MY STORY OF BROKEN HEART SYNDROME

DISCLAIMER: This is NOT medical advice. This is the story of my personal choice to use alternative treatments to help heal my heart condition. I am not suggesting that anyone should do as I did. YOU are responsible for your own personal medical health. Do your own research.

BACKSTORY
I’m 58, diabetic and insulin resistant (metabolic syndrome). I’ve been in a miserable marriage with an alcoholic for 33+ years. He worked for 16 years, then was mostly unemployed for 7 years, at a time when the economy took a huge hit. We lost all of his retirement money, from the economy tanking, and to not lose our house. The stress from this relationship is enormous. Why haven’t I left? Because I have not been able to be financially independent. I have been working on it for years and have endured many setbacks. So here I am.

THE TRIGGER
The trigger was multi-faceted. Keep in mind chronic underlying stress with no reprieve. Without going into the ugly details, he was fired from yet another job after 5 years. I really thought we were back on track, but it was not so. I was so angry that he did this – because he did indeed do it, on purpose. Four days after he told me he was fired I had a gall bladder attack. For anyone familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine, or the concept of different emotions being held in different organs of the body, you will know that anger is held in the liver/gall bladder. The gall bladder is intimately connected to everything having to do with the liver.
https://www.verywellmind.com/emotions-in-traditional-chinese-medicine-88196

German New Medicine (that I have taken a recent interest in) also holds that an emotionally distressing event that we could not anticipate, and for which we were not prepared, can have a biological impact on the body. (And this is exactly what Broken Heart Syndrome is). From a biological point of view “unexpected” implies that an unprepared-for situation could be detrimental for the one who was caught off-guard. In order to support the organism during the unforeseen crisis, a Significant Biological Special Program, on stand-by for exactly that conflict, is instantly activated.
https://learninggnm.com/SBS/documents/five_laws.html

So, I was activated/triggered by him getting fired. My health was immediately affected. Thankfully with my nutritional therapy training I was able to get my gall bladder back to normal fairly quickly. A beet and Vitamin C supplement, reduced fat intake for a short time, and Red LED over my gall bladder had things back to normal within a week.

Another issue that I have discovered over recent years with him is that anytime I eat food that he cooks, or just food that he chooses, I end up getting sick because it usually involves starches that I need to cut back on, but I also believe that his negative energy transfers into the food he makes, and this has a negative effect on me. He had bought a large acorn squash 2 months previous, and I had been avoiding it because it’s too much starch (sugars) for me. But it was getting old, and I hate food waste, so I made it for dinner one night. My blood sugar had been high that morning, but I didn’t think it would be too bad since I had fasted the whole day. Boy was I wrong. Twenty minutes after I ate, I began to feel a welling/growing pain in my heart. I should mention that I had already been having some minor heart pains for the week leading up to “The Big One”.

What I believe happened, after much research, is that the squash that night was such an enormous sugar hit to my already high blood sugar, plus my underlying chronic stress, that it caused massive stress on my system. When your body is in a state of stress, you end up secreting a hormone called adrenaline which also causes a release of glucose. When a stressful situation triggers adrenaline production, you may start to sweat, feel your heart is racing or pounding and even be dizzy or lightheaded, and I was all of those things. But unlike the minor pains I had been experiencing leading up to this, I could not breathe my way out of this one. While adrenaline is a response to short-term stress, it can also trigger a process that leads your body to produce another stress-related hormone, called cortisol, which is more associated with long-term stress, and also raises blood sugar. For people with diabetes, repeated increases in glucose caused by adrenaline and cortisol can make it harder to control their blood sugar. (ME!)

I believe that all this blood sugar and hormonal action, coupled with my intense emotional state (which is also hormonal) is what triggered the stress cardiomyopathy, which is what Broken Heart Syndrome is. The squash was just the straw that broke the camel’s back (or heart in this case).

My heart literally broke. Physically, emotionally, and metaphorically.

WHAT IS BROKEN HEART SYNDROME?
It's called Takotsubo Syndrome, also known as Broken Heart Syndrome (BHS), Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, and stress-induced cardiomyopathy. It is a recently discovered acute cardiac disease first described in Japan in 1991.

What happens is extreme emotional stress causes the left ventricle of the heart to balloon out (that was the "welling" feeling I experienced) and become shaped like an ancient pot, which in Japan is used as an octopus trap and is called a Takotsubo.

When you experience a stressful event, your body produces hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline that are meant to help cope with the stress. The heart muscle can be overwhelmed by a massive amount of adrenaline that is suddenly produced in response to stress.

It is believed that because the female hormone estrogen helps to protect the heart from the harmful effects of adrenaline, women become particularly vulnerable to the effects of sudden stress as they grow older, and their estrogen levels decline. (I have very low estrogen).

This condition is mainly seen in women over 50, post-menopausal, and with diabetes. (ME!)

Depression and anxiety are common in patients with BHS. Depressed patients have an exaggerated norepinephrine response to emotional stress, and patients with anxiety have decreased re-absorption of norepinephrine because of failure in re-uptake transporters.

Interestingly, there is a lack of myocardial damage in patients with BHS, suggesting that the damage to the dysfunctional myocardium (the heart's muscle layer, which is responsible for the heart's pumping activity) is temporary.

