How yoga can prevent and combat heart disease

Most of us don’t ever think we will ever face cardiac issues in our lives. And those of us who do fear the disease don’t know how to prevent it. What exactly are cardiac issues and why do they shake us up when we least expect such an event to occur? What can we do to prevent these ailments from playing havoc with our lives? If we do see the symptoms then what can we do to control the condition and reverse the damage? These are a few questions that can leave many individuals perplexed. Read on to find all the answers you need.  

What factors put you at risk of suffering from heart disease?

When we talk about heart diseases we must first understand that there are modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Simply put, factors like the natural aging process and genetic make-up of an individual non-modifiable because, in these cases, the risk of the disease can only be reduced to a certain degree. One can greatly control these factors by living a good lifestyle. On the other hand, modifiable factors would be high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, obesity, lack of exercise, stress and such other agents. All these factors are completely under our control, and we can eliminate them from our lives thus preventing the disease.

How can yoga help?

To help our heart function better we don’t need to wait for a signal that our heart is unwell. Know that prevention is the best way to stay healthy and this is where yoga can help. Here’s how the practice can help:

• Yoga helps an individual build notable qualities like a sense of duty, knowledge, detachment and self-confidence.


• The philosophy, technique and teachings of yoga can help people separate wheat from the chaff to get rid of the undesirable.


• People are taught to cultivate and nurture desirable and beneficial habits that help them live a good healthy life. So positive changes occur in an individual’s life in the form of a nutritious diet fixed routines, optimistic approach and good thoughts.


• Yoga also teaches people to understand their body and mind to combat diseases, helping them combat and prevent cardiac issues by following a yogic lifestyle and by practicing asanas regularly.


• Yoga also helps individuals psychologically; it helps reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, lifts up one’s spirit and promotes a sense of well-being.


• Stress is known to increase coronary spasm. Yoga techniques can help prevent and control spasms in blood vessels, bring down blood pressure and normalize heart rate.


• Yoga teaches us to become aware of ourselves, of our feelings, of our thought processes and our routine patterns. Awareness of ourselves and our environmental factors which influence our health combined with a philosophical approach, can help significantly reduce modifiable risk factors like stress etc. an aware person will understand his body better and is cautious about his lifestyle and hence tends to keep under control external circumstances that can cause trouble.  


• For those who already have been facing heart trouble, I would say that they should minimize stress, bring about conductive lifestyle changes and practice yoga techniques like meditation and asanas regularly to maintain their heart condition at the best possible level and to prevent further damage.

What yoga asanas can I do to prevent, control and reverse heart disease?

The most important thing people should remember is that these asanas must be performed regularly to see results. Most people will not see results if they are done once in a while.

Yogendra Nishpandabhava:

• Lean against a wall, touching your head to the wall and sit in a relaxed manner with your legs stretched in front of you.


• Keep a distance of 2-3 feet between your legs.


• Place your hands gently on your upper thighs with palms facing upwards.


• Listen to the sound of any vehicle passing by at a distance.


• Sit in this posture for ten minutes and focus on any distant sound.

Anitya Bhavana:

The most important thing before retiring to bed is a calm and philosophical survey of life in general – acceptance of impermanence and lasting attitudes of awareness. The awareness and ability to look at life as a bystander are the best ways of enjoying life. If one gets too excited, involved or attached one is not maintaining the necessary objectivity required to make life a matter of joy. Anitya bhavana helps a practitioner develop a ‘bystander’ attitude towards life. One must learn to develop a certain level of detachment, be objective, know and understand that everything is impermanent and will pass. This attitude will help us face the challenges of life. But then at the same time detachment doesn’t that one can withdraw completely. Anitya bhava doesn’t imply inaction.  Meditation can help people develop anitya bhavana. Take some time off your daily schedule for moments of quite and silence.

Sthitaprarthanasana or the standing prayer pose:

Steps to do this asana:

• Stand erect with your feet together, both toes and heels touching


• Join your hands together at chest level


• Draw your abdomen slightly inwards, keep your back straight, elbows and shoulders relaxed


• Close your eyes and observe your breath


• Maintain the pose for 3-5 minutes

Dradhasana or the firm pose:

Steps to do this asana:

• Lie down on your back and turn to your left side


• Fold your left arm and cushion your head on it


• Align your body in one straight line and keep your legs one on top of the other


• Rest your right arm on your body


• Close your eyes and relax in this pose for 5 minutes

 You may also like to read: 

• Singer Sukhvinder Singh beats heart disease with yoga, maybe you can too!


•  Anulom vilom pranayam – beat diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol with this yoga asana


• Yoga for better heart health

For more articles on yoga, visit our yoga section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

Read More

How to plan a pregnancy with a heart problem

While everyone stresses about diet, exercises and sleep, hardly anyone talks about heart health during pregnancy. However, one should know that heart health and its optimum functioning is vital during pregnancy. This is because proper functioning of the heart will ensure proper circulation along with better oxygen and blood supply to the fetus in the womb. Hence, any problem with this important organ can have an adverse effect on one’s pregnancy.

‘During pregnancy the blood supply inside the body increases and so does the heart rate. It is necessary that a woman’s baseline heart functions like blood pressure, general heart health are in check to avoid complications related to this delicate organ,’ says Dr Gowri Gore, consultant gynecologist, Kohinoor Hospital, Mumbai. Here is how stress comes in the way of your pregnancy too. 

