FR EE
February 2022 | Northern New Jersey Edition | 201-781-5577 | NANorthNJ.com
H E A L T H Y L I V I N G H E A L T H Y P L A N E T
INTIMACY THAT HEALS THE BEAUTY OF THE SEXUAL CONNECTION
FUN WITH FERMENTATION
ENHANCING HEALTH AND EATING PLEASURE
THE HEART-MIND LINK HOW EMOTIONS
CAN HURT OR
HEAL THE HEART
A
team approach to your overall health and it starts at the Holistic Dental Center in Millburn, New Jersey, with their highly skilled team of trained professionals in holistic and biological dentistry. From their award winning doctors and their state of the art technology to their use of ozone and self-healing therapies, they are committed to not only treating your dental related symptoms, but also, the root cause thereby eliminating disease and promoting optimal health.Little did conventional practitioners know so many years ago that it took more than just looking at the mouth. A generation ago there was a disconnect, a thought that our mouth and teeth had no bearing on the health of the rest of our body. Now more and more research has been showing that there is a strong connection between dental disease and systemic health. Dr. Gashinsky, Holistic Dentist, has always known that. A holistic approach to health is multifaceted, so he has built a network of healthcare practitioners to assist his patients in obtaining their desired level of optimal wellness.
Working hand in hand with Naturopaths, Functional Medicine practitioners and many others in the field of holistic medicine has expanded Dr. Gashinsky’s ability to help more people. “I find it to be incredibly fulfilling to work synergistically with these practitioners to be able to improve patients’ health so dramatically. Some are coming to me so very sick and by working together we’re seeing drastic improvements in their quality of life,” says Dr. Gashinsky.
Dr. Gashinsky feels strongly in the need to practice in such a manner as to take patients whole health into consideration. So much so, that he traveled to Switzerland this past spring to visit the Paracelsus Clinic and Swiss BioHealth Clinic; two healthcare models that promote the oral-body connection, to study their holistic approach to patient care. Dr. Gashinsky says, “To truly practice holism; the thought that everything is understood in relation to the whole and not just its parts, it’s important to remember that when treating a person it’s not just what one practitioner does, but how they can work together to improve the final outcome.”
“Finding and working with like minded practitioners to help my patients has not only been professionally satisfying, but also on a personal level knowing that my patients are being well taken care of,”
say Dr. Gashinksy. “Finding and addressing the root cause of disease in all our disciplines is the key to success in our patients’ health. What
The Holistic Dental Center
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with the best in the fields of holistic and alternative medicine to bring research and learn the latest in alternative treatments and team up doctor “My passion for learning is never complete, I will continue to of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, SMART certified and a Naturopathic certified nutritional consultant, Accredited by the International Academy Other than being a dentist for 40 years, Dr. Vladimir Gashinsky, is a whole body wellness.
ability to not just treat overall disease but truly prevent and promote teeth anymore,” as he says, “It never was,” but now they have the holistic care by promoting the benefits of holism. “It’s not just your Center in Millburn, New Jersey. It’s their priority to ensure complete of holistic care, visit Dr. Gashinsky and his team at The Holistic DentalSo if you’re looking for an approach that is inclusive of all aspects other way,” Dr. Gashinsky says about working with other practitioners.
does make all the difference in patient care…I wouldn’t have it any utilizing the benefits of networking with a holistic practitioner can and how they can affect organ systems through meridians or directly and they don’t see, I do, and vice versa, seeing dental infections and
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hope everyone has shoveled out of the winter snow storm safely. This is a time of year to focus on issues of the heart, both from health and relationship perspectives, because the heart is symbol of love, as well as avital organ. Our February cover features an article on the heart/mind connection (neurocardiology), which studies their neurological interplay; and behavioral cardiology, which examines how psychological and social factors lead to heart disease. It’s a very infor- mative, with good insights for us.
Delight your palate with the revival of the age-old practice of fermenting food, with recipes for delicious Pickled Carrot Sticks and Curry Kraut. In the same vein, Dr. Doug Pucci explains, “Why We Are What We Eat.” The dialogue called the gut-brain axis is a two-way street of communication between the gut and the brain. He outlines the impact of excessive stress physiology and ways to manage it effectively.
In our Valentine’s Day Healing Ways department, “Truly Making Love” provides valuable information about healing through sex and intimacy. This should further inspire and get you in mood to show love and affection to your loved ones.
We loved putting this issue together, and we know you will love to read it, too. There is lot of good information inside, with something for everyone.
Natural Awakenings of North Jersey is your all-season health and wellness resource for body, mind and soul—the physical body and inner, spiritual, well-being. Visit us on- line on Facebook, Instagram and our website, NaturalAwakeningsNNJ.com.
