Experiencing chest pain?
Author: Maharishi Ayurveda Date Posted:16 October 2016
If you have had unexplained chest pain then you have probably wondered
- Am I having a heart attack or is this a precusor warning?
- Is this pain due to worry and anxiety and is my heart okay?
It‘s always important to have chest pain investigated. Your doctor is likely to complete an ECG to ensure the electrical activity of your heart is within normal range. Sometimes an exercise ECG is also done to check what happens to your heart during exercise. Also a blood test is done to check for enzymes and proteins that are linked to the injury of the heart muscle.
If these tests show normal functioning then a talk about what else has been happening in your life may reflect increased stress, tiredness and worry that over time, can lead to unexplained chest pain due to anxiety. For some this is a surprising conversation as they don’t necessarily feel anxious, while for others anxiety is a daily occurrence.
What to do?
A constant demand of worry and challenges without respite can lead to sharp and abrupt chest pain, most likely caused by muscle contractions in the chest wall. Once you have been given a once over by your doctor then consider adopting the following recommendations to give your body and mind an opportunity to settle and restore balance.
Restore balance to the Vata qualities within you.
Vata controls movement or motion, to guide breathing, blood circulation, heart rhythm, passing of food through the digestive tract and the sending and receiving of nerve impulses from the brain. Restoring balance to Prana Vata is the first step to reduce worry and anxiety.
Prana Vata is located in the head, brain and chest. It is the upward moving wind of Vata from the navel into the head. Prana Vata enlivens the nervous system, senses, emotions and intellect.
- Imbalance of Prana Vata is linked to worry, anxiety, over-active mind, neurological disorders, insomnia, asthma, respiratory complaints, tension headaches.
- It is imbalanced by mental strain, inadequate sleep, late bedtime, lack of oil in diet, too much computer work
5 Step Balancing Programme
- Get adequate sleep. Be in bed by 9.30-10pm and rise no early than 6am. Wind down for 1.5 to 2 hours prior bed with relaxing activities.
Avoid studying, computer work or mental stimulation and movies that are fast paced or violent when winding down, so your brain can switch off and relax.
Drink a relaxing tea or Slumber Time Tea 20-30 minutes prior bed and massage your feet for 5 minutes at bedtime with non-roasted sesame oil or Vata Massage Oil. This stimulates the sleep centres in the brain and feels great too.
Take the following helpful herbals
Stress Relief helps calm the mind and build resilience to stress and fatigue. A principal ingredient of Stress Relief is ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). It has been used for centuries in Ayurveda as a general tonic and adaptogen — helping the mind and body adapt to stress. It has also been shown to support a healthy immune system and to support sound sleep.
Take 1 tablet 15-30 minutes prior breakfast and evening meals and 2 tablets at bedtime.
Worry Free helps calm the nervous system and give you the mental resources to sail through situations that could cause a meltdown. It contains Jatamansi (Muskroot), Greater Galangal (Aloeweed) and ashwagandha (Winter cherry) to help support a balanced mind and nervous system.
Take 2 tablets 30-60 minutes after breakfast and evening meals.
- Vata Tea is calming and has a sweet, mellow, warm and calming flavour. It helps reduce or expel gas during eating, after a meal and throughout the day and creates a comfortable, relaxed, balanced and happy feeling within.
Drink 1 cup of Vata Tea after each meal or snack. Place 1 teabag in a 1.5 L flask with boiling water. Sip regularly through the day.
- Have a 20-30 minute walk most days or be active at a moderate pace in a way you enjoy.
- Eat at regular intervals through the day. Favour warm foods and drinks with main quanity of food at lunch time and lighter quantity in the evening.
- Build your resilience to stress and look to reduce current stress levels.
Feeling stressed is the body's response to changes that create challenging demands, but it’s not always a bad thing. It can often be a source of motivation and a necessary component for survival. However, excessive or prolonged periods of stress can be bad for our health. Stress can take hold in a number of different forms
- Heart palpitations, headaches, and excessive sweating are all physical symptoms of stress.
- Psychologically, stress can present itself through bad dreams and broken sleep, irritability, lack of confidence, and depression.
- Stress can aggravate an existing illness and make you more susceptible to viruses and infection.
- Individuals under stress may find they suffer from poor appetite, resorting to cigarettes, excessive alcohol, or drugs.
Research has shown that a simple to learn mental technique called Transcendental Meditation (TM) reduces your body’s stress response helping to lessen emotional, mental and physical signs of stress.
TM helps reduce stress hormones, dilates your blood vessels, decreases blood pressure, and improves mind body health in general. It’s now recommended by the American Medical Association to be an effective treatment for high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
I find my clients who do TM are happier, more at peace and resilient to stress They manage their emotions and relationships better, feel more relaxed and life is easier. The increased mental clarity also flows over into their creativity and work life. It enhances progress in life and is a very enjoyable to do.
Learn more about TM New Zealand Australia
For a personalised programme contact me directly.
Wishing you the bliss of balance.
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Linda Sinden has been a practising Maharishi Ayurveda Consultant since 1990 and is a regular contributor to our weekly Insights. She has a practice in Auckland, New Zealand and also provides phone or Skype sessions for those who need assistance, but don’t have a consultant in their vicinity. Email: lindasinden@orbislife.co.nz Skype: Linda.Sinden |
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