Happy Valentines Day!
 
This month’s ‘Notes” will focus on heart health and includes little sections on a heart healthy life-style, the value of laughter, acupuncture and emotions, OPC’s, and a great book to encourage deeper levels of intimacy.  
 
According to Chinese medicine, the heart is greatly influential on blood vessels and circulation, and is also our psychological center, ideally a place of peace, through which emotions come and go, but do not linger. So heart health can be supported through a range of physical, emotional and relational approaches. In modern thinking we call it Body/Mind/Spirit medicine. The classical acupuncture texts reflect an early understanding that the body and mind are intertwined. What’s good for one part of us is good for other parts as well.  
 
Physically, there is a lot we can do for our hearts. Science supports the view that much of heart disease can be prevented. Even when times are tough, economically, globally or personally, we can take steps that are healthy, inexpensive and good for the planet.
 
Eat better and exercise more. Eat a healthy diet, including five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. By cooking simple fresh foods at home, rather than going out for restaurant fare and fast foods, you can save money and benefit your health. Maintaining a light exercise program such as 30 minutes of walking around the neighborhood can help improve circulation and help regulate weight. Don't skimp on health care. Putting off doctor visits, especially when you have symptoms, can hurt your health more in the long run. It’s also not a good idea to skip medications or split pills without medical advice. Maintain regular checkups.  Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. Smoking is an expensive habit that increases the risk of cardiovascular problems. Find a positive outlet -- such as exercise, meditation or the company of others -- to ease stress. Maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Get your levels checked and talk to your physician about the best plan of action to keep your LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels low and your HDL ("good") cholesterol levels high. Check your blood pressure. Hypertension exhibits few warning signs. Today, several effective treatments are available for high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is normal, maintain it with a healthy lifestyle.
 
And laugh! Really, laughter is one of the most wonderful things in the world. Did you know that laughter reduces stress hormones in the body and enhances health supporting hormones like endorphins? It increases the number of antibody producing cells and the effectiveness of T-cells. This translates into a stronger immune system and fewer physical effects from stress.
 
Have you been to the laugh gym lately? A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs, increases circulation to the heart and lungs and even works out the shoulders.
Laughter can also change your perspective on life. Life happens. How we interpret or respond to it influences how we act and how we feel. Finding some humor in a situation can help us steer away from anger and frustration and perhaps even see the event as a challenge or opportunity instead of an obstacle.
 
And laughter is contagious! If you bring more laughter into your life, you can likely help others to laugh, which might improve their mood and reduce their stress as well. So laugh a little at movies, TV shows, with friends, at a comedy club or with your children. It’s the best medicine on the planet.
 
And of course there is acupuncture. One of the lesser known advantages of acupuncture (except among initiates, i.e., people who receive treatment) is it’s remarkable effect on the mood. Various manifestations of anxiety, depression anger, sadness, frustration and lack of joy or motivation can be treated safely, effectively and quickly without medications or unwanted side effects.  Insomnia also falls into this category as it can arise out of emotional disturbance. People often feel more peaceful and centered after treatment, even if nothing in their external world has changed.
 
OPC
 
Mainstream medicine today recognizes that oxidation (kind of like rust on metal, a product of cellular activity) taking place within our bodies is major contributor to disease and aging. Antioxidant nutrients such as vitamins E and C are accepted as valuable tools to offset the consequences of this process.

There is, however, another antioxidant that has received relatively little attention in the United States, although I understand it is more commonly prescribed by doctors for vascular protection in France. This is a plant-derived substance known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins or, more commonly, OPC.

In lay terms, OPC is a natural compound present in most fruits and vegetables, particularly in plant bark, skin, and seeds. It is not often found in our daily diets in large enough quantities to be valuable. However, supplementation with OPC extracted from pine bark and grape seeds has been shown to protect against cardiovascular and other degenerative diseases as well as having numerous other health benefits, such as lowering LDL cholesterol levels, reducing platelet aggregation, increasing the strength and elasticity of blood vessels, helping collagen repair itself, reducing edema and inflammation, relieving  problems associated with varicose veins, lessening the tendency toward diabetic retinopathy, and improving skin health.

This ability of OPC to strengthen collagen (like skin tissue) protects against premature aging. Vitamin C is also known for its role in maintaining collagen's elasticity and strength. What is less known is that OPC preserves vitamin C in the system, so you get double the benefit if you combine them.
 
I have been using and recommending OPC’s for many years. It’s a great product. I usually have it here in the office, and it can also be ordered on line and delivered to your door through my web site, karenjohnson.nutrametrix.com.
 
And a good book…I recommend the Seven Levels of Intimacy by Matthew Kelly. This very readable book describes many layers of relationship and intimacy. The part I like the best is the description of  the different levels of intimacy…moving from sharing clichés, to facts, to opinions, to hopes and dreams, to feelings, then being able to share faults, fears and failures and finally to the sharing of  ‘legitimate needs.’ Very insightful.
 
And finally…..
 
Q: Why is Valentine’s Day the best day for a celebration?
A: Because you can really party hearty!
 
Love to all and have a great month.
 
Karen Johnson L.Ac, RN
(410)381-3495