One Thing Your Cardiologist Will Probably Never Tell You

If you go to your doctor complaining about cardiovascular problems, difficulty maintaining good cholesterol levels, bad circulation, or fears of heart attack and stroke, he/she will likely talk to you about proper medication.  But I go a step further.

I also encourage you to “feel.”  You see, if you allow yourself to feel—both negative and positive emotions—you will have a much greater chance of activating your body’s innate healing mechanisms.

Feelings connect you to your heart and, as I tell my patients, the separation of  the heart from feeling is often at the root of heart disease. I know this isn’t easy to grasp, so here are some steps you can take to start the process:

• Reach out and connect with someone close to you. Call up an old friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. Get in touch with family members. Take your dog for a long walk. If you don’t have a pet, consider getting one—living with an animal is a great way to open your heart to love.
• Ask someone close to you what they like. By caring about someone else, you break outside your own self-absorption.
• Forgive and forget. Think of someone you’re angry with, and forgive them.
• Say “I’m sorry” a little more often to other people and really mean it.
• Take 30 minutes a day for you. Give yourself permission to cry, laugh, play—whatever action you’ve been holding back.
• Network. Think of participating in some activity in which you’ll have the opportunity to form friendships with others.
• Try to become a little more compassionate toward yourself and others. Start by accepting yourself—faults and all.
• Reclaim your spiritual side. It will help you appreciate life’s ups and downs.

Now that you have a blueprint for a “change of heart,” don’t turn these guidelines into a stressor! If you only practice one per day, or one per week, that’s fine—this is a long-term program, not an overnight fix.

For more information on avoiding cardiovascular problems, visit www.drsinatra.com.