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Thread: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

  1. #1
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    General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    It seems like heart worries and anxiety go hand in hand these days. It also seems like most people have no idea how much diet and lifestyle can affect the heart.

    After 10 months and countless hours spent reading forums, studies, watching videos and documentaries I've come to the conclusion that relentless ectopic beats are not normal and it's not 'just anxiety'. 99% of the time there will be an underlying problem. However, they are not dangerous. Everyone has ectopic beats now and then, some feel it and some don't. Anxiety can be a trigger but if you're feeling them every day, your body is telling you something.

    Diet: Remove all processed food from your diet. This is the biggest one. No fried food, bread, fizzy drinks, caffeine, sweets, chocolate, alcohol, dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt, butter), red meat. Limit oil as much as possible, try to completely avoid it.

    What to eat: Oats, potatoes, rice, quinoa, beans, lentils, unsweetened almond milk, nuts, wild caught fish, prawns, mussels, organic free range eggs and as much fruit/veg/salad as you care for. (seriously, don't avoid fruit because of sugar, it's one of the most ridiculous myths still around). Try and buy as much organic as you can. The pollutants in/on food is not a joke. Read labels on everything. With a bit of googling or imagination there are endless possibilities with the food I just listed. Surprisingly, there are a lot of jarred sauces that are ok in shops.

    Excercise: Do what feels right for you. Even 30 minutes of light exercise 4/5 times a week is good. You don't even need a 'workout plan', just move your body.

    Drink plenty of water.

    Get proper sleep.

    Supplement with quality D3, Magnesium and B Complex supplements. I can link the ones I use if people are confused as there are thousands of garbage supplements out there.

    Get as much natural sunlight and fresh air as you can.

    There are so many potential triggers, but this is covering all bases. If you feel like this is overwhelming or you couldn't do it, it's not forever. Give it a solid 60 - 90 days. No cheats, no excuses. Just do it and see how you feel. I'd bet my life that you would see drastic changes in your mental and physical health.

    Lastly, do your own research. I haven't just pulled this from nowhere. I've seen countless people change their lives and eradicate ectopic beats from following a similar plan. Food is medicine, there's no doubt about it.

    Here's some recommendations if you want to learn more about food and the body:

    Films: Food Matters, Hungry For Change, Forks Over Knives
    Books: The China Study, The Starch Solution, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease
    MDs: Dr Esselstyn, Dr McDougall, Dr Barnard, Dr Ornish

    I hope people bother reading this, lol. Feel free to PM me or ask any questions here if you like.

  2. #2
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    Thanks for your post, but I don't think it's a rule for everyone. In My specific case, I can't find any relation between what I eat and the frequency of my ectopics. I've done many tests with several kinds of food and I only find a small connection between the number of ectopics and some junk food, but nothing big (it can even be a coincidence).
    Everyone is different. Coffee doesn't make my ectopics worse at all, and it even works in the opposite way. If I quit caffeine, after a few days I get more ectopics. I start drinking coffee again and they get better...

    There are several different causes for ectopics and most of them are not known. I understand the things you describe can work for some people, but they won't make any effect on a few others

  3. #3
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    Like most causes of palpitations, ectopic beats are usually harmless and do not mean you have a serious heart condition. They generally require no treatment unless they occur very often or cause severe symptoms.

    I would agree with that and only after my HA did I realise I have Bigiminy which is an irregular but regular heart beat, but to confuse either further mine is intermittent.The cardiologist team believe I was born with it and needs no further action nor treatment.

    Yes, smoking, high cholestral, being overweight with bad as opposed to good fat all contribute and nearly 50% of heart attacks are heriditery

  4. #4
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    Quote Originally Posted by trus75 View Post
    Thanks for your post, but I don't think it's a rule for everyone. In My specific case, I can't find any relation between what I eat and the frequency of my ectopics. I've done many tests with several kinds of food and I only find a small connection between the number of ectopics and some junk food, but nothing big (it can even be a coincidence).
    Everyone is different. Coffee doesn't make my ectopics worse at all, and it even works in the opposite way. If I quit caffeine, after a few days I get more ectopics. I start drinking coffee again and they get better...

    There are several different causes for ectopics and most of them are not known. I understand the things you describe can work for some people, but they won't make any effect on a few others
    Yea, definitely. I said there are so many potential triggers. Have you eliminated everything I listed for atleast 2 months though? I see a lot of people claiming they 'have tried everything' when in reality they have no idea what they shouldn't be eating. (not you, just other people).

    Some hearts just beat that way and that's fine, but I do believe most people could see a massive reduction or eliminate their ectopics by following these steps. If nothing else, people would feel a hell of a lot healthier which could help them deal with their ectopics easier.