Most patients with BHS have completely normal coronary arteries and make a full recovery within a matter of days to a few weeks. To date, there are no specific or standardized treatments for patients with BHS. Because this is a temporary heart condition, the aim of treatment is to give supportive therapy and minimize complications.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/takotsubo-cardiomyopathy-broken-heart-syndrome
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4110608/

ER/HOSPITAL
As if the heart situation itself wasn’t stressful enough, the medical staff at the ER was not very good at reducing stress for their patient. In fact, they were quite adept at their scare tactics and making the situation feel much more stressful. All I could think of was wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. But because of my blood markers increasing over the course of several hours, they insisted I be admitted to the hospital. This alone was so extremely stressful to me that I began to have another attack on the spot. They did nothing but say this was more reason to be admitted to the hospital. So, I went along with it.

Once in the actual hospital, the first thing that happened was the breakfast they brought me, stating I was to be on a “Cardiac Diet”. I laughed at that because I knew what that meant, and I told her straight up that wasn’t going to happen. The “food” that arrived was a joke. Remember, I am diabetic. The tray consisted of French Toast, sugar-free fake maple syrup, a bowl of fruit, and a can of apple juice! A high-carb fiesta! I couldn’t believe it (well, yes, I could)! I said NO WAY! So, she asked what I wanted instead, and I said bacon and eggs, but I never got them.

Then the cardiologist showed up. They wanted me to take a stress test, which was to walk on a treadmill that increased in speed and incline. I knew (in my heart) that I would not pass because I have never done well on treadmills or hills, not in 20 years. Thankfully before the stress test they do an ultrasound/echocardiogram to see the physical state of the heart. And based on that they decided it would be a bad idea to make me do the stress test. I was so relieved. Instead, they did another, more in depth, ultrasound/echocardiogram, and I believe that was when they discovered the specific low function of the left ventricle. I was able to get the tech to point out what she was looking at and where the heart wasn’t functioning fully. The cardiologist is supposed to go over the results with the patient, but instead she just said my heart wasn’t functioning properly and my choices were an angiogram or drugs (or more likely, both!). I was not given an exact interpretation of the ultrasound by the cardiologist. And for my subscribers/patrons and my friends, you know how much I research and do not take kindly to information being withheld. I knew something wasn’t right, and the entire time I was in the ER/hospital I just could not shake the feeling of needing to get out of there as fast as possible. So, I told the cardiologist that I would take the prescriptions for the meds, and I would think about the angiogram and get back to her, and that I was ready to check out. So, I did.

PHARMACEUTICALS vs NATURAL ALTERNATIVES
After all their scare tactics, I had no intention of going back. Nor did I have any intention of taking their pharmaceuticals. The “Top Four Drugs we give ALL cardiac patients” because that is the legally agreed upon “Standard of Care” for cardiac patients. No thank you.

After much research, I decided to go my own way, and heal myself the way I knew was best for me - through nature. I rejected the angiogram because based on research about Takotsubo Syndrome, most patients have completely normal coronary arteries, meaning no blockages, and I knew this was true about myself because I have been taking Omega 3s for years and they are known to thin the blood and are anti-inflammatory. My issue is stress, not blocked arteries. (And I am aware that stress can cause blocked arteries, but I have been working on mitigating that for a very long time).

I knew that there had to be natural alternatives to the “Top 4 Cardiac Drugs” so as soon as I got home, I started my research and talked with a couple of friends who have dealt with heart issues themselves. I quickly found out how bad one of the drugs was, and I already knew how bad another was, and I knew I already had alternatives for the other two. So, it wasn’t hard to come up with much healthier natural alternatives, both in supplement and food forms.

You all know that I try to stay non-product aligned and I avoid naming brands so that you do your own research to find the products, tools, and supplements that work for you. But in this case, I will share the exact brands and products I have found as my alternative treatment to heal myself naturally. I’ll tell you a little about the pharmaceutical that was recommended, and then I’ll tell you about the natural alternative for that drug. There are also foods, treatments, and lifestyle techniques that can be used to heal.

Anti-Anxiety/Stress Reduction
*Pharmaceutical: This aspect was overlooked by the doctors. They offered nothing to help with stress reduction.

*Natural: One of my longtime favorite natural remedies for reducing anxiety is DIGESTIVE BITTERS in a tincture form. Digestive bitters are distilled-down, concentrated blends of different bitter herbs and plants. These bitters are a liquid that is taken by dropperful onto the back of the tongue where we have bitter receptors that are stimulated by the tincture. By stimulating the bitter receptors, the body naturally goes into a calmed, rest and digest, parasympathetic state, because it thinks it needs to prepare for food to enter the stomach. Stomach acid can only be produced when the body is in a parasympathetic state. So not only do digestive bitters help with digestion, they also help with relieving anxiety, and they help the body to calm down. My favorite, not horrible tasting, bitter is Wise Woman Herbals Bittersweet Elixir. It has a lower alcohol content and contains dandelion root, gentian, elecampane, fennel, ginger, turmeric, slippery elm and fennel essential oil in a base of mountain spring water, honey and organic cane alcohol.
https://wisewomanherbals.com/products/bittersweet-elixir

There also exists a non-alcohol-based product, Flora Swedish Bitters is well known but has a much different ingredient profile. I have not tried this one.
https://www.florahealth.com/products/swedish-bitters-alcohol-free

An alternative to a tincture, is to eat more bitter foods directly. All of the same benefits apply, but it’s a slower result for a healthier body. Tincture = fast acting, food = slow sustained results to keep you healthy and balanced. Here are some lists of bitter foods that can be incorporated.
https://www.ayurvedum.com/bitter-foods/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a38982936/bitter-foods/
https://www.healthyhildegard.com/17-bitter-foods/