How heart problems affect your pregnancy

An existing heart problem might not directly affect one’s chances of conception, however afterwards due to the demands of the body the heart might have to work double. Hence, increased blood supply and cardiac output can take a toll on a weak heart. Some heart troubles that can take a toll during pregnancy are:

Arrhythmic heart beats: Minor abnormalities in the heart rhythm, especially if one have been living a sedentary lifestyle with compromised heart health is common during pregnancy. However, if the rhythm goes haywire and out of control, it can hamper proper oxygen and nutrient supply to the fetus. Hence with a condition like arrhythmic heartbeat constant monitoring of the heart during pregnancy becomes necessary. 

Valvular heart disease: If a woman suffers from malfunctioning or scarring of any of her heart valves or has artificial heart valves installed this could increase complications during pregnancy. ‘Such type of heart condition can compromise the pumping capacity of the heart, and the organ might not be able to tolerate the excess pressure or exertion of pregnancy,’ informs Dr Gore. At times, the artificial valves could also lead to infections and other life-threatening conditions, like thrombosis. Medicines for the heart can also complicate a pregnancy. Here are three exercises that boost blood circulation during pregnancy.

Congenital heart disease: If the mother is born with a congenital heart defect, chances are that the baby might also be at the risk of the same. ‘For women with such pre-existing conditions it is vital to have a detailed counseling with a doctor before planning a pregnancy and take necessary steps to avoid complications. There are also times when women might be asked to avoid pregnancy due to her pre-existing heart condition if the doctor thinks it can pose a risk to the baby and the mother,’ says Dr Gore. 

Other complications of the heart: Women today are more prone to cardiovascular diseases and suffer from lifestyle-related conditions like hypertension. ‘High blood pressure and other acquired heart related ailments can come in the way of one’s pregnancy. Hence, it is important to control those factors during pregnancy, as such issues can also lead to a sudden cardiac arrest, which can all lead to the termination of pregnancy and have an adverse effect on the mother’s health,’ says Dr Gore. Here are simple tips to survive pregnancy symptoms. 

How to deal with heart problems during pregnancy

With a pre-existing heart problem it is important to follow some precautions after conceiving, here are a few of them

Keep up with your antenatal appointments: During pregnancy it is important to keep up with your antenatal visits, more so, if you have a heart problem. Constant monitoring of the heart becomes vital during pregnancy. Apart from the regular blood and urine test, along with weight and fetal heart rate monitoring, tests like an echocardiogram to see the images of the heart and electrocardiogram to measure the electrical activities of the heart is done. Here are five important things to ask your gynecologist during antenatal visits. 

Plan pregnancy in advance: ‘It is a known fact that with age along with the other organs of the body the heart health also declines and is more severe in women who have a preexisting heart condition. Hence, an early pregnancy in such case can help rule out complications,’ says Dr Gore. 

Avoid smoking and alcohol: These two vices do a lot of damage to the baby during pregnancy. With a heart trouble, the damages will only double up if the expectant mother continues to smoke and drink.

Watch your weight: Weight gain during pregnancy is healthy; however excessive weight gain can take a toll on a weak heart and lead to complications. Hence, keep your weight in check.

Take your medications on time: Make sure you take your medications on a regular basis to avoid putting any stress to your heart.

Opt for a multidisciplinary approach: ‘Planning a pregnancy with a heart trouble might call for a multidisciplinary approach. It is necessary to consult an obstetrician, gynecologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist and a physician and keep them in the loop regarding the progress of your pregnancy,’ says Dr Gore. Here is all you need to know about pre-pregnancy counseling. 

Can heart problems interfere during labour?

During labour, the heart rate increases, so it is important to constantly monitor the fetal heart rate and the mother’s heart beat too. To avoid complications and put a pressure on the heart, at times, a C-section is advised to keep the mother and the baby safe from troubles occurring due to heart problems. ‘Heart failure during labour or after the birth could be a possibility if the mother’s heart rate goes haywire due to a pre-existing heart condition and the added stress of labour, so a pre-decided labour for women suffering from heart diseases is always advised,’ says Dr Gore. Here are other 12 causes of C-section that you ought to know. 

When should one avoid pregnancy due to heart troubles

Planning a pregnancy amidst any heart trouble would need proper guidance from the cardiologist and a gynecologist. ‘There are certain situations and conditions with the heart when it is best to avoid getting pregnant,’ says Dr Gore. Particularly, if a woman suffers from congenital heart defects like Eisenmenger’s syndrome due to which high blood pressure affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. Apart from that, problems in any one of the valves of the heart like the mitral or aortic valve can have life-threatening consequences on the mother and the baby.

‘If one conceives accidentally with an existing heart problem that could be a threat to the pregnancy and the baby, it is wise to opt for termination of the same. It is important to use contraceptives to avoid pregnancy with a heart condition. However remember not all contraceptives would be effective in such cases. Especially hormonal pills, copper T or other over the counter medications aren’t helpful for women with artificial valves,’ informs Dr Gore. 

Instead, it is important to talk and know about contraceptives to be on the safer side. ‘Some options that are good for women with heart problems are barrier contraceptive, sterilization and vasectomy of the partner. Counseling is an important aspect of both planning and avoiding a pregnancy in such cases,’ informs Dr Gore.

 Image courtesy: Getty images 

 You may also like to read: 

• How to write a good birth plan


• Tests you shouldn’t miss during your second and third trimester


• 23 things that you need to take in your maternity bag 

For more articles on pregnancy, visit our pregnancy section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

 

Read More