Life in the 21st century is very fast and demanding, especially in developed countries and big cities. When we say demanding it means physically, mentally and emotionally. Ayurveda believes that emotions or matters of your heart do matter to the health of your heart. 'The Heart' or Hriday is the seat of prana (life energy). The heart is also the seat of ojas, (essence of all body tissues) and the substance within us that maintains life and promotes bliss and longevity. Hence heart is among the three most vital portions in the body.

Ayurveda is a science based on ancient Indian philosophy. Ayurveda promotes healthy living. It is as much concerned with the normal condition as with the abnormal. Being a science of healing, it concentrates on what is required to lead a healthy and happy life. It deals not only with what is to be done when one falls prey to a disease, but also with what should be done to maintain one's health and vigour and prevent any possible ailments.

Ayurveda contains details about body care and the various foods and drinks, which promote health. It also contains details about ways through which body could be purified of its impurities. Through the means of panchakarma (includes massages, enemas and other therapies) the bodily impurities are thrown out of the body and through the means of yoga and pranayam the mental/psychological impurities are thrown out.

The causes of heart disease as mentioned in Ayurveda are three-fold. These are classified under: asatmyaindriyartha samyog (either improper, less or excess sensory perception), pradnyapradha (improper conduct) and parinam (changes in the mind and body occurring due to 'time').

Following are the specific causes of heart disease:

Ayurveda classifies heart disorders into five types:

Ayurveda promotes the Vedic lifestyle for the protection of the health of an individual and to prevent the relapse of a disease if one suffers from any. The vital organs like the heart, etc., when affected cause major illnesses and only medicinal treatment or surgical treatment is not enough to get relief from such life-threatening ailments. A modified lifestyle has to be a part of the treatment to prevent any relapse of it. Following the old methods of Vedic lifestyle will help in the prevention and also in the recovery process of a disease.

Unlike modern medicine, which considers the brain as the ultimate centre of control, Ayurveda considers heart as the seat of human consciousness. Clinically it is a common event of myocardial infarction after a heavy emotional load, anxiety! The sedentary and sluggish lifestyle, the lack of proper exercise, physical or emotional trauma, congenital or hereditary factors, suppressed emotions or excess strain and anxiety are cited as other causes for the high incidence of heart disease. The western diet with its sweet and salty food, animal fats and fried foodstuff makes one prone to heart attacks.

Let's look at a holistic approach to heart health.

Strategies for Preventing Heart Disease – an Ayurvedic Perspective:

Ayurveda lays down basic principles for the maintenance of normal positive health and certain preventive measures against the cardiac aliments.

The foremost principle is called nidaan parivarjana (eliminating the disease-specific causes). As mentioned earlier the causes are threefold. To eliminate the first cause, one should be alert in the sensory perception. Hearing, touch, seeing, taste and smell – all these sensory processes should be within limits and not overdone.

The second cause can be eliminated by proper conduct (yama and niyama of Ashtanga yoga.)

Changes occurred due to passage of time, and seasonal variations, though not eliminated, can be lessened and prevented by detoxifying therapies (panchakarma). These changes may include collection of toxins in the body, stress, etc.

What is Panchakarma and How Can it Help?

The preventive strategies are further classified into two: Shamana (Pacifying Therapies) and Shodhana (Eliminating Therapies or the Panchakarma).

Panchakarma where panch means five and karma means methods of doing. Panchakarma means the five eliminative methods of detoxifying the body.

Furthermore, classification of panchakarma is as follows

Shodhana (Detoxifying):

Therapy includes five major categories namely:

There are pre-procedures and post-procedures done before and after any of the above five main karmas.

Pre-procedures:

Post-procedures:

Other Procedures Indicated:

This will provide relief from burning sensations, severe perspiration, nausea and vomiting.

Is Preventive Panchakarma for You?

How does Panchakarma Detoxify?

Due to oleation and sudation (pre-procedures), the toxins accumulated from head to toe leave their place and start moving into the gastrointestinal tract. This is due to osmotic pressure changes induced in the body. When the toxins get accumulated in the large intestine it is eliminated by virechana (medicated purgation) or vasti (medicated enema), if the toxins accumulate in the stomach they are eliminated by vamana (medicated emesis).

Let's look at a hypothetical case where Panchakarma can help:

A 30 year-old software engineer, working 12 hours a day, giving a family history of heart disease, comes with complaints of hyperacidity, headache, stress, body ache, fatigue, a slight rise in blood pressure, decrease in appetite and fever.

Even if any of the three complaints are presented, the patient shows signs of early pathogenesis of a heart disease in the forthcoming years of his life.

The progression of this vicious cycle of accumulation of toxins leading into a heart disease can be prevented by panchakarma, as mentioned above, and pacifying therapies (shamana).

Shamana (Pacifying Therapies):

As mentioned earlier, a sedentary and sluggish lifestyle, the lack of proper exercise, physical or emotional trauma, etc., causes various toxins (physical and mental) to accumulate in the body organs. This process of accumulation of toxins is prevalent in every individual and hence shamana therapy is recommended to all.

Shamana pacifies and digests the responsible humours (doshas) and toxins. Hridroga or heart disease can be prevented by internal medicines. Choice of the herbal drug (herbs, oil, ghee, decoction, powder, paste) or a combination, depends upon many factors, such as, body prototype age, sex, humours, causes, stage of the pathogenesis, digestive capacity (agni) and the season. This should be taken only under professional guidance from a qualified Ayurvedic doctor.