One of the best methods of stress reduction that we can all do is to BREATHE! When we are in constant stress, we often forget to breathe, and we tend to breathe very shallow, at the top of our lungs, or even through our mouths. We need to breathe DEEP, through the nose, fill up our lungs, and feel our diaphragm expand. Nose breathing in particular is extremely beneficial to the body because it creates nitric oxide in the nasal cavity through an enzymatic reaction. Nitric oxide in the nasal cavity is anti-viral and helps protect us from incoming invaders, and when the nitric oxide is breathed into the lungs it gets transported through the blood to help dilate blood vessels for more fluid blood flow. Research has shown us that nitric oxide has a confirmed function of the destruction of viruses, parasitic organisms, and malignant cells in the airways and lungs by inactivating their respiratory chain enzymes. Nitric oxide inhibits the replication of influenza viruses, probably during the early steps of the viruses’ replication cycle, involving the synthesis of vRNA and mRNA encoding viral proteins. Thus, nitric oxide is responsible for the treatment of the flu by inactivating the replication of the influenza virus.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/36290900 (my article)
Deep diaphragmatic breathing has many other benefits to the body. Not only does breathing keep you alive, but the rhythmic expansion and contraction of the diaphragm has at least two known benefits – it exercises the Lower Esophageal Sphincter, and it tones the Vagus Nerve.
The Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) which is the sphincter at the bottom of your esophagus that closes the top entrance to your stomach, is located right at the level of the diaphragm and is surrounded by it, so when you breathe through the diaphragm it exercises the LES. This strengthens it and helps to keep food in the stomach, reducing the symptoms of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disorder (GERD).
Deep diaphragmatic breathing stimulates your vagus nerve, which activates your parasympathetic nervous system, and improves your heart rate variability (HRV), which is the measurement of variations within beat-to-beat intervals.
https://breathwork-science.org/2017/06/13/diaphragmatic-breathing-exercises-and-your-vagus-nerve/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7602530/

My technique for deep diaphragmatic breathing is an extension of Dr. Weil’s 4-7-8 Technique. I do 5-7-9 because it extends the inhale and the exhale by one count making it even more calming. Always inhale through the nose. I find that three cycles are sufficient for grounding. Controlled breathing helps the heart to calm down, and the 7-count hold allows a bit of carbon dioxide to accumulate in the lungs/blood which has a calming effect.
https://www.drweil.com/videos-features/videos/breathing-exercises-4-7-8-breath/

Blood Thinners
*Pharmaceutical: ASPIRIN – Aspirin is a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to thin the blood in heart patients.
A large study in BMJ (May 9, 2017) confirmed earlier reports that people who take NSAIDs are at higher risk for heart attacks. “All NSAIDs, including naproxen, were found to be associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction.”
https://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1909
“Mini-dose aspirin, even at a dosage of 75 mg/day, caused significant changes in renal function and uric acid handling within 1 week.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10643705/
“Low-dose aspirin therapy may adversely affect the kidneys in elderly patients.”
https://doctor.ndtv.com/news/low-dose-aspirin-affects-kidneys-1702134
“Kidney damage from nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8313037/
“Aspirin No Longer Recommended to Prevent First Heart Attack, Stroke”
https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20220427/aspirin-no-longer-recommended-prevent-heart-attack-stroke
“FDA Recommends Against Using Aspirin for Primary Prevention of Heart Attack or Stroke.”
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-consumers-and-patients-drugs/use-aspirin-primary-prevention-heart-attack-and-stroke

*Natural: OMEGA 3s are natural blood thinners, they are anti-inflammatory, and they are a part of every phospholipid molecule in the body. Omega 3s are nature’s blood thinner that lets the blood clot when it should but not when it should not. They act sort of like aspirin to make platelets less sticky and reduce their tendency to form clots. Overall, research indicates that consuming fish and other types of seafood as part of a balanced diet promotes heart health, especially when the seafood is consumed in place of less healthy foods. Fish oil and other omega-3 supplements lower triglyceride levels and might reduce the risk of some cardiovascular endpoints, especially among people with low dietary omega-3 intakes. Evidence of a protective effect for omega-3 supplementation is stronger for people with existing coronary heart disease than for healthy individuals.
In 2004, the FDA approved a qualified health claim for conventional foods and dietary supplements that contain EPA and DHA. This health claim states, “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”
https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
“Why Omega 3s are Anti-inflammatory” (my article)
https://www.patreon.com/posts/46818918
“Fish consumption, omega-3 fatty acids and risk of heart failure: a meta-analysis.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22682084/
“Cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16979604/

GINGER has gained interest among the scientific community for its potential to treat various aspects of cardiovascular disease, in part due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiplatelet, hypotensive, and hypolipidemic effects. These effects have all been scientifically proven although exact doses are tricky to determine in humans. Antiplatelet therapy is an effective approach for preventing coronary heart disease because this prevents clots, the main cause of heart attacks and strokes. Ginger represents a new class of platelet-activation inhibitors without the potential side effects of aspirin which can cause GI bleeding.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33297926/ 

NATTOKINASE – A natural blood thinner, has been shown to support normal blood pressure, dissolve blood clots and prevent them from forming in the first place. Nattokinase is a potent fibrinolytic (anti-clotting) enzyme extracted and highly purified from a traditional Japanese food called Natto. Natto is a fermented cheese-like food that has been used in Japanese culture for more than 1,000 years and as a folk remedy for heart and vascular diseases. Research has shown that Nattokinase supports the body’s ability to break up and dissolve the unhealthy coagulation of blood. In fact, it has been shown to have four times greater fibrinolytic activity than plasmin—the body’s primary anti-clotting enzyme.
https://smart-publications.com/articles/nattokinase-the-natural-blood-thinner/

