Pump it and … rest it; Speed it up and slow it down … strong heart but flexible flowing veins & vessels comes with appropriate training, not straining. Certain times, you may suddenly feel your heart beating fast … it can be due to anxieties, blood surge … hormonal imbalances … it can be due to any number of things – sometimes psychological such as emotions of sadness, fear, anger … They affect the heart health most definitely. Yoga at many medical facilities are employed as part of Cardiac Rehab. for good reasons.
This month is Heart Health Awareness month. I don’t know if it has anything to do with Valentine’s Day being in February but it’s a public awareness and education promoted by American Heart Association. There’s nothing romantic about heart disease especially when we learn that Heart Disease is the number one killer in USA. It also may come as a surprise that Heart Disease ranks the top in killing women. Yes, women. One might imagine that type A overly hyper or intense MAN to suffer as did Bob Harper (Biggest Loser host and celebrity fitness trainer … yes, Fitness Trainer into Crossfit), but no, with heart disease, women suffer as much from this frightening disease that often becomes fatal because it may go undetected or pushed out from our consciousness in a state of denial.
When measuring heart health, often, HRV, Heart Rate Variability is spoken. Higher the HRV is considered to be good but why? It shows a better regulated Autonomic Nervous System and what is better at regulating ANS than … YOGA. Yes, YOGA is scientifically and medically shown to help balance the nervous system. And the kind of yoga that induces a meditation practice as … ultimate goal of Yoga is to make our body and mind ready to tackle the practice of meditation. When your body is tight and stiff, how easy is it to sit in Zazen to find that zen ? Not easy. How easy is it to find that realm of the spiritual when you mind is revved and spiriling out of control? Not easy.
So yoga, by yoking or uniting the untamed mind, trains the mind to pave the path for well balanced, well integrated, whole Self. Here’s another article on benefits of meditation Here.
So yes, pumping the heart, speeding up the heart rate to get more oxygen in is needed with aerobic exercise, yes the “cardio” to is good for heart health to build strength but at the level appropriate for one’s age and condition. AND the opposite is also needed – the slowing down of the heart rate while upping the HRV to promote better rest, increase the immune system and improve digestion for a well nourished body.
Let’s have a great TGIF – some dancing is always good:) For body, mind and the … HEART:)
