stroke

Q: I was diagnosed with a-fib. Are there any herbs or integrative therapies that might be of value?

GR: When it comes to managing atrial fibrillation and other heart conditions, I'm a big proponent of using intravenous nutrients (rather than risky blood thinners) to ease symptoms and prevent further damage from clots or stroke.

That’s why I turn to the Myer's Cocktail.

As I shared in the August 2017 issue of my Nutrition & Healing newsletter, the Myer's Cocktail is an intravenous infusion of various B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium that allows patients to get much higher levels of vitamins than they could from a pill or capsule.

That boost in nutrients (the magnesium especially) right where the body needs them has been shown to supercharge the body, giving it the strength it needs to fend off many of the health issues that have been linked to a-fib -- sluggishness, weakness, and heart stress.

As well, studies of intravenous magnesium have even confirmed its effectiveness in reducing arrhythmias (including a-fib itself) without the deadly complications that come with prescription drugs.

The same holds true for severe cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke, too.

In my practice, I use MCs for any affliction that involves constant fatigue -- and coupled with a few easy-to-follow tips for “unsticking” clotted or thick blood, this treatment may yield even better results in managing a-fib.

1. Give blood. This good deed helps thin your blood simply, reducing damage to your blood vessels and potentially preventing blockages.
2. Keep natural AND supernatural dangers at bay with garlic, which has been used medicinally for thousands of years. It can make your blood less “sticky,” thereby reducing the risk of blood clots (and keeping vampires from draining you of the precious red stuff).
3. The omega 3s in fish oil can also reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and improve general brain health in addition to loosening that sticky blood.
4. Finally, drink more water! Water dilutes thickened blood, and staying hydrated is especially important in families with a history of heart attack or stroke.

As well, I should mention that a-fib may not be an issue of blood being too thick… but rather be caused by an over-abundance of histamine in the body. Known as Histamine Intolerance Syndrome, it’s triggered much like a food allergy.

You see, it’s perfectly normal for your histamine levels to go up somewhat when you eat fermented foods and drinks (wines, beers, sauerkraut, and aged cheeses) -- because they’re “naturally” rich in it. Meanwhile, eating foods like chocolate, tomatoes, and bananas may prompt your body release SOME histamine during the digestive process.

And because each person has their own specific limits… and there’s no optimal histamine level you can target… you can really only gauge whether you’ve got a problem with histamine by how you feel.

So, if your heart skips a beat after a bite of chocolate or a glass of wine, take note! It may not be from falling in love.

Restricting consumption of such foods typically soothes those symptoms, and as the name suggests, supplementing with natural antihistamines like quercetin and colostrum can help “mop up” any extra lingering histamine.

Have something stuck on your mind? Send me a question at askdrrothfeld@nutritionandhealing.com, and I may choose yours to answer next.

When you're struck by a stroke, it's shocking how much your whole life can change... in ONE short instant.

That is, if you survive!

Strokes happen when blood flow gets cut off to a part of your brain -- and there's no way to prepare yourself, because there are usually no warning signs.

But according to a new study, you can cut your risk of having a stroke without even lifting a finger.

You just have to relax in a sauna more often!

In the study out of Finland -- where saunas were invented and sauna "bathing" is part of the culture -- researchers followed three groups of older folks who sat in saunas either once a week, two to three times a week, or four to seven times a week.

After 15 years (and a lot of heat and sweat), the participants who visited the sauna most frequently had the lowest risk of stroke!

In fact, the most frequent sauna “bathers” slashed their stroke risk by a whopping 61 percent!

In contrast, those who “took a schvitz” just two or three times a week slashed their stroke risk by 14 percent.

And even when the researchers controlled for stroke risk factors like diabetes, BMI, and physical activity level, the association STILL held true.

The theory is that saunas' high temperatures increase your body's production of nitric oxide, a chemical compound that dilates your arteries.

And as I’ve shared with you in the past, more flexible arteries means that more blood can flow to every nook and cranny, lessening the chances that a clot will deprive your brain of blood.

Previous studies have shown saunas to reduce your blood pressure, stimulate your immune system, and improve your cardiovascular function -- all of which make a stroke (and also dementia ) less likely, too.

In fact, the benefits of saunas for your cardiovascular health are pretty much the SAME as those we see with moderate-intensity exercise , just without all that effort.

So, instead of being a sitting duck for a stroke, sit in a sauna as often as you can!

You'll find saunas at spas, gyms (especially ones with a pool), and even hotel fitness centers.

You can also make sauna bathing even more convenient by installing your own small sauna at home. You can find them wherever hot tubs and jacuzzis are sold.

And while it's recommended to sit in a sauna for 30 minutes at a time, you may need to build up your "heat tolerance" slowly, since saunas are typically set to between 180 and 195 degrees Fahrenheit.

Quitting smoking… staying active… and keeping your weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar in check can all protect you against strokes, too.