Vasodilators
Nitric oxide is a vasodilator. The main site of the nitric oxide molecule’s synthesis is the inner layer of blood vessels, the endothelium, though the molecule is also produced by other types of cells. From the endothelium, nitric oxide diffuses to underlying smooth muscle cells and causes them to relax. This relaxation causes the walls of blood vessels to dilate, or widen, which in turn increases blood flow through the vessels and decreases blood pressure. Nitric oxide’s role in dilating blood vessels makes it an important controller of blood pressure. Nitric oxide is also produced by neurons (nerve cells) and is used by the nervous system as a neurotransmitter to regulate functions ranging from digestion to blood flow to memory and vision.
Here’s an excellent article about Nitric Oxide (disregard the product ad at the end).
https://umzu.com/blogs/health/16-foods-that-will-skyrocket-your-nitric-oxide-production
Also, refer back to my article titled “Mouth Breathing vs Nose Breathing” which goes into deep detail about the benefits of creating nitic oxide through nose breathing.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/36290900 (my article)

*Pharmaceutical: NITROGLYCERIN - Nitroglycerin is not a natural material so it must be manufactured. Nitroglycerin is a medication, known as a nitrate, that treats angina. Nitrates are precursors of nitric oxide that widen the arteries that nourish the heart and reduce the heart's workload. They do this through the action of vasodilation. The body breaks nitroglycerin (nitrate) down into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide causes the smooth muscle within the blood vessels to relax. This allows the arteries and veins to open up, allowing more blood to flow through.
The drug nitroglycerin (GTN) is a dilute form of the same chemical used as the explosive, nitroglycerin. Dilution makes it non-explosive. By definition, nitroglycerin is listed specifically as hazardous waste under the EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). It is further categorized as P-listed (P081) or Acutely Toxic.

The EPA has classified most, if not all, of the nitroglycerin used in healthcare settings as non-hazardous. In fact, in 2003 the EPA issued a guidance letter to clear up the hazardous waste listing for this product. The response confirmed under the revised mixture and derived-from rules [40 CFR 261.3(g)(1)], which went into effect February 1, 2002, that a waste that has been listed solely for the characteristic of ignitability, corrosivity or reactivity is not regulated as a hazardous waste if it does not exhibit any hazardous waste characteristic. Moreover, if the waste does not exhibit a characteristic at the point of generation, it is considered to have never been a hazardous waste and does not need to meet land disposal restrictions (LDRs) (66 FR 27286, May 16, 2001). The EPA determined that the scope of the P081 listing does not include medicinal forms of nitroglycerin.
Most likely because medicinal nitroglycerin is diluted. This does not make me feel better about it.

Nitroglycerin has been used in medicine for over 100 years. Nitroglycerin is so old that a proper clinical trial has never been formally done. Researchers in 2011 reported that the classic heart-protecting medication nitroglycerin may actually cause heart attacks to be more severe if given over a prolonged period. But administering another medication with it may bring the risk back down to virtually nil, so that its protective effect alone can be experienced. So now you have to take TWO medications?

“What we found is that if you use nitroglycerin for too long, the enzyme that helps protect against tissue damage, ALDH2, dies. With our animal model, we demonstrated that the loss of this enzyme makes the outcome from the heart attack worse. Nitroglycerin is not benign.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/12/nitroglycerin-poses-risks-to-the-heart-but-theres-an-easy-fix/249172/

Nitrates will temporarily open blood vessels to allow blood to flow back into the heart. However, as they do this, they damage the sensitive lining of your heart’s blood vessels called the endothelium. This eventually makes the endothelium stop its normal functioning (endothelial dysfunction). People with endothelial dysfunction suffer from more heart attacks. A now landmark study from Japan revealed just how damaging nitrates are. People who took nitrate medications on a regular basis were 2.4 times more likely to have a major cardiac event than those who didn’t take nitrate drugs. And the nitrate accelerated any damage already present in the heart. Nitroglycerin causes endothelial dysfunction.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/ATVBAHA.111.232058

*Natural: The body produces nitric oxide naturally, but nitric oxide production declines as we age. Fortunately, synthetic nitrates aren’t the only substances that cause the release of nitric oxide. Several naturally occurring nutrients can also release nitric oxide and do so without harming the heart.

There are two ways the body generates nitric oxide. The easiest and best way to increase nitric oxide production is through plant nitrates with naturally occurring antioxidants. Foods entering the GI tract are naturally converted into nitric oxide during the digestion process. The second way is an enzyme known as nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Nitric oxide synthase synthesizes nitric oxide by combining oxygen with the amino acid L-arginine.

TAURINE - Taurine is an amino acid that protects against endothelial dysfunction and endothelial cell death. Taurine also causes vessel dilation. As a powerful antioxidant, taurine protects the heart lining. Taurine can actually prevent endothelial cells from dying. Scientists have identified a link between a lack of taurine and cardiomyopathy.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551180/

VITAMINS C & E - Both Vitamin C and E have antioxidant effects on the lining of blood vessels. The vitamins protect the lining from damage. They do this by blocking the oxidative stress caused by irritants like nitrates.

BEETS - Beets are the highest dietary source of nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide in the body. Because of their natural nitrate content and its ability to convert to nitric oxide so well, beets have been shown through many studies to support the heart, especially by improving blood pressure. While beets do contain nitrates, the precursor to nitric oxide, they also contain a high amount of antioxidants, in fact, red beetroot has been ranked among the 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables. Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals, which contribute to the short life of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is an unstable molecule that degrades quickly in the bloodstream, so it must be constantly replenished. One way to increase its stability and limit its breakdown is by consuming antioxidants.