Stay Healthy, Stay Happy!
Northern New Jersey Natural Awakenings publisher
Anil Singh and his wife Vartika
Anil Singh, Publisher
14 THE HEART-MIND CONNECTION
How Thoughts and Emotions Affect Our Heart Health
18 TRULY MAKING LOVE
Sex and Intimacy as a Healing Force
20 FERMENTING FOR FOODIES
Preserving Food and Traditions
18
Contents
DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs
8 health briefs
12 global briefs
18 healing ways
20 conscious eating
25 calendar
26 business directory
14
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omplete Wellness Within Wellness Center is hosting an Auriculotherapy Wellness Day from noon to 5 p.m., February 16 and March 16, in Haskell. Treatments are $50 (regular $70) for a limited time. Participants will learn how ear seeds can improve overall health and try them.Hundreds of points on the ear are believed to correspond with the organs in the body, as well as specific emotional and physical issues.
Auriculotherapy can help with issues such as headaches, allergies, weight loss, pain, and even hor- monal imbalances and many others.
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For more information or to book an appointment (required), call 973-888-9591, email Info@CompleteWellnessWithin.com or visit CompleteWellnessWithin.com. See ad, page 22.
Become an Access Bars Practitioner in Paramus
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he Access Bars (Bars) class from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., February 26, with Theresa Obssuth is a one-day training session where participants will learn to administer an innovative energy clearing technique that can create greater ease and cultivate more joy in life through greater awareness.While training, participants learn how to “run the Bars” and will also receive two Bars sessions. The Bars are 32 points on the head that when gently touched, effortlessly
and easily release thoughts, ideas, decisions, beliefs and attitudes that keep us in limitation. Access Bars can release disharmoni- ous thoughts and behavior patterns, and the release of these old thoughts and patterns can bring greater possibilities into our life.
No prerequisites are required, and anyone can learn, includ- ing children. Class participants receive a certificate of completion and become qualified to provide Access Bars sessions to family, friends or clients. Providers of other therapies can introduce Access Bars into their practice.
Location: Paramus. For more information, preregister (required, or book a private session, call Obssuth at 201-655-3836 or visit AccessConsiousness.com. See ad, page 27.
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months. Women and men with a diagnosis of cardiac disease will gain education and emotional support from peers and medical professionals.
Admission is free. To register and for more information, call 201-447-8125.
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health briefs
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Consider Moxibustion to Reduce Chronic Fatigue
About 1 percent of the global population suf- fers from the crippling fatigue, brain fog and joint pain of chronic fa- tigue syndrome (CFS), yet its origins remain obscure, and medi- cations and therapy have been largely ineffective. A new meta-analysis from China’s Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine points to moxibustion, a 2,500-year-old practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as a possible treatment. It involves burning a cone or stick made of ground mugwort leaves on or near a patient’s acupuncture points, typically on the stomach. Analyzing data from 15 studies of 1,030 CFS patients comparing moxibustion with either acupuncture or medications, researchers found that moxibustion sig- nificantly reduced fatigue more effectively than the other approaches and yielded minimal side effects.
https://bit.ly/3rNbzO6
Try Probiotics to Lower Pregnancy Nausea and Soothe Fussy Babies
Two new studies suggest that the right probiotics can offer relief for
the 85 percent of pregnant women with nausea and for the 25 percent of fussy newborns with colic. In
the journal Nutrients, University of California, Davis research-
ers reported on a study in which 32 pregnant women
that had nausea, vomiting and constipation took
a probiotic capsule twice a day. The over- the-counter probiotics formula contained 10 billion live cultures, mainly Lactobacillus. After 12 days, the number of hours participants felt nauseated was reduced by 16 percent, and they vomited one- third fewer times. Constipation was also reduced.
Quality of life markers such as fatigue, poor appe- tite and difficulty maintaining normal social activi- ties also improved. Examining biomarkers in fecal samples, the researchers found the probiotics increased vitamin E and a bile salt enzyme that helps prevent vomiting and nausea.
In a second study published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Naples researchers explored whether a particular probiotic strain (Bifidobacterium animalis subspecies lactis BB-12) could help soothe babies with colic, a common gastrointestinal disorder in the first three months of life that studies have linked to maternal postpartum depression, parental guilt and frustration, drug use and long-term behavioral and sleep problems. They found that the probiotic reduced the duration of daily crying by 50 to 80 percent in the 40 infants that received it once daily for 28 days, compared to a 32 percent reduction among 40 babies receiving a placebo.
