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.