Beta TCP by Biotics is an excellent supplement that contains Taurine, Beet Concentrate, and Vitamin C, as well as pancrelipase, superoxide dismutase (a primary enzyme in the defensive system against oxidative stress), and catalase (a very important enzyme in protecting the cell from oxidative damage by reactive oxygen species). Beta TCP is useful for many body functions including heart health, healthy bile flow, supports good cholesterol and triglyceride conversion and utilization, and effective digestive support.
https://www.amazon.com/Beta-TCP-Tablets-Biotics-Research-180/dp/B0014M3GQI
(try to find an independent distributor rather than Amazon, if possible)

THIAMINE – (Vitamin B1) Recent evidence has indicated that supplementation with thiamine in heart failure patients has the potential to improve heart contractions. Compared against placebo, thiamine supplementation in 2 randomized, double-blind trials resulted in a significant improvement in net change in left ventricular ejection fraction.
Thiamine deficiency is a condition that is known to cause damage to the nervous and cardiovascular systems because it interferes with cellular metabolism. Thiamine deficiency leads to reduced nitric oxide production and vascular dysfunction. It is well known that the control of vascular function is highly dependent on the production of nitric oxide.

NONI FRUIT - Noni contains nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B3, and potassium, flavonoids, amino acids, antioxidants, fatty acids, calcium, and sodium. Noni is high in phytonutrients, selenium, and vitamin C, which fights free radical damage on blood vessel walls, it also contains a compound that may lower blood pressure. It has antioxidant properties that prevent cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Cell regeneration and wound healing will also get a boost. Plus, Noni can prevent mental decline and cardiovascular disease by protecting brain and heart cells. Noni will reduce the level of glycosylated hemoglobin, low-density lipoprotein, and serum triglycerides in your body. Noni can also increase the sensitivity of insulin and trigger the uptake of glucose in the body, which helps to reduce the risks of type 2 diabetes. Noni fruit contains 17 out of 20 amino acids including the 9 essential amino acids. Noni fruit can stimulate the body's ability to produce nitric oxide by use of the amino acid L-arginine. This may help a person maintain blood pressure levels already within a normal range.

Thanks to a friend, I found a fast-acting liquid supplement to replace the prescription nitroglycerin. It contains thiamine, niacin, noni concentrate, CoQ10, magnesium, zinc, chromium.

Kyäni Nitro Xtreme - Fast acting Nitric Oxide liquid
https://store.kyani.com/#/shop/detail/101ENXTP56/from/895963?MarketShow=571
(yes, it’s an MLM, but the product is worth getting)

FOODS – Food is always medicine.
Dark chocolate can naturally lower blood pressure by increasing nitric oxide production in the body. This is because chocolate contains flavanols and polyphenols (natural antioxidants). The flavonoids in raw cacao can help establish optimal nitric oxide levels in the body, if raw cacao is difficult to obtain, dark chocolate (70-80%) can be substituted (look for soy free).

Garlic boosts nitric oxide synthase by converting L-arginine into nitric oxide in the presence of vitamins B2, B3 and vitamin C.

Pomegranates contain polyphenols which assist the body in converting plant-based nitrites into nitric oxide. These same polyphenols also block nitric oxide from converting back into nitrites. Pomegranate juice reduced the effects of stress on human blood vessel cells by stimulating the production of nitric oxide.

Resveratrol is a potent nitric oxide booster, as it stimulates the nitric oxide synthase enzyme. Resveratrol is a polyphenol flavonoid found in grapes and red wine.

Watermelon contains high amounts of L-citrulline, an amino acid which converts into L-arginine (another amino acid) ultimately producing nitric oxide.

HUMMING
The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine says:
Humming Greatly Increases Nasal Nitric Oxide

"NO increased 15-fold during humming compared with quiet exhalation. The gas nitric oxide (NO) is released in the human respiratory tract. The major part of NO found in exhaled air originates in the nasal airways. Proper ventilation of the sinuses is essential for sinus integrity. In fact, occlusion of the ostia is considered a key factor in the pathogenesis of sinusitis. Such occlusion may be due, for example, to an acute viral infection causing swelling of the mucosa. The data presented here indicate that humming is an extremely effective means of increasing sinus ventilation. In fact, in our model system, almost the entire volume (96%) of a normal maxillary sinus (20 ml) was exchanged in a single exhalation during phonation, as compared with less than 4% during quiet exhalation. It will therefore be of great interest to study whether daily periods of humming can reduce the risk for sinusitis in patients susceptible to upper airway infections.

We conclude that humming causes a dramatic increase in sinus ventilation and nasal NO release."
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC
Humming also stimulates the Vagus Nerve to put you into a parasympathetic state. This helps with calming and anxiety relief, as well as with digestion.

Blood Pressure
*Pharmaceutical: METROPROLOL - Beta Blockers are medications that reduce blood pressure. (I do not have high blood pressure). Beta blockers work by blocking the effects of the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline (which I only had at the time of the attack). Beta blockers cause the heart to beat more slowly and with less force, which lowers blood pressure.
Side effects of beta blockers on the heart and circulatory system include bradycardia (slow heart rate), hypotension (low blood pressure), heart failure or heart block in patients with heart problems, cold extremities due to reduced circulation. Beta-blockers can induce hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) (remember, I’m already diabetic) and mask the hemodynamic (the dynamics of blood flow) signs. They can also increase cholesterol, which is why statins are prescribed with them (statins reduce cholesterol). That sounds like a built-in self-perpetuating money stream to me. No thanks.

*Natural: FOOD, EXERCISE, and BREATHING are great natural ways to reduce blood pressure. We’ve already covered breathing in depth, let’s talk a little about exercise.