The probiotic also had beneficial effects on sleep duration and on stool frequency and consistency. It increased gut production of butyrate, which posi- tively regulates intestinal transit time, pain percep- tion, the gut-brain axis and inflammation.
https://bit.ly/3GZt8AI
Keep Moving to
Sidestep Depression
In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were sitting around a lot more and get-
ting depressed, report researchers from Iowa State University. Analyzing data between
April and June 2020 from 3,000 participants throughout the country, they found that peo- ple that ordinarily met the U.S. Physical Activ- ity Guidelines of exercising 2.5 to five hours a week reported cutting back their exercise rou- tines by 32 percent when pandemic restrictions kicked in. The same participants reported feeling
more depressed, anxious and lonely. In a second study in the following months, people’s mental health generally improved as they adjusted to life’s new rhythms. “But for people whose sitting times stayed high, their depressive symptoms, on average, didn’t recover in the same way as everyone else’s,” says lead author Jacob Meyer, assistant professor of kinesiology. He suggests taking short walks before and after Zoom calls at home, as well as walking around the block before and after the workday to mimic the pre- pandemic commute.
https://bit.ly/3G3kJuK
T
he gut environment is where trillions of microbial life forms control production of vitamins, manufacture of neurochemicals, the switching on and off of genes and expres- sion of hormones. Think of the gastrointesti- nal tract as an “engine” or control room. This microbial environment is so important that scientists and geneticists are currently con- ducting a global Human Microbiome Project in which new bacteria are being discovered and the role they play is being investigated.A principle of functional medicine and neurology is that the gut can influence brain health, too, through what is called the gut-brain axis, a two- way street of communication between the gut and the brain, connected via a the vagus nerve, which sends signals back and forth. Why this is significant is that the food we eat—and in turn, the food that
our microbiota eats—influences our health, longevity and well-being.
Eating food creates a parasympathetic state of being that is calm and nurturing, in which our bodies can focus on growth and repair. The body turns most of its energy to digesting food, allowing our microbiome to do the daily work of assimilating nutrients.
For example, as we begin chewing (or even think about eating) the pancreas releases digestive enzymes into the small intestine, helping to break down proteins, fats and
carbs. By contrast, eating in a stressed state won’t allow the gut to digest foods or
distribute nutrients properly.
The opposite of a parasympa- thetic tone is called our “fight- or-flight” survival response.
Stress that is perceived (mostly by the brain) will pull blood away from the gut. In a sympathetic
state, the brain signals the gut via the vagus nerve, which
Why We Are What We Eat
by Doug Pucci
immediately changes the gut environment.
Blood retreats from digestion and moves to other parts of the body such as muscles and heart into general circulation, where it is needed to rapidly increase oxygen supply.
Excessive stress physiology—sympa- thetic dominance—will cause an overgrowth of certain types of unhealthy bacteria in the gut that thrive in low oxygen environments.
Eventually, this will produce inflammation and a breakdown in the protective barrier systems that are designed to keep toxins and viruses out of circulation. To counteract this, we want to focus on enhanced parasympa- thetic tone. Things like deep breathing, and specifically nasal breathing typical of a yoga practice, or even a walk in the park, are great tools, as is a largely plant-based diet with a lot of prebiotic fiber for the microbiome.
To view a free, three-minute blood sugar quiz, visit DrPuc- ciBloodSugarQuiz. To learn about Dr. Doug Pucci’s Root Cause Solution to chronic health concerns, call 201-261-5430 or register at GetWell-Now.com/webinar.
M
isery is living in fear, seeing the world from a lack and limitation perspec- tive, and seeing ourselves as a physical body only. Misery is being disconnected from the divine and living a loveless life. Misery is listening to our ego.We were all created by the divine to forever be connected to each other and the divine. The energy we were created in was love. One purpose we all have is to live from love and extend love to ourselves and all others.
According to the book A Course in Miracles, before we were created, we were an idea in the mind of the divine. There is no way we can uncreate that idea of us.
There is no way we can delete the divine creation of us—who we really are. the divine creation of us cannot be undone, no matter what we do. We’re always and forever that divine idea. Sinlessness is guaranteed.
Something happened, and we veered from this connection with the divine and divine alignment with love. With our thoughts, feelings and beliefs, we, as a collective consciousness, created a world of fear, lack, limitation, confusion, stress, anxiety and chaos. We now see ourselves as separate from each other, and we fear what another can do to us. We fear we can be obliterated by the power of another that is also disconnected from the divine and disconnected from the Reality of Love.
We can get back to our divine align- ment. We can start living in the real world of love. A Course in Miracles defines en- lightenment as a shift in self-identification from body identification to spirit or soul identification.
Metaphorically, if we identify ourselves as separate waves in the ocean, we would fear obliteration by the other waves. But if we identify as a wave in the ocean connect- ed to all other waves, we would connect to the power of the whole ocean. We would be in the oneness of the universe and we could love ourselves, love others and extend love out into the universe.
