Angina

Angina Pectoris meaning chest pain, is a common problem of old age today. This painful and distressing condition is brought about when the blood supply to the heart itself is deficient and leads to a lack of oxygen in the heart tissue - a little like the leg cramps you can get when playing a game of football, except the muscle affected is the heart muscle one of the most important muscles in the body. Often an angina attack can cause a fear of death itself. Some angina attacks can be felt only as an uncomfortable tightness and squeezing in the chest with some difficulty breathing and little else. When there is pain it often radiates down the left arm.
An angina attack is hard to distinguish from a heart attack. For this reason, even mild chest pain should be evaluated by a medical professional and treated as an emergency. Usually an angina attack lasts only a few minutes and rest or nitro-glycerine should help quickly. If the attack lasts longer than 5 minutes then it should be treated as a heart attack. Unfortunately denial of a heart attack keeps people from seeking help while they are still able. Angina attacks are precursors for heart attacks, so it is extremely important to participate actively in taking preventative measures against them.
The illness actually begins long before the first angina. Usually as a direct result of longstanding arteriosclerosis the coronary arteries become clogged through the build up of fatty deposits, and harden. Once the blood's passageways to the heart are narrowed, any additional demands on the heart such as excitement, exercise, a very cold day or a full stomach can instigate an attack. During this acute time of stress, the coronary arteries become temporarily blocked and the resulting lack of oxygen to the heart causes a flash of pain and tightness in the chest. When this continues for only a few seconds, no lasting damage to the heart occurs. If the blockage is longer, then the tissues of the heart may be damaged.
Faulty eating habits, high blood pressure and cholesterol are often causes of angina combined with hereditary predisposition and a type A personality, which is particularly prone to reacting to constant stress.
Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in animal proteins is an important element in preventing this illness. Eat cold pressed oils like flaxseed oil http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/45011/Emile-Noel-Flax-Seed-Oil-250ml/ , also fish oilshttp://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/30244/Eskimo-3-Fish-Oil-Lemon-Flavour-210ml/ have been shown to decrease the instance of angina attacks. Garlic will lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as helping to keep arteries open.
Certain herbal remedies are very helpful in treating the underlying causes of angina attacks. Hawthorn http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/40316/Salus-Hawthorn-Plant-Juice-200ml/ is the best known herbal remedy for heart problems. A very gentle and mild remedy, hawthorn will help reduce the fatty deposits in the arteries over time as well as reducing the work load of the heart through its effect on the cardiac cells in the heart muscle. To be of any benefit hawthorn has to be taken over 3-6 months, the longer the better, and since it does not have any negative side-effects it can be used for long-term treatment. If stress is a factor which it often is in heart disease then taking valerian tincture http://www.thenaturalway.ie/store/product/44478/Valerian-Tincture-215ml/ or tablets will help ease stress without making one sleepy. Lime blossom tea is good also in easing stress and will also help keep the arteries clear of fatty deposits.