Learn all about carotid arteries and ways to target the core of inflammation in the heart through wellness practices.
It is no secret that we all need a functioning and healthy heart to survive. One major disease that commonly depletes the heart’s health is Carotid Artery Disease, also known as carotid artery stenosis (CAS). CAS is when the two main arteries producing a steady blood supply to the heart become blocked. When the blockage forms, the heart lacks sufficient blood flow to pump properly.
One of the most important symptoms to become aware of if you have CAS is experiencing a mini-stroke, known as a transient ischemic attack. Harvard (2015) stated that the most common symptoms of transient ischemic attacks are:
- Dizziness
- Loss of balance
- Trouble seeing
- Trouble speaking or understanding
- Feeling weakness or numbness throughout the body.
CAS can be accurately detected in your thermography screenings. Here are some images of signs of CAS in the body:
The Neck
These images indicate hyperthermia along the carotid arteries. Carotid artery inflammation may be an early indication of a risk for developing cardiovascular-related conditions which could be caused by chronic inflammation.
The Chest
In the chest, there is asymmetrical hypothermia on the right side which may indicate cardiovascular dysfunction. Cardiovascular dysfunction can be caused by chronic inflammation in the body.
The Hands
The hands and the nail beds are unusually hyperthermic, indicating cardiovascular stress and blood sugar imbalance.
In honor of February being Heart Health Month, we will provide you with several ways to improve and maintain your heart health through nutrition and movement.
Ultimately, we can nourish and repair our bodies through nutrition. When it comes to our hearts, eating proteins, such as fish, lean meat, eggs, and nuts, helps strengthen our heart functions. Additionally, eating leafy greens and several fruits, such as bananas, oranges, pears, and grapes, help improve our heart health. Supplements are another great form of nutrition to help improve and maintain our heart health. After consulting your qualified healthcare professional, you may take Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, and Coenzyme Q10, which works to protect the heart from disease.
Exercising is also an effective way to strengthen your heart. Like many of us with busy schedules, walking is a great and easy way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Even going on a light brisk walk will increase your heart health. Additionally, yoga tones muscles while lowering your blood pressure and increasing your heart rate. If you want to increase the intensity, weight training, cycling, and swimming are all exercises that keep our bodies in shape and strengthen our hearts.
It is crucial to building awareness of the importance of our heart health. Following these movement and nutrition suggestions, you can slowly introduce heart-happy wellness practices into your everyday life.
Resources:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16845-carotid-artery-disease-carotid-artery-stenosis
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-disease/carotid-artery-disease-overview
https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/heart/2019/02/6-best-exercises-to-strengthen-your-heart/
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-healthy-living/healthy-foodshttps://www.peacehealth.org/healthy-you/8-heart-health-supplements-take-and-one-avoid
https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/carotid-artery-disease