EXERCISE - Research indicates that engaging in regular physical activity may help improve heart health by maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. One of the most well-known benefits of exercise is its ability to lower blood pressure. Maintaining healthy blood pressure levels is critical for longevity. Regular physical activity makes the heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. As a result, the force on the arteries decreases, lowering blood pressure. Regular exercise also helps to maintain a healthy weight, another important way to control blood pressure. To keep blood pressure healthy, you need to keep exercising on a regular basis. It takes about one to three months for regular exercise to have an impact on blood pressure. The benefits last only as long as you continue to exercise. So, this is something I need to take more seriously.

FOOD - Food is always medicine.
Potassium is a mineral your body needs to function properly. This mineral is present in all tissues in the body, and it is necessary for proper cell function due to its role in maintaining the volume of the intracellular fluid.
Potassium relaxes the walls of the blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and protecting against muscle cramping.
Since it is highly reactive in water, potassium is classified as an electrolyte.
Coconut water is an excellent electrolyte with a high potassium content. A one cup serving of coconut water contains 600 milligrams of potassium. It is marketed as an isotonic beverage, which means that concentration levels of nutrients are the same as in human blood. As a result, coconut water is absorbed readily into the body and can prevent dehydration after a workout. The potassium in coconut water can support cardiovascular health. The Linus Pauling Institute reports that adequate levels of natural potassium intake result in a lower risk of experiencing a stroke. In addition, potassium in coconut water may support healthy blood pressure levels.
Adequate levels of potassium in the diet can help to keep blood pressure levels low. Many people can get more than enough potassium from a well-balanced diet. Food sources include bananas, apricots, kiwis, oranges, pineapples, leafy greens, potatoes, carrots, meats, fish, and dairy.

Hawthorne extracts have gained a lot of attention in the department of cardiovascular disease. It is considered an effective alternative to pharmaceutical beta-blockers. The plant extracts have been used in the treatment of various cardiovascular conditions and complications over the past years. Even at higher doses of hawthorn plant extracts, the natural beta blocker still remains a safe option. Research currently suggests that there are specific pathways by which hawthorn may help the patient. These may include:

· Widening of the blood vessels that are part of the circulatory system

· Increase signal transmission between nerves

· Increasing blood supply that is pumped from the heart with every contraction

In Germany they use a wide variety of medicinal herbal teas. I was already aware of Hawthorne tea and chose to buy the German Medicinal Herbal brand from Bad Heilbrunner, which loosely translated mean Bath Healing Spring. I bought from Amazon but found a European Deli that also sells it in case Amazon is out of stock.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NP7FJGS?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
https://europeandeli.com/products/bad-heilbrunner-weissdorn-tee-harthsthorne

Hibiscus is a great herbal remedy that has earned a big reputation for helping with heart health. Hibiscus tea has been shown to lower blood pressure in humans. Regular intake of Hibiscus tea over 4-6 weeks reduces both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in various studies in humans. Studies have found that Hibiscus sabdariffa is as effective in treating hypertension as popular blood-pressure prescriptions. The Hibiscus sabdariffa extract improved metabolism, displayed potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, and significantly reduced blood pressure in humans.

Hibiscus sabdariffa has been used in different countries as an antihypertensive. The hibiscus plant is rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and anthocyanin. Polyphenols in hibiscus induced a favorable endothelial response that should be considered in the management of metabolic cardiovascular risks.

Extract Form: Hibiscus extract is a concentrated liquid form of the supplement. You can buy it from health food or herbal supplement retailers.

Powder Form: You can also buy hibiscus as a powder, which is made from dried plant parts that are finely ground. Mix the powder with water to make a beverage.

It’s better to drink hibiscus tea rather than extract or powders. Extracts and powders may differ in strength and concentration, so you may be getting a dose that’s too strong.

Here is a lovely limited-edition tea from The Republic of Tea which contains Hibiscus, and raspberry for a good flavor that does not need sugar.
https://www.republicoftea.com/downton-abbey-english-rose-tea/p/v20177/

Here is an excellent heart health supplement that contains both Hawthorne and Hibiscus, as well as Nattokinase. Within 3 days of starting it, my heart pains disappeared.
https://www.thesynergycompany.com/heart-protector

There are other natural remedies to reduce adrenaline, which is a part of the stress response. Anything you can do to reduce stress is beneficial. Here is a list of natural “beta blockers” that include both food and lifestyle suggestions.

Natural beta blockers:

1. Potassium

2. Garlic

3. Thiamine (Vit B1)

4. Magnesium

5. Vitamin D

6. Ashwagandha

7. Long walks

8. Acupressure

Cholesterol
Only about 20% of the cholesterol in your bloodstream comes from the food you eat; your body makes the rest. Cholesterol is needed to make vitamin D, hormones, and fat-dissolving bile acids. In fact, cholesterol production is so important that your liver and intestines make about 80% of the cholesterol you need to stay healthy. Only about 20% comes from the foods you eat. I will save the cholesterol talk for another article because there is a lot to cover. Suffice it to say, do not be afraid of cholesterol, cholesterol is your friend.

