So last night, I had my third episode of atrial fibrillation. Happening once about five years ago, once last summer, and again last night, the episodes are quite freaky. Your heart feels like it literally is skipping beats (or is inserting one too many). Apparently, this can be a chronic condition, but since mine happen very infrequently (and rights itself after about 30 seconds, instead of days), my paroxysmal atrial fibrillation might not be anything to worry about. Until I saw this.
Having been diagnosed with tachycardia just under a year ago, I spent a good portion (say, 6-7 years) of my adult life being treated for “panic attacks.” (if you could see me, you’d see my fingers making air quotes.) Once diagnosed with tachycardia and put on medication, however, life events dictated that I’d be under far more stress than ever before, and then hell froze over: I started having actual panic attacks. So when I saw the article linking panic attacks to heart attack risk, it just increases the worry for me (which, in turn, increases anxiety, which in turn increases stress on the heart, which in turn could cause a panic attack. Or, I guess, a heart attack).
Now that I’m putting a large amount of various medications into my body (which I hate–think of chemotherapy: in order to save your body you have to poison it into oblivion?? I think not), I’m trying various homeopathic remedies in lieu of the drugs (the ones I can safely cut out of my allopathic diet). What I’ve found that works:
1. Napping.
Studies have shown that napping daily reduces the stress on the heart (besides cutting the risk of dying from heart disease by 37%, you also wake up refreshed and happy). Curling up with my boys (my cats) and a big blanket is, by far, my favorite relaxation technique.
2. No caffeine, lots of water.
Caffeine, obviously, puts a lot of strain on the heart and the endocrine system. I’ve been without caffeine for a year now, and I’m loving it. It took me about three months to get used to, but once you get over the withdrawal, you’ll never go back. Since your body is run off of neurons and electricity, water increases the efficiency of your electrolytes (and as such, actually increases your brain power!). I’ve also heard that drinking large quantities of water also decreases the viscosity (and therefore the clotting potential) of the blood, though I don’t know if this is scientifically correct.
3. Yoga.
Having just discovered yoga, I don’t know that I can wax too intellectual on the topic. I do know, though, that after only about 6 months (and about 15 minutes a day), I’m more awake and aware, and I’ve managed to gain muscle mass and lose two pounds (which, on my 106-pound frame, is ginormous).
4. Ayurvedic balancing.
One of my favorite things to do is get a massage from someone who is trained to realign my energy; I feel great after having this done. However, its a rare treat for me, so after doing some research, I found ayurvedic balancing. Once you identify which type you are (of six), you can then learn how to meditate, eat, and align your energy for that body type (sounds like some crazy fad diet, the whole endomorph versus mesomorph, but its not). Along with the yoga, just being able to know how to incorporate the eastern principles into my life has been huge.
I’ve been at it for a year now (and about six months for the eastern principles), and I plan to keep it up. I’m putting away my heart jumprope.
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