Meditation:

An extended period of rest or reduced activity, both physical and mental, is recommended to cardiac patients. Here meditation plays an important role, as it is one of the best ways to relax, dissolve stress and allow the body to heal. It calms the mind, nerves and emotions. As far as possible one should avoid stress, emotional worries and anxiety. You can use it to examine/understand what you really want to do in life. Give up anger, aggression and assertion. Do 20 minutes of meditation once a day. Do not try to 'force' meditation. You should enjoy it rather than doing it for the sake of it, which in turn can result in additional stress.

Yoga

Of the eight steps of yoga (Ashtanga yoga), first four viz. yama, niyama, asana, and pranayama carry importance in preventing and managing heart ailments. Yama and niyama controls excessive emotions. Asana (eg. shavasana) and pranayama looks after endocrinological, metabolic and other physical aspects.s

Vyayam (Exercise)

A sedentary lifestyle provokes pathology of heart disease. For maintaining a healthy heart, daily light exercises like brisk walking, swimming, etc., are important. Avoid heavy exercise. You don't have to do a strenuous workout five times a week. Follow the Ayurvedic principle of bala-ardh (exercising to half your capacity) every single day without straining your muscles. Minimize unwanted travel.

Diet

Ayurveda always advises diet that is easy to digest, warm and freshly prepared. Stomach-full of food is always prohibited. An ideal Ayurvedic portion is what fits in the two-cupped palms. Eating three meals a day, (breakfast, dinner and lunch) trains your digestion to anticipate and digest your food. Taxing your digestion by eating late at night or eating a heavy meal at dinner is not advisable.

Dietary Recommendations

Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. Include mature pomegranate, apple, orange and grape fruits or juices in your daily diet. A spoon of specially prepared avla a day keeps your heart pumping miles on the runway. Decoction of 'Arjuna-Usheera-Rose Mix' is particularly beneficial for vata or pitta related heart imbalances. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables cooked with Ayurvedic spices (marich- saindhavadi powder). Stimulate a sluggish digestion with fresh ginger and rock salt or a spoonful of Shunthi-Lavana powder or Talisadi powder. A handful of wheat, rice, barley, oats, corn, chicken or mutton soup prepared in marich- saindhavadi powder should be taken daily.

Sleep

The quantity and quality of your life according to Ayurveda depends upon the three basic pillars i.e. diet (ahar), sleep (nidra), abstinence from sex (bramhacharya). Deep sleep without breaking the continuity and without any dreams is an ideal sleep pattern, where the sense organs, mind and soul disintegrate and go to rest. A proper sleep pattern can be judged by early morning freshness and willingness to work. Go to bed by 10 pm so that the body is at rest during the natural purification period from 10 pm to 2 am.

Practice of good bedtime habits: Keep your bedroom clear from distractions like television, computers, etc; Maintain temperature that is comfortable and stay away from stimulants in the evening; Avoid taking sleep-inducing tablets as they are habit-forming and have hazardous side-effects; Sleep disorders can be treated and prevented by a small dose of bramhi-jatamansi herbal powder; Abhyanga and Shirodhara according to one's body type may be done at least twice a week to prevent and treat sleep-related disorders.

Life-Style Recommendations

If you can't handle stressful situations without feeling strain, avoid them. Remember to take breaks during the day if you have a stressful job. A daily warm oil massage with hridyataila (specially prepared oil for cardiac patients which also is a rejuvenator) is recommended. Ayurvedic herbal rejuvenators like amlakiadi rasayan are recommended every day as it nourishes and strengthens the myocardial tissues. Practise easy, smooth deep breathing regularly in the mornings.

Ayurveda talks about ojas, (the essence of all tissues) which has its seat in the heart. It is the finest by-product of digestion and the master coordinator of all activities of mind and body, which leads to bliss, contentment, vitality and longevity. Spend time everyday on those activities that give you contentment and happiness. Listen to soothing or uplifting music (ears), enjoy serene natural beauty (eyes), practice uplifting aromatherapy (nose), and sip relaxing herbal teas (tongue) according to the type of heart disease, eg. Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, spending time with your loved ones and family and fulfilling your duties (mind and soul).

Treatment

Treatment in Ayurveda is patient specific and hence differs from patient to patient. An ayurvedic physician uses his knowledge and skill to assess the constitution of the patient, find the level of doshas and toxins in the body, and the course and extent of disease process.

The physician, after coming to a diagnosis, uses different permutation and combination of herbs and panchakarma mentioned in the classics of Ayurveda to treat respective ailments. More than 40 different herbs are mentioned in the Ayurvedic classics for the treatment of heart ailments.

The above mentioned panchakarma therapies, both shodhana and shamana are also used as mainline treatment procedures for different cardiac ailments.

In short, Ayurveda looks into the disease in a holistic approach. Factors responsible for causation of the disease is found out and treated, rather than treating a symptom. In this manner, it provides the 'complete treatment'. Reoccurrences of the disease is avoided by proper rejuvenation (Rasayana) drugs and by following the prescribed daily regimen (Dinacharya). Heart diseases have been managed by Ayurvedic ways in out-patient and in-patient departments for thousands of years without any undesired side-effects. The best Ayurvedic treatment available today is in India. More information can be acquired by contacting the authors.

Ayurveda offers prevention, treatment and rejuvenation. It can help you lead a lifestyle which will help you maintain a healthy heart, it could help you treat your heart related ailments and it can also help you rejuvenate if you are recovering from one.