*Pharmaceutical: STATINS – JUST SAY NO! Nobody needs statins. And if you haven’t figured that out yet, it’s time to catch up. Cholesterol is not the enemy. In fact, cholesterol is nature’s band aid, it is also a part of every cellular membrane of every cell in your body, and all of your sex hormones are made from cholesterol. Statins block your body’s ability to make cholesterol. Not to mention all the adverse studies coming out against statins.
https://healthresearchfunding.org/dangers-statin-drugs/
https://anh-usa.org/the-grave-dangers-of-statin-drugs-and-the-surprising-benefits-of-cholesterol/
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/modern-diseases/dangers-of-statin-drugs-what-you-havent-been-told-about-popular-cholesterol-lowering-medicines/

*Natural: FOOD – Food, once again, is medicine.
Earl Grey Tea contains Bergamot which gives it it’s distinctive flavor. The results of five different clinical trials using bergamot in various forms suggest the polyphenol fraction can lower LDL-C and total cholesterol. Several studies suggested that bergamot polyphenols can reduce triglycerides and increase HDL-C.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6497409/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26779019/
Bergamot supplements are also available.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GCRHYM9?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details 

Hibiscus reduces LDL cholesterol level.
A human clinical trial involving 60 individuals with diabetes found that hibiscus tea reduced triglyceride levels by 7.6%, LDL levels by 8.0%, and increased HDL levels by 16%. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that doses of hibiscus tea twice a day for a month had significantly increased HDL cholesterol, and reduced LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides in type 2 diabetes patients. Evaluation of the effects of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) on oxidative stress and serum levels of lipids, insulin and hs-CRP in adult patients with metabolic syndrome: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is a plant with antihyperlipidemic and antihypertensive effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of roselle calyces on the serum levels of lipids and insulin, inflammation, and oxidative stress in patients with metabolic syndrome.
RESULTS: H. sabdariffa significantly reduced serum TG (p=0.044) and SBP (p=0.049) compared to placebo.
CONCLUSIONS: Daily consumption of 500 mg of H. sabdariffa L. calyx powder can decrease SBP and serum TG in MetS patients.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26982618/

Pain Relief
*Pharmaceutical: This aspect was overlooked by the doctors. They offered nothing to help with pain relief. Baby aspirin?

*Natural: ESSENTIAL OILS - Don’t laugh or roll your eyes. Essential oils. Yep, topically applied essential oils offered immediate pain relief from the internal heart pains. I kid you not. I was going through my essential oil books to see which oils would be the best choice for aromatherapy for the heart, and found some info about topical application. So, I tried a few specific oils blended together, and I applied them straight onto the skin without a carrier oil. I know, and I know better, but straight up, the small molecular size of the essential oils will penetrate faster and give faster relief, and they did! It was incredible how fast and effectively they worked!
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21157172/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17211115/

Here is what I used and their benefits.

I used a blend of
2 drops orange - Orange essential oil appears to be effective at reducing levels of stress and anxiety. It may also be beneficial for depression. Some small studies have indicated that using orange essential oil topically or for aromatherapy may help with short-term pain.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18534325/
3 drops ylang ylang - ylang ylang has been prized for its ability to heal the skin, it can improve circulation and the flow of blood through the body. A Korean study published in 2010 demonstrated that when ylang ylang oil was combined with lavender and lemon, it resulted in reduced blood pressure and heart rate among subjects with hypertension. Ylang ylang has been linked to contact dermatitis and can be irritating to skin when applied topically. I can confirm that. But the pain relief was worth is. Skin healed after a few days of not using.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3836517/
https://www.e-jer.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.12965/jer.130007
4 drops lavender - When lavender oil is inhaled for 10 minutes, there is an increase in blood flow rate and a decrease in galvanic skin conduction and systolic blood pressure (indicating a reduction in sympathetic nerve activity). Human studies with lavender have demonstrated a significant relaxation effect and reduced anxiety.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3203283/

Healing
*Pharmaceutical: NOTHING

*Natural: LED LIGHT THERAPY - As an esthetician, I was naturally curious if any of the modalities that we use could be of any benefit. I was pleasantly surprised to find that studies have been done using red LED to heal the heart. So, I have been doing 30 minutes of my Celluma red LED over my heart every night since I returned home from the hospital. And I do believe it is making a difference.

“In recent years, light emitting diode-based therapy (LEDT) has been widely used in multiple cardiac diseases. LEDT is increasingly being used in the cardiovascular field because of its non-invasiveness, low-cost, & ease-of-use. It was found that LED-Red (630 nm) was an effective wavelength for the treatment of heart failure (HF). The application of LED-Red therapy to treat HF in mice, improved cardiac function, made heart structure better, & reduced pulmonary (lung) edema (swelling). Studies have shown that LEDT could reduce muscle damage, & could significantly reduce fatigue and exercise intolerance. LED-Red reduced pathological (caused by disease) cardiac hypertrophy (enlargement) & disorganization of myocardial tissue structure in HF mice. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in the injured heart was profoundly reduced after treatment with LED. LED-Red promotes myocardial angiogenesis (enhanced capillary formation). Study results showed that the capillary density in the damaged myocardium was increased by LED-Red therapy. LED-Red exerts beneficial effects on cardiac function in HF mice possibly by promoting the synthesis of ATP. Study results showed that the ATP levels in LED-Red-treated cardiomyocytes were higher than in control cells. Mitochondria are the main organelle of aerobic respiratory capacity of cardiomyocytes & provide a large amount of ATP to the myocardium during contraction. LED-Red therapy significantly increased ATP levels in cardiomyocytes & cardiac tissue. This data indicates that the LED-Red therapy to increase the synthesis of ATP is important for the enhancement of cardiomyocyte contractile function in the HF heart.”

