Most people focus on helping the heart only when diseased or malfunctioning. Then you go to a doctor needing an intervention such as with coronary artery disease, congestive heart disease, heart arrthythmias’, or heart valve disorders.

There is another side of the heart that is exciting and worth learning more about. The heart is the most talked about relative to emotions and mythology. It is important to know that when the heart is feeling good, it can positively impact the rest of the body.

The heart is the body’s third brain. It has its own intrinsic neurons just like the brain in your head, just not as many (40 thousand vs.100 billion). This allows the heart to adapt by receiving, processing, storing and transmitting information. The GUT is the only other organ with a brain (100 million intrinsic neurons). Through repetitious input, the heart can learn to make certain actions more instinctive. The heart also has the ability to communicate via the nervous system, hormones, through its pumping action and electro-magnetically. It communicates with the head brain significantly more than the heart receives signals from the head. Do you know that the heart can produce oxytocin or stimulate the head brain to produce this “love hormone”?

What does this all mean. The heart can learn input that provides these feelings……….heartfelt, heartbroken, heartless, heartwarming, from the heart, heartache, along with gratitude, compassion and love. Feelings from the heart can have a better memory and felt more than from other organs.

To reinforce the impact of the heart is that the heart has an electromagnetic force that projects significantly more than the head’s brain. That energy is 500 times greater and with synchronicity (two hearts which beat as one) of the recipient, can produce feelings of mutual emotions such as love, passion or contentment. It can receive and project energy impacting those around you. If the recipient is not open to receiving that energy, synchronicity is lost and that feeling may become negative to emotionally pull you down.

What if you have lost that heartfelt feeling? There is a science developing around the heart on how to make the heart healthier. There are six areas to consider and understand.

• Diet is important to make sure that heart flow and pumping strength is optimized. Fresh whole, organic food is medicine that can allow the heart to function optimally with the right nutrients.

• Exercise not only makes the heart stronger with every beat, but it allows more blood to be pumped with a similar effort.  Exercise also helps the heart’s brain to stimulate the central brain to produce more happy and motivating hormones.

• Genetics may be working in your favor or may compromise the heart, such as lipid disorders, arrthythmias, aneurysms or cardiomyopathies affecting heart tissue.

• Stress can be a factor in heart health. Stress is the fright or flight activator that is protective to move away from harm. If you were comparing it to the controls on a car, it is like running a car at an excessively high speed. It is fine for a short period, but it wears the car down faster if done routinely. Chronic stress can lead to disease and premature aging. Stress to the heart can lead to sustained increased heart rate, hypertension and arrhythmias.

By being more aware of your heart, you can have a greater impact on it being able to increase your physical and emotional well-being. A new technology is now available on smart watches that allows you to measure HEART RATE VARIABILITY (HRV). You are bringing your heart and nervous system in balance. Not only does this help you understand your heart health but brings you into better emotional wellness.

Breathing techniques can help you slow and relax your heart. This can improve your HRV score.

• Controlled breathing can be accomplished by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth

  • taking the effort 3 times a day – ideally upon waking, lunch and bedtime.

  • Take 6 breaths – five seconds in and five seconds breathing out

  • Do this exercise for 5 minutes to help give you a 5 hour duration of effect
    

• Alternate Nostril technique uses the same 3-6-5 timing, but alternate nostrils to breath in.

• Breathing in through your nostrils releases a dilator allowing better absorption of oxygen in the lungs. When breathing out, purse your lips like breathing out through a straw to help slow the breath out.

Mindfulness is another way to bring your heart and brain in balance- this practice allows you to be fully present at the moment inserting non-judgemental thoughts and emotions. This is using meditation and deep breathing. Yoga and Tai-Chi are exercises that focus on mindfulness.

Heartfelt energy from others can impact you coming from touch such as Hugging, Holding, and a Handshake. How much have we lost in recent years with the threat of Covid?

What about Heartfelt Words that we hear or project showing Gratitude, Generosity and Genuineness.

Grounding (Earthing) is another way to bring HRV balance to your heart. It has been shown that the earth’s energy can be transferred to people by walking outdoors on the ground, sand or in water. That energy impacts the heart’s function and improves circulation.