Yoga and Ayurvedic Therapy for a Healthy Heart

Heart attack is one of the fatal diseases of cardiovascular system. A heart attack is caused when a blood clot gets stuck in the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscles called coronary arteries. Due to clot blood flow is blocked & the heart muscle dies due to lack of oxygen which stops the function of the heart.

What are the symptoms:
1. Feeling of heaviness & tightness in the chest, arms & radiate towards the neck, jaw or back.
2. Gas trouble & fullness of stomach.
3.Breathlessness.
4. Excessive sweating.
5. Lethargic & tiredness.
6. Dizziness.
7. Sleep disturbance.

Many times symptoms of heart attack are confused with indigestion or acidity, therefore diagnosis of heart attack is misleading and mistreated.

A heart attack can occur due to excessive physical activity & mental stress, busy & stressful lifestyle, smoking & liquor habits and lack of proper rest. It can occur at rest or during heavy physical activities or emotional shock.

Ayurved and Yoga Therapy

Consult your local doctor before administration of these therapies. They cannot be given during heart attack. They can be used as a preventive therapy or after the discharge from hospital as rejuvenation.

Ayurveda treatment

Snehan - oil massage of body.
Swedan - vasodilatation through Steam bath.
Hrud basti - strengthening of heart muscles & blood vessels by keeping warm medicated herbal oil surround heart region for 20 to 30 min .
Hrud dhara - smooth dropping of oil on the heart region externally.
Shirodhara - oil dropping smoothly on the upper side of the forehead and flowing through hair of the head. It works on stress & Agnya chakra
Basti - rectal insertion of medicine by enema. It helps to remove obstacle of vata & pitta dosha’s in body.
Medication - Arjunghan vati/kwath,dashmula kadha etc.

Yogic Practices for healthy heart

Standing practices - Tadasana

Supine posture - Shavasana with Breath awareness, Ek pad uttanasana -(left & right) and Pavanmuktasana (without raising head).

Prone posture - Makarasana, Niralambasana, Shalabhasan one leg (left & right), Simple Bhujangasana.

Sitting posture - Parvatasana, Bhadrasana, Vakrasana

Pranayama - Lom vilom, Bhrahmari, Omkar, Kapalbhati (Slow & mild) - 2 to 3 rounds of 40 exhalations each and Meditation.

Lifestyle modification
1. Diet – less salt & carbohydrate, Mitahar, light & satvik in nature
2. Develop Conscious eating habits.
3. Be around with positive people.
4. Plan a trip to explore self through nature.
5. Early to bed.
6. Walking (Morning walk) daily for at least 2 km.
7. Swimming.
8. Playing one sport at least.

Keep your heart healthy & heart will keep you peaceful & happy

Author is B.A.M.S & done Post Graduate Diploma in Yoga Shastra. She is working with Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute ,Mumbai as Public Relation Officer & Medical Consultant since last 6 years. She is also attached with Sanskrit Peetham Yoga department of Somaiya College, Vidyavihar and Yoga Sadhana Mandir, Nerul  as a visiting faculty for teaching Yoga subjects.

Also read
1. Do's and don'ts on Yoga Asanas with photos
2. International Yoga Day - common Yoga protocol
3. Yoga and Ayurveda
4. Ayurveda - a distinctive approach to health and disease

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