Once we identify ourselves as a soul, we see the world differently. We see our- selves differently. We are able to tap into our inner peace and unconditional love. We can understand ourselves as magnificent and divine. It is a choice.
When we see the world differently, we get out of misery we (as a collective consciousness) created. We can start to live our lives thinking thoughts from a divine perspective. We can see each other as soul’s on a spiritual journey seeking their magnifi-
cence and beyond.
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Lessons from Chinese New Year
by Lois Kramer-Perez
C
Year shows hinese New up every year between mid-January and mid- February, depending on the lunarcycle. This year, it arrives on February 1. It is better to begin when we are able than to give up and do nothing; it’s always the right time get started.
Our relationship with ourselves is the core of all relationships, so get inspired to feel positive, energetic and ready for new beginnings. On Chinese New Year Day or the first day of a new month to set the tone:
n Upon waking, say the first words we speak with love and sweetness to ensure love and sweetness every day in the new year, new month or new beginning.
n Refrain from yelling, crying, fighting or speaking of negative, hurtful things.
n Reach out to someone that we haven’t spoken with in a while and say a cheery hello.
n Wear something new, including some red to invite prosperity, recognition and fun.
n If working, do so with an attitude of gratitude, enjoying tasks and feeling how everything is moving along smoothly, easily and prosperously.
n Celebrate this new beginning sharing time with loved ones, choosing what we want to create more of in this new year, month or new beginning.
Lois Kramer-Perez is a certified feng shui practitioner and master teacher. For more in- formation, call 201-906-5767 or email Lois@
LoisKramerPerez.com. See ad, page11.
health briefs We Are All Waves in the Ocean
by Anne Deatly
P
eople usually just wan to feel good, like when they are lying on the beach, listen- ing to birds in the forest, playing with kids or helping someone. Feel good includes both physical and mental health.To have good physical health but a compromised mental status does not allow us to fully benefit from the physical health and vice-versa. The two are tightly interwo- ven and flow into each other. It is impos- sible to separate them. Fortunately, we can control your physical and mental health to a great degree, changing it permanently or just temporarily adjusting to conditions we cannot change today. Be mindful of enjoying life each day, changing what we can each day
for the better. This is what life is for.
Doctors are mostly involved with physical health, and will use all tools possible to help restore and maintain it, but mental health is equally important. In reality, they are two sides of the same coin.
Roman E. Finn, M.D., is the owner of the Center for Integrative & Traditional Medicine, located at 22 Madison Ave., in Paramus.
For appointments and more information, call 201-291-0401 or visit citm-drfinn.com. See ad, back cover.
We Can Control Our Health
B
rush and flossing regularly should make us feel confident about the state of our mouth, but then a scheduled exam reveals decay or even gum disease. A lot can happen in the months between dental visits, and brushing and flossing are not the only factors that affect oral health.Saliva has a number of important jobs, such as washing away food debris and delivering minerals to the teeth to keep their protective enamel strong and intact. It also helps neutralize acids that could otherwise destroy enamel, making teeth more vulner- able to decay. Some of those acids come from what we eat and drink. Others come from the metabolic waste of bacteria that feast on sugars and starches in what we consume, including any foods made from white flour and other refined carbs.
In a healthy mouth, it takes about 20 to 30 minutes for saliva to return the environ- ment to a neutral state. In an unhealthy mouth, conditions can remain more acidic on a day-to-day basis. Regularly check- ing our oral pH can give us a good read on current oral health. This was demonstrated years ago in a simple study. Three hundred patients took part: 100 with healthy gums, 100 with chronic gingivitis (early stage gum disease), and 100 with chronic periodonti- tis (advanced gum disease). Saliva samples were taken from each and then analyzed.
Compared to their peers with healthy gums, those with periodontitis had more acidic mouths. Those with gingivitis tended to have the most alkaline mouths. This is because alkaline conditions are essential for plaque growth. That plaque irritates the gums, trig- gering inflammation. Ideally, our oral pH should be around 7.0, which is true neutral.
All we need are test strips. To make sure to get an accurate result, don’t eat or drink anything for at least two hours before testing the saliva. Then, fill the mouth with saliva and swallow or spit it out. Fill the mouth with saliva again and place a small amount on a test strip. To determine the pH of the sample, compare the color of the strip to the chart on its container
If saliva is consistently acidic, the place
to start fixing that is diet. While each person’s specific needs can vary, the ideal is a diet centered on real, minimally processed food, with lots of fresh produce and limited refined grains and added sugars (even natural or healthier choices like honey, molasses and agave). Think paleo, keto, Wise Traditions and similar ways of eating. Most common beverages tend toward the acidic—even unflavored, unsweetened seltzers—and so should be enjoyed only occasionally.
