What heart medicine do you take?
Many of us take prescription medicine because we have to.
Others take multivitamins and other supplements that could promote heart health.
While some of us are genetically predisposed to heart issues, others are not. There are numerous things that contribute to poor heart health, but several primary factors are diet, exercise and stress. While we have a great deal of control over these three factors, many of us ignore them.
The reality is eating a poor diet, not exercising and not managing your stress are going to make you unwell, whether it is by having actual physical heart issues or another physical ailment. While I am OK at doing some things to lessen these factors, I am not good at others. I have much to improve on.
There are many practical and medical preventatives and medications for optimal heart health. And, I am not qualified to tell you what they are. Educated and licensed medical professionals can provide this information for you.
Our physical heart and spiritual heart are intertwined. The health of either of them affects the other.
All the good, the bad and the ugly you have ever experienced is stored in your heart space. Just waiting to be acknowledged and healed.
We know what it is like to live with the debris of those negative experiences, whether we are aware of it or not.
Our tempers subtly and over time intensify; we become workaholics, or alcoholics, or addicts of any variety; we build walls so no one and nothing can hurt us again – or so we think. We use any number of “pacifiers” to avoid fully experiencing and working through the pain living in human form with a beating heart generates.
Over time, these behaviors, which essentially “harden” our spiritual hearts, begin to affect our physical hearts. And before we know it, we might be in a life-or-death situation.
When I was in my 20s and experiencing a great deal of conflict in my life, I reacted by withdrawing into myself. Other than confiding in a few close family members, I decided it would be best to avoid all that pain by just not engaging. Most of my days were spent going to work, and coming home. And doing it all again the next day. On the weekends, I engaged in solitary activities.
All of this is a very introverted way of handling things. There are many positive things about being predisposed to introverted behavior. Completely isolating yourself is not one of them.
Long story short, this was not the wise thing to do. The pain had not been dealt with in a healthy manner. And emerging from that solitary existence into playing a role as a contributing member of society was difficult.
All of this also took a physical toll on my body. All the unprocessed trauma and the medicines I took directly or indirectly resulted in major depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Metabolic Syndrome; high blood pressure; a sedentary lifestyle; severe weight gain; circulatory and digestive issues, and more.
The first step I took to regain my health was cognitive behavioral therapy with a mental health professional. Had I found someone years before to talk about the trauma, the situation might not have escalated to where it did.
Now, I am developing healthier habits. While I still take some medication, I have weaned off of others and began taking naturally occurring supplements such as turmeric and spirulina. (Do not begin taking anything without first consulting with your doctor or pharmacist). I drink much more water than I did, and I am moving my body more.
Those are some of the practical improvements I’ve made.
Many people today scoff at the term “self-care.”
I am here to tell you self-care is essential for your physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
Be prepared for your self-care practices to irritate others, who think you are being lazy and/or unproductive, and will try to undermine you by directly telling you so.
Let them think that. They aren’t living in your body, and haven’t lived your life.
And, practicing self-care in the way you need it is a major factor in the quality and quantity of your life.
Everyone’s way of practicing self-care will differ, but here are some of the things I do: prayer, meditation, extravagant laughing, journaling, doodling, spiritual reading, deep breathing exercises, stretching, intuitive body movement, talking to my dog, and sitting quietly and receptively in nature. And yes, I do practice silence and solitude, but I’ve learned to do so in a healthy way and not to the exclusion of everything else.
This year, I made the best investment of my life when I purchased a pair of industrial strength noise-canceling headphones. Background noise can be extremely harmful for those of us with sensory processing sensitivity. Those around you might think you are being rude by wearing these. If necessary, explain it’s not about them; you are doing it for your own wellbeing.
After that, it’s none of your business how others choose to react to you doing what is best for your heart health.
Cultivating a healthy heart, physically and spiritually, is both a responsibility and a privilege.
Let us each do what we need to do – and, more importantly, be who we need to be – to be of good heart.
- SPIRIT MATTERS is a weekly column that examines experiences common to the human spirit. Contact Jerrilyn Zavada at jzblue33@yahoo.com to share how you engage your spirit in your life and community.