Heart disease is the top cause of death in the US, and the world. However, preventing heart attacks and strokes, and healing the heart, requires more than a good diet and lifestyle alone. The emotional and energetic properties of the heart need to be acknowledged and addressed too. Because our hearts are not just the physical epicenter of our bodies, but the emotional one as well.
The human heart has the strongest electromagnetic field of any organ, about 5,000 times bigger than the brain’s. This field can be measured as far as 3 feet from the body. The heart also contains around 40,000 neurons, and can learn, analyze, and store memories.
Taking care of our hearts needs a broader, more holistic approach than what is often recommended.
NOTE: This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare providers for medical guidance.
Nurturing the physical heart
Eat well-balanced, and nutrient-dense, meals and snacks
Nutrient-rich foods like berries, apples, dark leafy greens, beans, nuts and seeds, and oils like olive, all contribute to a healthy metabolism. A well-balanced plate that is half non-starchy vegetables, with moderate portions of starchy foods and lean animal or plant-based protein, provides lots of fiber and nutrients while being blood sugar stabilizing.
Optimize mineral levels (especially potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron)
Minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium relax blood vessels leading to lower blood pressure, which helps the heart. Potassium especially assists with heart health. It regulates heart muscle function and rhythm, offsets high sodium levels, lowers blood pressure, and protects heart tissue from vascular damage.
Iron is vital for building red blood cells. When iron stores are low, it causes the heart to work harder.
Stay hydrated
Drinking adequate amounts of water can lower the risk of heart disease. This is because proper hydration increases circulation, and lessens strain on the heart.
Move your body
All types of physical activity, from cleaning the house and performing chores, to formal workouts in a home or outside gym, keep the heart in great shape. Aim for at least 30 minutes of movement, 5 days a week.
Get enough good quality sleep
Proper sleep is essential for our health. It allows our bodies, including our hearts, to rest and repair, improves insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, regulates hormones, and boosts mood and energy levels.
Take care of your teeth, and gums
There’s a huge connection between oral health and heart disease. Study after study find that poor oral health and gum disease are linked to the development of cardiovascular disease, and cardiometabolic disruption. This is primarily because bad oral bacteria can lead to arterial plaque formation, and increased systemic inflammation. This makes us vulnerable to cardiovascular problems.
Brushing twice a day, flossing everyday, and visiting the dentist regularly go a long way for preventing cardiovascular issues.
Check your fasting insulin levels
High fasting insulin is one of the best early indicators of insulin resistance. Unaddressed insulin resistance can develop into prediabetes and/or type 2 diabetes. Because of its anabolic and cell growth capabilities, high insulin levels result in body fat accumulation, elevated blood lipids, and cardiovascular risks as well such as coronary arterial hardening and thickening.
Insulin can also cause water retention when present in large amounts. This can lead to or worsen high blood pressure. If you want to learn more about fasting insulin, read my recent blog post about it.
Quit smoking, and manage high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar
Smoking is one of the leading causes of heart disease.
A binational prospective cohort study published in September 2025 showed that in the over 9 million people analyzed, four major risk factors were present for people who had cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart failure. These included elevated blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, high total cholesterol, and a smoking habit. These are modifiable risk factors that can be positively impacted by diet, behavioral, and pharmaceutical intervention.
Tending to the emotional heart
Address sources of chronic and traumatic stress
When we are chronically stressed, by day to day life, traumatic events, or both, it elevates our stress hormones repeatedly. This inflames, and causes wear and tear on the heart over time. Thus, managing stress is critical for our heart health.
Navigating stressful circumstances on your own can be difficult. In this case, please consult with a licensed mental health professional for more support.
Maintain meaningful connections to friends, family, and the community
Our social networks are a wonderful buffer against life’s stressors. Robust connections can boost the odds of survival by up to 50%. It’s worth your while to build a positive social community in your life. I talk more about this topic in my blog post entitled, “Loneliness, health, and nutrition.”
Practice gratitude and compassion
Gratitude and compassion are potent medicines. Think of them as superfood for our hearts. This 2023 study concluded that gratitude-based interventions reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and improve health outcomes in those who have it.
Find ways to sneak gratitude into your everyday routine. This could be having a formal gratitude journal, to pausing to note 5 things you are grateful for each day.
Be kinder and gentler towards yourself and others. Talk to yourself like you would your best friend. Try this for a week, and see how it changes your life.
Work on forgiving yourself, and others
Forgiveness is a profound practice. I’ll admit that it’s easier said than done.
However, the benefits are remarkable. Forgiveness frees us from chronic stressors and burdens that take a toll on our hearts.
Volunteer, and help others
Helping others through volunteering, or assisting a neighbor, friend, or family member, benefits you along with the recipient. It fosters good mental, emotional, and physical health.
Speak your truth
Being truthful and authentic can be scary, but the alternatives are scarier. Words that are left unsaid or unexpressed build-up internally causing emotional turmoil that can turn into health issues. Becoming comfortable with speaking our minds, albeit in a kind way, is healing for the heart.
Nourishing the energetic heart
Consume bitter foods, herbs, and spices
Bitter foods tonify, and calm the heart and blood vessels. Our hearts are lined with a ton of bitter receptors. In fact, there as many or more bitter receptors in our heart, as there are other important ones like beta-adrenergic receptors (crucial receptors sensitive to hormones like adrenaline). Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners know this. They use bitters for cooling and soothing heart fire, leading to better heart health.
If you would like to know more about the health benefits of bitter foods, read my blog post about it here.
Engage in meditation, and/or moving meditation
A regular meditation practice lowers stress levels, blood pressure, and other cardiovascular risk factors. It can improve heart rate variability, an indicator of a stress-resilient heart. Research studies have shown that meditating regularly can cut the risk of mortality, stroke, and heart attacks by up to half. The American Heart Association recommends it as a low-cost intervention for better heart health.
Moving meditations like Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and yoga are amazing practices that are also healing for the heart. Learn more about Tai Chi in my blog post here.
Drink rose tea or tincture, and use rose essential oil aromatherapy
Rose is a gentle heart soother, opener, and strengthener. Rose petals are filled with antioxidants, and phytochemicals that safeguard the heart. It boosts circulation, lowers blood pressure, and acts as a nervine and heart tonic.
Breathing in its beautiful fragrance can calm the nervous system, and lower stress hormones. Energetically, it provides comfort and support as it helps us unearth and process different emotions, such as grief and sadness.