Flat water should be the go-to. But even some brands of flat water can actually be acidic. One study of a dozen bottled or tap water sources found that half of them had pH levels below 7.0, despite the claims given in water quality reports or on websites. This in- cluded the two most readily available brands, Dasani and Aquafina. Both samples of tap water that they tested were slightly alkaline.
Of course, both also contained fluoride. That, at least, can be removed before drinking.
Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS, is the founder of The Holistic Dental Center of New Jersey, in Millburn. For appointments or more information, call 973-457- 4244 or visit HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com. See ad on page 2.
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global briefs
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Super Shader
Solar Canopies Green Urban Parking Lots
When large collections of photovol- taic panels are erected as solar farms on undeveloped land,
they can harm underlying ecosystems. As an alter- native, large parking lots make use of land that is already cleared and produce electricity close to where it’s needed. Plus, they can also shade the cars. A solar parking facility at Rutgers University, in Piscataway, New Jersey, boasts an output of eight megawatts of electricity.
If Walmart converted all 3,571 of its U.S. super center lots, the total capacity would be 11.1 gigawatts of solar power, roughly equivalent to a dozen, large, coal-fired power plants.
Most solar installation presently occupy croplands, arid lands and grasslands, not rooftops or parking lots, ac- cording to a global inventory published in Nature. Building alternative power sources quickly is important to replace fossil fuels and avert catastrophic climate change, and the process is cheaper and easier to manage by building on undeveloped land than on rooftops or in parking lots.
Ironically, putting solar facilities on undeveloped land is often not much better than building subdivisions there.
Rebecca Hernandez, an ecologist at the University of California at Davis, notes that developers tend to bulldoze sites, removing all of the above-ground vegetation. That’s bad for insects and the birds that feed on them. The trend to cluster solar facilities in buffer zones around protected areas can confuse birds and other wildlife and complicate migratory corridors. https://bit.ly/3qYsi1C
Friendly Flights
Airplanes Soar on the Power of Sunlight
Carbon-neutral fuels are crucial for making air and sea transport sustainable. Aldo Steinfeld, professor of renewable energy sources at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, and a team of researchers have been operating a mini solar refin- ery for two years. He says, “This plant successfully demonstrates the technical feasibility of ... converting sunlight and ambient air into drop-in fuels. The system operates stably under real-world solar conditions and provides a unique platform for further research and development.” The technology is now ready for industrial application. The plant will be used to produce synthetic liquid fuels that release CO2 extracted directly from ambient air during their combustion using solar energy. The process yields syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, that can be processed into kerosene, methanol or other hydrocarbons.
Johan Lilliestam, a research group leader at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies and professor of energy policy at the University of Potsdam, explains, “Unlike with biofuels whose potential is limited due to the scarcity of agricultural land, this technology enables us to meet global demand for jet fuel by using less than 1 percent of the world’s arid land, and would not compete with the production of food or livestock feed.” Given the high initial investment cost, solar fuels will need political support while the price of solar kerosene is high and production capacities are low. This would have little impact on the cost of flying, but would promote the construction of production facilities and lead to lower prices. https://bit.ly/3tUQwvC
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Almond Joy
Nut Milk Carries Hefty Environmental Burden
To grow one orange requires 14 gallons of water, a cup of coffee 35 gallons, one potato 100 gallons, a glass of dairy milk 48 gallons and a half-cup of tofu 61 gallons. One almond (technically a seed, not a tree nut) needs about 3.2 gallons to reach maturity; almost 1,300 gallons are needed to grow a pound. The source of almond milk, although positioned as an eco-friendly alter-
native to cow’s milk, is usually treated with methoxyfenozide, which threatens honeybee health. With a global market of more than $5 bil- lion, the beverage’s footprint is increasingly detrimental
to the drought-plagued state of California.
Walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios con- sume as much water or more, but
almonds are in higher demand.
The “Eureka” state supplies 80 percent of the world’s almond supply, covering more than 1.5 million acres in the Central Valley.
Water from ancient aquifers there is be- ing pumped out for irrigation faster than it can be recharged.
According to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, almond orchards were treated with more pes- ticides than any other local crop in 2017. Harmful chemicals are sprayed year-round to combat ants, mites, leafrollers, peach twig borers and weeds. Also, fertilizer pollution can spike drinking water with hazardous nitrates. Instead, con- sumers can purchase milk that is packaged in sustainably sourced and recyclable materials and buy shelf-stable milk to conserve energy from refrigeration.
