Throughout history songs have been written about it, movies have portrayed it and humans have perpetually sought it out. Love is almost a mystical emotion as its' benefits go beyond the obvious and almost into the ethereal. The heart, known as the receptacle of love, is more than a mere pump for blood in the body. In fact, there is a most definite correlation between one's emotions and heart health in general. This is not to detract from one's need to tend to their heart health with a regimen of good diet and exercise, but to emphasize as well, that there is more to heart health than the physical aspect. In fact, experiencing emotions, a.k.a. "a broken heart," is a feeling felt from the orchestration of mind, heart and body in unison. The Institute of HeartMath, which is a research center in California, dedicated to the heart and physiology of emotions, has done several studies which identify the intricate relationship between emotional well-being and heart health in general. According to the Institute of HeartMath, the heart is in a constant dialogue with the brain. The heart actually sends more information to the brain than vice-versa. HeartMath research provides a valid explanation for the seeming increase in heart attacks around the holidays, as the holiday season is a very stressful one for many people due to: loss of a loved one, isolation, memories of the past and unrealistic expectations. Certain feelings, such as anger, frustration, insecurity, etc., change the beat of the heart to an erratic pattern. In fact, these erratic rhythms cause a person to not think clearly. There appears to be a complex interplay between certain emotions, such as irritation, anger, etc. and elevated risk of heart attack. If a person continues to experience these emotions, stress hormones can elevate blood pressure and lead to the weakening of one's immune system. The end result of such a pattern, is serious health problems. On the other end of the spectrum, feelings of love, gratitude and appreciation cause the rhythm of the heart to be more harmonious, thus having more positive health effects on the body. It appears that honing the art of appreciation is the best way to achieve positive results, as this has been proven to be one of the easiest positive emotions to master. If you are not able to feel appreciation in the here and now, it is suggested by HeartMath research, to delve into your past and find an event in which you felt appreciation. This needs to be done on a consistent basis and you need to feel the feelings of this event, not merely recall a mental image in the mind. Doing this consistently will start you on the road to producing significant positive health effects.
To learn more about positive emotion focused techniques, visit: http://www.heartmath.org/.
Merry Christmas :-)
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