  5. #5
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    Quote Originally Posted by 2Anxious View Post
    Yea, definitely. I said there are so many potential triggers. Have you eliminated everything I listed for atleast 2 months though? I see a lot of people claiming they 'have tried everything' when in reality they have no idea what they shouldn't be eating. (not you, just other people).

    Some hearts just beat that way and that's fine, but I do believe most people could see a massive reduction or eliminate their ectopics by following these steps. If nothing else, people would feel a hell of a lot healthier which could help them deal with their ectopics easier.
    Yes, I've tried different kinds of diet for a lot more than 2 months. No sugar, no fat, no coffee, no chocolate, vitamin supplements, magnesium, no pills for stomach, lots of water, I've tried them all in different periods, sometimes for 3 months or more and I can't really find anything specific which triggers my ectopics. Well, I can tell you that they get worse after meals (if I am having a bad day), but it doesn't really matter what I eat...

    What I see in my case is a direct connection between anxiety/heart worries and ectopics, but it's not an immediate thing. For example, if I have 3 panic attacks during a month or if I worry too much about my heart, my ectopics will get worse, but only after 2-3 months. It always work like that and I have no idea why...

    By the way, my "normal" ectopics seems to be a lot less now, most of the days I feel one or two, sometimes not a single one... but what scares me now are the ectopics which come with panic attacks! Lots of them, sometimes in bigeminy, quadrigeminy, whatever... It's scary as ****, specialy with the fast Heart Rate.

  6. #6
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    2Anxious, I know you're trying to help and of course "eating right" is good general advice for everyone, but I can't think of a worse place to put this advice then on a board for people with heart anxiety.

    Anxiety (and anxiety alone) can absolutely be a trigger of ectopic beats, regardless of how good or bad your diet is. This board can really only serve to cause more triggers for us sensitive and anxious individuals. People will most likely read this and think to themselves either "Oh god, I eat processed foods all the time and I'm having palpitations, clearly I've caused damage to my body and I'm going to die soon" or "Oh god, I only eat the healthiest organic food available and I'm STILL having palpitations, clearly I'm going to die soon".

    I know it can be like walking on eggshells around us anxious individuals, but you have to be mindful of how we think and make sure that, unless you're a medical professional, not to be giving medical advice. Specifically the sentence "relentless ectopic beats are not normal and it's not 'just anxiety'. 99% of the time there will be an underlying problem" is absolutely horrible advice for anxious individuals, not to mention completely inaccurate.

    For everyone else, if you're here and now more freaked out about your heart than ever, let me tell you that it is absolutely possible to experience palpitations due to anxiety alone, regardless of your diet. Don't let anyone on any message board convince you that you have an underlying medical problem. ONLY a medical professional should be in that position to diagnose you with any condition.

  7. #7
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    Quote Originally Posted by benjamin222 View Post
    2Anxious, I know you're trying to help and of course "eating right" is good general advice for everyone, but I can't think of a worse place to put this advice then on a board for people with heart anxiety.

    Anxiety (and anxiety alone) can absolutely be a trigger of ectopic beats, regardless of how good or bad your diet is. This board can really only serve to cause more triggers for us sensitive and anxious individuals. People will most likely read this and think to themselves either "Oh god, I eat processed foods all the time and I'm having palpitations, clearly I've caused damage to my body and I'm going to die soon" or "Oh god, I only eat the healthiest organic food available and I'm STILL having palpitations, clearly I'm going to die soon".

    I know it can be like walking on eggshells around us anxious individuals, but you have to be mindful of how we think and make sure that, unless you're a medical professional, not to be giving medical advice. Specifically the sentence "relentless ectopic beats are not normal and it's not 'just anxiety'. 99% of the time there will be an underlying problem" is absolutely horrible advice for anxious individuals, not to mention completely inaccurate.

    For everyone else, if you're here and now more freaked out about your heart than ever, let me tell you that it is absolutely possible to experience palpitations due to anxiety alone, regardless of your diet. Don't let anyone on any message board convince you that you have an underlying medical problem. ONLY a medical professional should be in that position to diagnose you with any condition.

    Actually, as someone with real heart issues, I thought this was an excellent post. In no way, shape or form do I see this as increasing someone's anxiety. It simply suggests (and properly so) that proper diet and nutrition can help reduce palpitations, etopics and such.

    It's not a replacement for therapy or meds when needed but more so a supplement to traditional methods and for some, diet modification along with exercise can reduce and actually eliminate symptoms. Even a simple reduction in symptoms due to dietary changes in turn will reduce stress in a heart anxious individual.

    This was not medical advice but actual common sense nutritional advice and good advice at that. Is it any different than telling a person anxious about lung cancer not to smoke (when they do) or to stop drinking when they're hungover and extremely anxious the next day?

    I believe you took the OP totally the wrong way.

    I agree with the OP. Its solid advice, regardless of anxiety and I can't see how this will trigger anyone.