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“ D
oes your wife show you her love?” In a study of 10,000 married men, this question turned out to be revelatory.Among men with high levels of anxiety, a whopping 93 percent that answered “No” developed angina-related chest pains within five years—nearly twice the rate of those answering “Yes.”
This 1976 Israeli study was one of the first to clearly document how emotions affect the physical heart. Today, the research is so vast and compelling that last year, the American Heart Association issued a statement urging that psychological factors be taken into account in cardiovascular care—which may result in doctors asking patients about depression and anxiety as well as testing for blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
“What’s on your mind really does affect your heart,” says leading researcher and cardiologist Michael Miller, M.D., author of Heal Your Heart and director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical System. “Our hearts require emo- tional health in order to maintain cardiovascular health.”
Two emerging fields are probing the mind-heart connection:
neurocardiology, which studies their neurological interplay; and behavioral cardiology, which examines how psychological and social factors lead to heart disease. Increasingly, researchers are document- ing that the brain and the heart form an intricate feedback loop that works neurologically, biochemically and electromagnetically to optimize well-being. What hurts one—be it artery-clogging foods or angry outbursts—can hurt the other. What heals one—be it exercis- ing or a good belly laugh—can heal the other. There’s good news in that, says Miller: “You can heal your heart by actively engaging in positive emotions each and every day.”
Unveiling the Heart’s Role
In Western medicine, the heart has been downplayed historically as a pump mechanistically taking orders from a bossy brain, but recently, the heart’s role is being reexamined: With 40,000 neurons, it sends more signals to the brain than it receives. As integrative cardiologist Mimi Guarneri, author of The Heart Speaks, puts it, “The heart is a
The Heart-Mind Connection
How Thoughts and Emotions Affect Our Heart Health
by Ronica O’Hara
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emotions can’t heal,” says Miller. A large body of research has shown that cardiovascular disease risk can be reduced by up to half with op- timism, a sense of humor, forgiveness, social support, religious faith, vitality, gratitude, altruistic behavior, emotional flexibility and coping flexibility. People that are optimistic are less likely to be rehospital- ized or die from heart disease, Finnish researchers report.
“For optimal health, maximize the health of both brain and heart.
For example, if you eat well and exercise, but are still stressed out, your heart will suffer. Conversely, if you are not stressed out, but overeat and do not exercise, your brain will suffer,” says Miller. Some heart-and-mind-healthy strategies include:
DOING THE BASICS. Exercising a half-hour daily and eating a largely plant-based, Mediterranean-type diet that’s low in saturated fats has been found in numerous studies to lower the risk of both cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. Working with health practitioners to get blood pressure, blood sugar and inflammation levels under control, perhaps using supplements or medications, is also a key preventive step.
GIVING AND GETTING HUGS. Oxytocin, the “love hormone”
released from the pituitary gland during touching and hugging, low- ers blood pressure and heart rate, and regenerates new heart tissue in animal studies. Proactively reaching out to family, friends, neighbors and co-workers can nurture affectionate ties, but if a human isn’t nearby, even hugging a teddy bear has been shown to release oxy- tocin—which may explain why 40 percent of U.S. adults sleep with stuffed animals. Owning a dog, but not necessarily a cat, makes us more likely to survive a heart attack, report researchers.
MINDFULLY LETTING GO. As studies with police officers, healthcare workers and firefighters have demonstrated, mindfulness training effectively lowers anxiety and depression, even for those in life-threatening situations. “To be present, ever acutely aware of our thoughts, emotions, feelings and how we are choosing to react is critical,” says cardiologist Cynthia Thaik, author of Your Vibrant Heart and the founder of the Holistic Heart Healing Center, in Los Angeles. “Once we are aware of our reaction, the ability to let go—of judgment, doubt, anger, resentment, fear, all our negative thoughts, emotions and feelings—is crucial to our healing process.”
LAUGHING A LOT. Many of us have a chuckle deficit in our lives:
The average 5-year-old laughs up to 300 times a day, the average adult only four. To lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, find ways to laugh long and hard—such as watching hilarious films or videos on YouTube or TikTok. Physiologically, the endorphins released by a hearty belly laugh bind to receptors that release nitric oxide, relaxing blood vessels.
BREATHWORK. To bring the mind and heart into a healthy, coherent rhythmic pattern, the HeartMath Institute suggests heart- focused breathing, which involves imagining that we are breathing in through the heart as we inhale in a smooth, comfortable manner to the count of five or six, then breathing out for five or six counts while visualizing that the breath is flowing out of the heart.
MEDITATION. People that practice meditation are significantly less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, perhaps because it has multilayered, complex organ, possessing intelligence, memory and
decision-making abilities independent from the mind.”
