Heart Health

Heart disease is caused by -- oh -- wait. No one knows.

It's not anyone's fault that this remains mysterious. Most diseases are mysterious. What I mean is, in the lab, diseases are, on some levels, well understood. The way disease manifests in human beings is a whole other question. We continue to try to find a common denominator, but considering how unique each of us is, well, I wish good luck to the researchers. Depending on the mood of the people who hold important positions in the world of medicine, there is always a theory about causes, but no one knows for sure. Every kind of health practitioner tries to understand, but none of us really gets it, even if we act like we do. Human beings are complicated! I'm glad we keep trying.

Not so long ago, when someone was thought to have a bad heart, they were put to bed, sometimes forever. In recent decades, the treatment of heart disease has evolved and expanded. Perhaps I should say exploded. There are surgical techniques, drugs, "lifestyle changes" that are thought to be helpful. Some of them work for some people, others work for other people. There are some whose hearts can't be made right, no matter what is done for them. I think of Dick Cheney. Nothing has worked for everyone, and indeed, along with the explosion in ways to treat it, heart disease has become much more prevalent in the U.S. It's a huge problem about which I have many ideas, of course.

I remember when heart health was thought to be improved by avoiding anything with fat in it. My society's response to that idea was to begin producing low fat and no fat products. People who honestly yearned to remain healthy started buying heavily processed no fat "food" that was full, instead, of chemicals and fake fats which - as it turns out - are twice as bad for your heart as real food. Margarine is probably the best example of fake fat that is horrible for us. Just horrible. Just as dreadful are no fat products. What is no fat half and half, for instance? What does that mean? I read somewhere recently that no fat and low fat peanut butter is nothing but empty calories. Everything nutritious about peanut butter is in the fat!

With the idea that fat=bad came the trend towards stripping cholesterol out of the body. I get where they were coming from but what a bad idea! Your brain needs cholesterol. So do your muscles. Not too much, but not too little either. Did you know there's no such thing as "good" or "bad" cholesterol?

Modern medicine is emergency medicine, hence the early statins were really fierce - and so very bad for people. They prescribe lower dosages now, but it's still bad for you. Bad enough that there is a class action lawsuit against Lipitor floating around out there.

Recently, I'm happy to say, the idea that fat=bad is turning around, and with it, the idea that stripping cholesterol from the body will prevent heart disease. They're now able to recognize that for many people, muscle pain and weakness, fatigue and mental fogginess are "side effects" of statin use. Many cutting edge researchers are beginning to doubt that cholesterol levels in the blood have anything to do with heart disease. Oops.

The trend these days includes a more joyful set of foods. Here's an article from the Cleveland Clinic that speaks to the benefits of eating dark chocolate. A few years ago, they decided that drinking wine is good for the heart. Now they think champagne is good for the heart as well.

I am enjoying the shift from thinking heart health involves a stern and tasteless diet towards a culture of happiness, i.e. dark chocolate and champagne. I think they're moving in the right direction. I hope they will conclude that flogging yourself at the gym for an hour after sitting at a desk for eight hours can not be good for your heart and will suggest more moving around at the office, followed by maybe a nice walk after work.

Another thing I wish modern medicine would do a lot more of is study healthy people. As long as they do their research around those who are suffering (understandable and certainly worthy) they will only be able to see human health through a pathological lens. That goes for every kind of malady, not just heart disease. They look for what is wrong. I think they would be equally well served to scan for what is right, especially in healthy people who break the rules of good health, whatever that means. They might find something very interesting in that way.

I have a lot more to say about this. But for now, let me offer one of my daily heart health practices. It's the metta or lovingkindness prayer, borrowed from the Buddhists. This practice is supposed to be easy. If, at any layer, it becomes a struggle, drop back to a layer in which it's easy to wish for these things. If you never get beyond yourself and your nearests and dearests, that's fine. This is not a demand and is certainly not magic. Just ask, sincerely. Just ask.

There are many forms of this practice. I offer the one taught to me, the one I use daily. Buddhists all over the world use some form of this practice. I love knowing there are people out there wishing for my happiness every day.

Shalom.

METTA PRAYER

Breathing in and out of your heart, letting your jaw relax, gently closing your eyes, ask silently for yourself:

May I be happy
May I be peaceful
May I be healthy
May I be filled with love


Opening your heart now to those nearest and dearest to you, perhaps bringing their faces into your heart, trying to feel your heart opening, ask for your beloveds:

May they be happy
May they be peaceful
May they be healthy
May they be filled with love


Open your heart to someone about whom you have no particular feelings, like the guy behind the counter at the corner store, the UPS delivery guy. Should be someone you don't really know. Ask for him or her:

May they be happy
May they be peaceful
May they be healthy
May they be filled with love


Now if it feels easy, open your heart to someone you're currently having trouble with. It shouldn't be the person you're having the MOST trouble with. Ask for him or her:

May they be happy
May they be peaceful
May they be healthy
May they be filled with love


Take a deep breath. Open your heart to all sentient beings everywhere around this beautiful planet. It's easier than it seems like it would be. Ask for them:

May all beings be happy
May all beings be peaceful
May all beings be healthy
May all beings be filled with love


Now taking a couple of deep breaths, letting go of all sentient beings, everyone for whom you wished, bringing your attention back to your own heart and only your heart, ask for yourself:

May I be happy
May I be peaceful
May I be healthy
May I be filled with love.

Breathe. Open your eyes and go on about your day.