    Positive thoughts
    __________________
    "Eat. Drink. Enjoy the work you do. Be thankful for the blessings God gives you in this life. Live, love and seek out the things that bring your heart joy. The rest is meaningless... Like chasing the wind." King Solomon

    The best help is the help you give yourself! http://cbt4panic.org/

  8. #8
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    Quote Originally Posted by benjamin222 View Post
    2Anxious, I know you're trying to help and of course "eating right" is good general advice for everyone, but I can't think of a worse place to put this advice then on a board for people with heart anxiety.

    Anxiety (and anxiety alone) can absolutely be a trigger of ectopic beats, regardless of how good or bad your diet is. This board can really only serve to cause more triggers for us sensitive and anxious individuals. People will most likely read this and think to themselves either "Oh god, I eat processed foods all the time and I'm having palpitations, clearly I've caused damage to my body and I'm going to die soon" or "Oh god, I only eat the healthiest organic food available and I'm STILL having palpitations, clearly I'm going to die soon".

    I know it can be like walking on eggshells around us anxious individuals, but you have to be mindful of how we think and make sure that, unless you're a medical professional, not to be giving medical advice. Specifically the sentence "relentless ectopic beats are not normal and it's not 'just anxiety'. 99% of the time there will be an underlying problem" is absolutely horrible advice for anxious individuals, not to mention completely inaccurate.

    For everyone else, if you're here and now more freaked out about your heart than ever, let me tell you that it is absolutely possible to experience palpitations due to anxiety alone, regardless of your diet. Don't let anyone on any message board convince you that you have an underlying medical problem. ONLY a medical professional should be in that position to diagnose you with any condition.
    Eh? I quite clearly said anxiety can be a trigger but if you're feeling them frequently for an extended period of time, it's more likely not to be anxiety. I didn't say 'underlying medical problem' I said 'underlying problem' which could simply mean not sleeping correctly or being dehydrated.

    It's quite a well known issue that doctors love to blame anything they don't understand or have no answer for on anxiety. I also very clearly stated that ectopics are not a danger to your health.

    I've seen too many people have to find a solution for theses things by themselves because doctors had no answers. I am one of those people and the advice I gave is what changed my life.

    Of course some people will have frequent ectopics no matter what and that's okay, but I believe they are the minority. People are chronically undernourished these days and they don't even know it.

    Also if 'eating right' was all you took from my post then that's your problem. You must have missed the part where I said there are so many potential triggers, it could have nothing to do with your diet.
    Last edited by 2Anxious; 24-10-15 at 03:33.

  9. #9
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fishmanpa View Post
    Actually, as someone with real heart issues, I thought this was an excellent post. In no way, shape or form do I see this as increasing someone's anxiety. It simply suggests (and properly so) that proper diet and nutrition can help reduce palpitations, etopics and such.

    It's not a replacement for therapy or meds when needed but more so a supplement to traditional methods and for some, diet modification along with exercise can reduce and actually eliminate symptoms. Even a simple reduction in symptoms due to dietary changes in turn will reduce stress in a heart anxious individual.

    This was not medical advice but actual common sense nutritional advice and good advice at that. Is it any different than telling a person anxious about lung cancer not to smoke (when they do) or to stop drinking when they're hungover and extremely anxious the next day?

    I believe you took the OP totally the wrong way.

    I agree with the OP. Its solid advice, regardless of anxiety and I can't see how this will trigger anyone.

    Positive thoughts
    Like you I've had a heart attack and suffer anxiety.
    While the above is good general advice I can see it triggering those who don't think they're eating correctly.
    It doesn't worry me but there will be those that it will unfortunately.
    Just my two bobs worth.
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    Don't believe everything you think.

    Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

  10. #10
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    Re: General advice for everyone with heart worries.

    I agree with FMP. There are many threads like this on Top Tips or Natural Remedies. Perhaps some with HA would be triggered by this but then I would be questioning how on earth they are not being triggered by the thousands of threads on this Symptoms board and the HA one where people are talking about disease and serious conditions in all sorts of detail.

    I also agree with Phill in that some people may worry they are not eating correctly and how that could be impacting on their anxiety disorder(s) but I think this is where we could say anything could be a trigger and hopefully those people will be a minority.

    Benjamin, I think you have read into this incorrectly. The OP is merely suggesting people look towards their diet and any influencing factors in there. It may not cure everyone but it will help people where their diet is a factor and they don't even know it. Like you say, anxiety can cause them but vitamin/mineral deficiency can cause anxiety or exacerbate it, as can dehydration and many other physical causes. These don't have to be scary at all, they can be simple deficiencies or things like anemia. This type of advice is standard on many anti-anxiety websites as well as what doctors will tell us anyway and even NHS Choices states certain tests should be performed to pick some of these up when a patient presents with a possible diagnosis of anxiety.
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