| Nowadays, heart surgery is commonly performed | | | | body, hence the importance of the heart. |
| on patients suffering from heart disease, which is | | | | Disturbances in the heart affect your whole body. |
| often a threat to longevity. But does heart | | | | The movement of blood throughout your body |
| surgery make you live longer? Is Oriental medicine | | | | (circulation) is managed by multiple organs, which |
| a better approach to heart disease? | | | | in turn interact with one another. A failure in any |
| According to the most recent report from Journal | | | | one part of this system can result in pathology. |
| of the American Medical Association, at least | | | | If there is a circulation issue, all the organ |
| 12,000 Americans die each year from | | | | systems in your body will be deprived of the |
| unnecessary surgery, and tens of thousands | | | | nourishment supplied by your blood, which include |
| more suffer complications as a result. | | | | nutrients and oxygen. Your heart has a dramatic |
| Every year in the United States, surgeons | | | | effect on everything else in your body. |
| perform 1.2 million angioplasties, during which a | | | | The force that keeps life going is "qi" (internal vital |
| cardiologist uses tiny balloons and implanted wire | | | | energy), which is determined by the balance of |
| cages known as stents to unclog arteries. This | | | | "yin" and "yang." Poor diet, stress, and lack of |
| Roto-Rooter-type approach is less invasive and | | | | exercise can cause your "yin" and "yang" to |
| has a shorter recovery period than bypass, which | | | | become out of balance, thereby disrupting the |
| is open-heart surgery. | | | | flow of "qi." One symptom is "thick" blood, which |
| Nevertheless, a surgery is still a trauma, and the | | | | is the root cause of heart disease. |
| body responds to it with major blood loss and | | | | Severe stagnation in "qi" and in the blood may |
| swelling, and all manner of nerve and pain signals | | | | produce internal heat, which goes into your blood |
| that can plague the patient for months, if not | | | | and steams your body, drying out your blood |
| years. | | | | vessels as well as raising your blood pressure. |
| Research has indicated that angioplasty did not | | | | In Chinese medicine, the basic cause of chest pain |
| appear to prevent heart attacks or save lives | | | | is obstruction of the circulation of "qi" and blood. |
| among non-emergency heart subjects. If that is | | | | Chest pain may be due to either deficiency or |
| the case, then why the surgery? | | | | excess patterns of "yin" and "yang," resulting in |
| Dr. William Boden of the University of Buffalo | | | | imbalance and discord. Accordingly, the Oriental |
| School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York, and author | | | | medicine focuses on using different foods not only |
| of the study also added: "If you have chest pain | | | | to nourish the body but also to clear any blockage |
| and are stable, you can take medicines that do | | | | in the flow of "qi." |
| the job of angioplasty." Medicines used in the | | | | Truly, foods are directly involved in many of the |
| study included aspirin, and blood pressure and | | | | risk factors for heart disease. Paying attention to |
| cholesterol drugs, and they were taken along with | | | | what you eat is one of the most important |
| exercise and diet changes in patients participating | | | | preventive measures you can take. |
| in the study. | | | | The foods that best protect you against heart |
| Dr. Boden did have a point about not opting for | | | | disease include the following: oily fish, fruits and |
| surgery. But do medicines, such as aspirin, as well | | | | vegetables, fiber from whole-grain breads and |
| as blood pressure and cholesterol drugs, save | | | | cereals and unrefined carbohydrates, nuts and |
| lives and prevent heart attacks, or are there | | | | seeds, and green tea, among others. |
| better alternatives? Heart health is longevity | | | | In addition to the different types of food to |
| health. Conventional medicine offers no miracle | | | | protect your heart, you need to understand the |
| cures. Healing the heart has to be wholesome | | | | importance of energy balance. You need enough |
| because it is the "residence" of the body, the | | | | calories to maintain your energy level, but no |
| mind, and the spirit. Therefore, medicines play only | | | | more than what you can burn off. This is energy |
| a minor role, if any, in the cure of heart disease. | | | | balance. |
| Modern Western medicine addresses only the | | | | Even when you are dieting, you should not |
| symptoms, not the causes, of heart disease. | | | | drastically cut back your calories such that your |
| According to the Oriental way, your heart is the | | | | energy needs are not met. The number of |
| "emperor" of your whole being, and the health of | | | | calories you need depends primarily on age, |
| your entire system depends upon the normal | | | | gender, and activity level. |
| functioning of your heart. According to Chinese | | | | Essentially, the Oriental medicine employs foods |
| philosophy, heaven and earth merge to make a | | | | and acupuncture to maintain smooth flow of "qi" |
| human being, and the place where they merge is | | | | and blood. |
| in the heart, which is the "center" of the human | | | | |