The electromagnetic field it generates is about 100 times stronger than the brain’s magnetic range and can be detected up to three feet away from the body, report researchers at the pioneering Heart- Math Institute, in Boulder Creek, California. They found that one person’s brain waves can synchronize to another person’s heart and two hearts can synchronize to each other, which may help explain why people are drawn to or repelled by each other. When the heart’s rhythm pattern becomes erratic and disordered during stress and negative emotions, they report, the neural signals travel- ing to the brain’s emotional centers also get disrupted, hindering clear thinking and reasoning—which may help explain why we make dubious decisions under stress.
The High Toll of Tough Emotions
Although scientists debate whether emotions start in the brain, heart or from physical sensations elsewhere in the body, it’s clear through magnetic imaging technology that it’s the brain’s task to process and regulate emotions via the flow of neurotransmitters through the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and other brain regions. Emotions like anger, fear, grief and anxiety set off a cascade of reactions involving the hormone cortisol and proteins called cytokines, creating an inflammatory response that, if it becomes chronic, can promote the accumulation of plaque in the arteries that can become unstable and rupture, triggering blood clots that lead to strokes and heart attacks.
Surveying 25,000 participants in 52 countries, the landmark INTERHEART Study in 2004 concluded that about 30 percent of heart attacks and strokes are due to psychological factors, and ongoing research supports this finding.
DEPRESSION. Adults that are depressed are twice as likely to develop heart disease. In one study, moderate to severe depression quadrupled the death rate in heart failure patients.
ANXIETY. Researchers have linked chronic anxiety with a 48 percent increased risk of cardiac-related death over 11 years. It has also been shown to be a risk factor for angina, heart attacks and ventricular arrhythmia.
SHOCK. A sudden emotional or physical shock, like a death in the family or an earthquake, can trigger stress cardiomyopathy, known as broken heart syndrome, which resembles a heart attack.
ANGER. An episode of intense fury—described as “body tense, clenching fists or teeth, ready to burst”—increases by 8.5 times the risk of a heart attack within the next two hours.
LONELINESS. Being socially isolated and lonely is linked to a higher risk for cardiovascular death than hypertension and obe- sity—alarming information since more than 60 percent of Ameri- cans report feeling lonely, left out, poorly understood and lacking companionship, according to a 2020 survey.
Boosting Both Brain and Heart
“There’s no damage caused by negative emotions that positive
†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
been shown to lower heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, oxygen consumption and cortisol levels. Alzheimer’s expert Dharma Singh Khalsa, author of Meditation as Medicine, advocates kirtan kriya, a 12-minute, daily meditation that includes chanting, finger movements and visualization. Research has demonstrated that it slows cognitive decline, eases depression and increases anti-aging telomerase activity at a cellular level by 43 percent in eight weeks.
YOGA OR TAI CHI. In studies, yoga has been shown to lower inflammation and metabolic syndrome markers linked to heart disease and reduce atrial fibrillation episodes. The slow, graceful movements of tai chi reportedly lower blood pressure and strengthen the hearts of people with heart failure.
MUSIC. Whether it involves listening, playing an instrument or singing, music has been shown to lower heart rate, reduce inflamma- tion, enable longer exercise periods, ease anxiety after heart surgery and heart attacks, and help stroke victims regain the ability to speak.
Choose music of whatever genre inspires joy and sing along for extra benefit, advises Miller. “If your partner is flummoxed by your enthu- siasm for yodeling or your neighbor doesn’t exactly approve of your attempts at arias, kindly inform him or her it’s doctor’s orders,” he jokes in Heal Your Heart.
Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be contacted at OHaraRonica@gmail.
com. https://bit.ly/3H0SvSR
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Truly Making Love
Sex and Intimacy as a Healing Force
by Marlaina Donato
I
ntimately connecting with a loved one is one of life’s most precious gifts, but it’s easy to lose sight of our innate sensual energy in the maze of the mundane. Through lovemaking, we can harness our life force, and according to abundant research, reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, manage pain and improve brain health. A significant correlation also exists between higher ejaculation frequency and a reduced risk for prostate cancer later in life, Boston University researchers report in European Urology.Making love is also good for boosting our natural immunity.
College students that engaged in amorous activity once or twice a week—especially with long-term partners—had 30 percent higher levels of the antibody immunoglobulin A in their saliva, concluded research by Wilkes University, in Pennsylvania.
