Overview

This overview explores how Integrative Whole Health can support prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.  Each of us may have different reasons why heart health is important in terms of our Mission, Aspiration, Purpose (MAP), and we all have different preferences around how we can keep our hearts healthy.  Risk factor profiles vary from person to person and can be addressed in a variety of ways. 

What are some of our options?  Every aspect of self-care influences cardiovascular disease.  This includes Nutrition (e.g., eating a Mediterranean or DASH Diet), Mind and Emotion s (e.g., stress management approaches), Recharge (optimizing sleep), and Physical Activity (e.g., coming up with a personalized activity plan).  It also includes Surroundings (pollution levels, work environment), Personal Development (growing and learning), relationships (Family, Friends and Co-workers), and Spirit and Soul (living with meaning and purpose).  Beyond self-care, professional care is also important; it includes conventional care, such as medications and procedures, as well as complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches like mind-body techniques, acupuncture, and taking dietary supplements.^1,2

Note that this overview focuses primarily on reducing risk related to cardiovascular disease (CVD).  In addition, there are specific Integrative Whole Health tools focusing on some of the most common risk factors that contribute to heart disease: hypertension, lipid disorders, achieving a healthy weight, and diabetes.  There are also resources that go into more detail about congestive heart failure (CHF) and arrhythmias.  Many of the suggestions offered in this overview are also applicable not only for coronary artery disease, but also for peripheral arterial disease and stroke.  The narrative below illustrates how Whole Health for the heart could look, informed by the latest research we have. 

Meet the Patient

Charles is a 53-year-old man who has been seen in the same primary clinic for many years. He has met with a specially trained volunteer at his clinic to review his Personal Health Inventory (PHI).  He has been considering working on a few different areas of his self-care, and now he will be seeing his primary care provider (who is newly trained in an Integrative Health Approach) to discuss how he can reach some of his goals. 

Charles’ problem list includes the following:

·         Anxiety

·         Dyslipidemia

·         Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

·         Hypertension

·         Insomnia (sleeps less than 5-6 hours nightly)

·         Obesity