“The study results suggest that LED-Red therapy is sufficient to improve myocardial systolic function in mice with heart failure (HF). Furthermore, the mice with HF + LED-Red had a milder degree of pulmonary edema compared to the HF group. These results indicate that LED-Red therapy may enhance failing cardiomyocyte contractility and improve cardiac function in HF mice. These results suggest that LED-Red can induce the ATP synthesis in the mitochondria of cardiomyocytes and cardiac tissue which is important for reducing myocardial injury and delaying the development of HF.”
Light Emitting Diodes Photobiomodulation Improves Cardiac Function by Promoting ATP Synthesis
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2021.753664/full?fbclid=IwAR3Hc4ULXtPvs3YvfAqYL7A9ii6zBoM3WYMPZJTxeM-GCfl44os09bRjXys

MIND-BODY HEALING – Quote from a Canadian Naturopath that really hit home for me. And thankfully, I have been taking selenium in the form of 1 Brazil nut per day, since before the pandemic.
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-use-brazil-nuts-as-a-selenium-supplement/

“You will never heal the physical body until you first heal the emotional body!
This is a fact folks! I talk so often about the impacts that negative relationships, negative interactions, and our own negative thoughts have upon our bodies.
How do you heal a body full of inflammation due to the immune response of negativity? How do you heal the body and whose digestive function is only working at 20% of its normal rate, due to constant negative exposure? And, how do you heal obesity-induced illnesses, when the body is not producing lipase as a part of that same immune response, causing the body to store fat?
It's not possible! But that's not the only problem here!
When emotion is extreme, it depletes nutrients in the human body. A perfect example of this, which I use quite often, is how selenium is essential to the function of the frontal cortex of the human brain, which is also where grief is processed.
Thus, when a sudden onset of grief due to the loss of a loved one occurs, rapid depletion of selenium also occurs. And when the selenium is low, the grief cannot be processed in a healthy manner in those individuals. As a result, the extreme feelings of grief will become exaggerated and elongated. They will last far beyond the normal duration of the grieving process. Thus, maintaining both long-term grief and long-term selenium deficiency.
In this one simple example, while there are thousands more that could be explained, we then have to consider the fact that there is no selenium available in this individual, but it's required to be converted into selenium proteins which are cofactors for the conversion of our thyroid hormones. Thus, long-term selenium deficiency as a result of long-term grief will induce hypothyroidism.
And you will never resolve the hypothyroidism without first resolving the selenium deficiency. It's impossible to do. Literally impossible!
However, by working on the emotional body, resolving any deficiencies that may be causing an exaggeration of negative emotion, and doing this first, will allow your body an opportunity to heal. And what's most amazing, is that when you heal the emotional body, the physical body often follows without any need for other intervention.”

SUMMARY
Clearly, I have been busy since returning home from the hospital. But I am one of those people who get a fire under their ass at the first sign of trouble. I am all about research and planning. I want to be well armed with information that I learned myself, rather than be at the mercy of someone else who doesn’t care about me personally, and just treats me as one of the masses. The more information you have in your brain, the easier it is to shield yourself from the scare tactics that others would inflict upon you to get you to do as they say. Which is exactly what was happening at the hospital – SCARE TACTICS!

The angiogram that was being pushed on me is a perfect example. In the hospital they acted as though I would die if I didn’t get an angiogram. But #1, the cardiologist did not even know the condition that my case presented her, even though she used the exact verbiage on the ultrasound results that is used in the terminology of the Broken Heart Syndrome literature, or if she knew about the condition, she didn’t think it was important to give me that information. #2, in the literature for BHS it says specifically that blockages are not seen in this condition, which means that an angiogram is not necessary, so if the cardiologist DID know about BHS, then why would she push an angiogram? Because that (and the “Top 4 Drugs”) is the legally agreed upon, accepted “Standard of Care” for ALL patients, regardless of if their particular case does not warrant a need for these treatments or medications. Everyone gets the same treatment, like a cookie cutter assembly line. No bioindividuality. THAT should scare you to death! And it should wake you up to what’s going on. The hospitals are a business. They do not care about YOU or your actual health. You are a Cash Cow to them, and they bank on you not knowing anything and being too scared to go against them. That’s why I am sharing my research with you, so that you can rest assured that there ARE healthy and natural alternatives to all the crap they try to sell you. Take charge of your own health, do your own research and get healthy, and get mentally strong.

And I must say I am really disappointed in my friends who fell in line with the doctors, instead of resisting and encouraging my own research. Look what I have produced here! Fifteen pages of information showing the detrimental effects of pharmaceuticals, and a multitude of natural, healthy, alternatives!

I DO hope I have OVERWHELMED you!

Here is what I am taking:

· Vitamin C

· Omega 3

· Biotics Beta TCP

· Biotics Bio 3B-G, a B-Complex with more Thiamine

· Pure Synergy Heart Protector

· Kyani Nitro Extreme, Thiamine and Noni for Nitric Oxide

Green Tea, Hibiscus Tea, Hawthorne Tea, Earl Gray Tea (for cholesterol)

Beet/Carrot/Green Apple Slaw

Ginger Candies - Researchers studied the data of more than 4,000 subjects and found that people with greater ginger use had a lower chance of having chronic heart disease or hypertension. The reason ginger has warming effects on the body is because it increases blood flow to the extremities allowing the blood to warm the body. This increased blood flow also has other effects, such as prevention of arteriosclerosis, by preventing blood clotting. Ginger also stimulates the heart and allows for cleansing of the body through perspiration.

Red LED over heart, 30 minutes

Use your best judgement when reading my story. This is MY story and pertains only to me and what I decided to do for myself. YOUR story will be different. But maybe my story will help yours. Even if only to be stronger and to be more confident in your own knowledge and have the self-confidence to stand up for the health of your body. Love you!

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XO Cassandra Lanning
The Renegade Esthetician
https://www.therenegadeesthetician.com/
https://renegade-esthetics.teachable.com/
https://www.instagram.com/the_renegade_esthetician/