Stripping Down to Basics
A few lifestyle adjustments can do wonders for worn-out ro- mance. Quality sleep itself can be a potent aphrodisiac. Women are more likely to be “in the mood” after a good night’s sleep, even with just an extra hour of shut-eye, according to a 2015 pilot study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Therapist Kurt Smith, clinical director of Guy Stuff Counseling and Coaching, in Roseville, California, advocates limiting phone use and engaging in non-technological activities. “Phones have moved from being used as a communication device to becom- ing many people’s connection to the rest of the world. Unfortu- nately, when used as such, they pose a threat to the emotional connection with our partners,” he says. “With all distractions removed, sit on the sofa, face each other and talk. This sugges- tion can make many people very uncomfortable, because they have no idea what they’d say to their partner. Actually, talking to your partner without a purpose other than to just listen and connect with each other has become rare.”
An element of fun can go a long way in the quest to stay connected. “Approach your sex life like a science experiment or an art project instead of a math problem,” says Jamie Elizabeth Thompson, a holistic intimacy expert in Austin. “It’s an explo- ration with no one right answer. Attitude is important when it comes to sex because people can take it so seriously and place crippling pressure on having this fantasy Hollywood sex life.”
Aphrodite’s Plate
Feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and oxy- tocin all contribute to the pleasure response, and sharing lus- cious food with a lover can be sensuous, as well as endorphin- friendly. Nutritious foods such as almonds, walnuts, asparagus and avocados support reproductive health, and a dessert of dark chocolate and honey-drizzled fruits like berries, figs and cherries can support libido in both women and men. Nixing excessive alcohol and sugar is also a good romantic investment.
Partnership as Sacred
Deep relationship is only possible when we are willing to be vulnerable. “Porn is a drug that people unknowingly use to self-
medicate and manage uncomfortable thoughts and emotions,”
explains Smith. “Many men have no idea what they’re missing because they’ve never had an emotionally intimate relation- ship without the negative influence of porn. Porn makes sex self-focused, rather than what it’s supposed to be, which is the intimate connection of two people. Porn is selfish, rather than loving, giving and sharing with a partner.”
Thompson attests that lovemaking can help us align with the divine, especially “when people have reverence for the power of their erotic life force. When people open their view of what sex is, it can become an act of worship.”
Love prompts us to become more ourselves. “When erotic life force is flowing freely, the body is vital and the system is turned on. When channeled properly, this energy is highly creative,”
muses Thompson. “It’s the fuel of your vehicle, the charge of your battery, and when you are full on life force, it organically overflows into service.”
Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at WildflowerLady.com. https://bit.ly/3qZ3oiv
JessBaileyDesigns /Pexels.com
Fun Homework for Couples
From Kurt Smith: Remain connected by having “no-tech nights”. Try turning all devices off for an evening and find something to do together that doesn’t require them. This could be watching a movie, playing board games (yes, they still exist), going out for dessert, etc. It can be fun to brain- storm creative, low-cost ideas.
From Jamie Elizabeth Thompson: Journal about why sex and intimacy are important to you, how it serves the rest of your life and what you see available through having a consistent, potent, deep, hot erotic life. Share this vision with your partner and keep it somewhere you see it often. Know- ing why something is a priority makes you far more likely to follow through.
Flirt with each other. Couples who flirt their way through their communication fight much less. Flirting creates a play- ful, fun flow of energy between you. It’s a way of keeping the fire stoked so you’re not completely restarting from cold coals every time you want to heat up the house.
conscious eating
I
f fermented food is a trend, it’s the oldest one on the planet. More and more people are rediscovering the time-honored foodways of fermentation to promote health, boost flavor and pre- serve the bounty of the seasons. “There is huge potential to use high-quality fer- mented foods to enhance our health and well-being,” says Sandor Katz, a so-called“fermentation revivalist”, in Liberty, Ten- nessee, and the author of several bestsell- ing books on fermentation, including the newly released Sandor Katz’s Fermenta- tion Journeys: Recipes, Techniques, and Traditions from Around the World.
Katz caught the fermentation bug after moving from New York City to rural Tennessee in the 1990s and being faced with the “positive problem” of an overly plentiful garden to preserve. He’s since wandered the globe teaching and learn- ing about fermentation traditions, from Korea’s spicy kimchi to Mexico’s funky pineapple tepache drink.
Fermentation is defined as the chemical breakdown of a food by bacteria, yeasts or other microorganisms. An estimated one-third of all foods are fermented, including coffee, cured meats, cheese, condiments and chocolate. Pickles and yogurt are traditionally fermented through lactic acid bacteria, while beer and bread are typically fermented through yeast. Kombucha, an ancient tea drink, is made using a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria.
Pascal Baudar, a Los Angeles writer, instructor and self-proclaimed “culi- nary alchemist,” turned to fermentation techniques to preserve the precious wild ingredients of the fleeting seasons. His books and workshops cover unusual
Fermenting for Foodies
P reserving F ood and T radiTions
by April Thompson
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