.
Step 2 – Dietary changes for maintaining good cardiovascular wellness.
To promote normal functioning of the heart and optimal well-being for your body, you need to strengthen and maintain your Agni (digestive fire).
When a person consumes a diet high in calories and saturated fats and if he had a sedentary lifestyle for long period of time then digestive power get reduced (mandagni) over the period that leads to metabolic disorders which further leads to cardiovascular disorders.
1. Embrace Sattvic Foods – Sattvic foods, characterized by purity and balance, are the foundation of an Ayurvedic heart-healthy diet. These include fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Also, Sattvic food is simple, easy to digest food which balances metabolism.
2. Diet according to Prakruti and season – Planning the diet suitable for individual prakruti and season is very important for maintaining health harmony. It keeps predominant dosha at its bay and such diet is responsible for maintaining good cardiac health also.
Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of mindful eating. Always keep eye on your hunger – digestion and excretion triad. Try to avoid food with saturated / trans fat, sugary food to maintain good cardiovascular health.
Ayurvedic herbs like arjuna, garlic, and turmeric are renowned for their heart-supportive properties. They may help regulate blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and support overall heart function.
Step 3 – Keep moving for supporting cardiovascular wellness.
The best exercises for heart health depend on your individual physical health and fitness level. Everyone is different, and it’s important to start off slowly and safely with any exercise routine. Regular exercise has a favourable effect on many of the established risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Aim for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity (such as brisk walking). That amounts to about 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. If you’re just getting started, you can slowly build up to that.
Step 4 – Lifestyle modifications
Heart-healthy lifestyle changes include choosing heart-healthy foods, being physically active, quitting smoking, getting enough good-quality sleep, aiming for a healthy weight, getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and managing your blood sugar.
Step 5 -Heart supporting therapies by Ayurveda.
Ayurvedic therapies like Panchakarma, hrudbasti can help improve Agni (digestive fire), clear channels and reduces cardiovascular risk.
Ayurveda believes that diminished digestive fire (Agnimandya) is the root cause of all diseases. Panchakarma procedures, which help to clear the body channels, improve Agni (digestive fire) and remove toxins in the body can help to improve cardiac health and overall well-being.
Yoga practices like Pranayama and meditation, influence the nervous system, reduce stress, clears the energy pathways in the body, promote the healthy flow of Prana and improve wellness in the body.
Pranayama restores vitality to the energy channels of the body and calms and purifies the mind. Yogic exercises help to aid blood circulation and serve as a good form of physical activity.
Step 6 – Balance your Doshas for better heart health
There are three primary Doshas i.e. Kapha, Vata and Pitta. High Kapha in the body could results in increased cholesterol and heart blockages. Similarly, an excess of Vata could increase blood pressure and related heart diseases. High Pitta can reduce the heart’s endurance and prone to have ischemic heart diseases.
Identifying risk and adopting lifestyle according to prakruti, predominant dosha can help to strengthen cardiovascular system.
Step 7 – Adopting healthy, sustainable lifestyle.
Generally, we start focusing on healthy lifestyle after alarming health damage or major health set back or at old age.
We should focus on healthy balanced diet, good exercise and other habits like sleep, rest, positive energy from the beginning.
Good metabolism, good BMI, good lipid profile and reduced cell inflammation are some benefits of adopting healthy lifestyle that ultimately leads to good cardiovascular wellness.
Ayurveda is a holistic healthcare system that focuses minutely on preventive care of cardiovascular system because this system is vital pillar of our health.
