Natural Treatments for Bradycardia (Slow Heart Rate):
Introduction
Bradycardia, also known as bradyarrhythmia, is a condition that occurs when your heart beats fewer than 60 times a minute.
As most people with sinus rates in the 50s are asymptomatic, a rate less than 50 beats per minute may be a more realistic definition.
Symptoms
Common symptoms can include:
- difficulty when exercising;
- feeling weak;
- fatigue;
- shortness of breath;
- fainting spells;
- confusion;
- lightheadedness;
- dizziness;
- cardiac arrest (in rare cases).
Causes
The condition can be caused by:
- medications, including some drugs for psychosis and high blood pressure;
- inflammatory disease, like – lupus or rheumatic fever;
- heart tissue damage related to aging;
- repeated disruption of breathing during sleep;
- imbalance of minerals in the blood, like – calcium or potassium;
- underactive thyroid gland;
- a complication of heart surgery;
- infection of heart tissue;
- heart disorder present at birth;
- damage to heart tissues from a heart attack or heart disease.
Diagnosis
Common diagnostic procedures can include:
- blood test;
- electrocardiogram – it will only identify bradycardia occurring while a sufferer is in the doctor’s office;
- event monitor – it is a portable electrocardiogram that is worn for 1 or 2 months;
- echo stress test – it uses sound waves to show moving pictures of the heart after stress and at rest.
Treatment
If the bradycardia is not causing any symptoms, there is no need for any medical treatment. There is an exception when treatment is required for the underlying cause of bradycardia.
The most common treatment for bradycardia is a pacemaker, a small device that is implanted under the skin, usually on the right side of the chest or below the collarbone on the left. The pacemaker increases the heart rate when required by sending an electrical signal.
Home Remedies & Natural Treatment For Low Heart Rate (Bradycardia)
The best steps you can take are to:
1) Quit Smoking, If You Smoke
Stopping smoking is good for your overall health since the chemicals in tobacco can affect the blood vessels. It is also recommended to avoid second-hand smoke.
For help quitting smoking naturally, use black pepper essential oil and increase your water intake.
2) Get Regular Exercise
Regular physical exercise can improve your cardiovascular system health by strengthening your heart, which becomes more efficient at pumping blood around the body. The best exercises that benefit your heart include jogging, swimming, walking, or biking.
3) Eat A Low-Sodium Diet
One of the most natural ways to improve your cardiovascular system health is by eliminating or limiting added sodium (which is about 40 percent of table salt) from your diet.
Your daily diet must contain a maximum of 1 teaspoon of added salt besides what you derive from fruits and vegetables, according to the World Health Organization.
4) Control Your LDL Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is essential for a good digestion, a healthy nervous system, and the production of hormones. However, too much cholesterol in the blood can be dangerous as it leads to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
To lower your LDL cholesterol levels, avoid eating foods rich in saturated and trans fats. Some of these foods include – red meats, cheese, margarine, mayonnaise, butter, palm oil, cheeseburger, hot dog, milk chocolate, or ghee.
5) Eat Pomegranates
They are high in essential nutrients as well as antioxidants, particularly in anthocyanins and tannins that fight against cancer and heart disease.
ALSO READ: Folliculitis vs Herpes – Differences
6) Eat Nuts
Numerous studies have established that eating walnuts, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, and other nuts is good for the heart since nuts can lower LDL (”bad”) cholesterol and they contain additional minerals and vitamins which protect the heart in other ways.
7) Maintain A Healthy Weight
Just being overweight or obese can increase your risk of developing heart diseases and bradycardia. Also, obese hypertensive persons have a higher resistance in their peripheral arteries throughout the body.
8) Don’t Use Recreational Drugs
Prolonged marijuana use may increase the chance of cardiovascular problems. Therefore, it is crucial that the use of recreational drugs is approached with caution.
9) Eat Garlic
It is a natural diuretic — meaning it forces out excess water and sodium from the body. This effect takes the pressure off of an overworked heart. Garlic also eases the spasm in the arteries and modifies heart rhythm.
10) Drink Tea
Sipping 1-2 cups of tea per day can lower blood pressure. The best tea for cardiovascular problems is hibiscus, which contains flavonoids and other nutrients which improve the function of the coronary artery, prevent clotting of blood and stimulate insulin production in the human body.
11) Avoid Alcohol
People who consume alcoholic beverages excessively (over two drinks per day) have a 150 percent increased risk in the prevalence of cardiovascular problems. It is best to avoid alcohol completely or limit your alcohol intake to two drinks if you are a man or one drink if you are a woman.
ALSO READ: Differences Between BV and Trich
12) Consume Oatmeal
This food is packed with dietary fiber. Plus, it is low-fat and sodium. Oat bran is even better since it blocks the absorption from the gut of compounds that contribute to heart disease.
13) Eat Flax Seeds
The intake of 30 to 50 g of grounded flax seeds every day for more than 3 months may help reduce the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by reducing serum cholesterol levels.
14) Use Essential Oils
They are an excellent home remedy for a low heart rate, especially cinnamon, basil, ylang-ylang, lavender, frankincense, and clary sage.
15) Eat Bananas
Eating several bananas per day is extremely beneficial for the digestive system as well as for people with cardiovascular problems since bananas are very high in potassium.
16) Use Basil
It contains eugenol, a substance that may prevent heart disease by blocking certain substances from tightening the blood vessels.
17) Manage Stress
Too much stress can contribute to everything from asthma to irritable bowel syndrome, and heart disease. Reduce your stress levels by practicing mindfulness meditation, Tai Chi, or Yoga.
ALSO READ: Telogen Effluvium vs Male Pattern Baldness
Prevention
Bradycardia can’t always be prevented, but you may help prevent the condition by lowering your risk of heart disease with the following lifestyle changes:
- keeping cholesterol and blood pressure under control;
- engaging in regular physical exercise;
- stopping smoking tobacco if you smoke;
- reducing stress;
- having a diet rich in fruits and veggies;
- maintaining a healthy weight;
- having healthy sleeping patterns.
Important Note
Athletes and other highly fit people might have normal resting heart rates of 40 to 60 beats per minute.
Sources https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/cardiology/patient-care/conditions/bradycardia.aspx https://www.baker.edu.au/research/laboratories/sports-cardiology/project-bradycardia-athletes