The heart pumps pure blood to all parts of the body through a network of arteries. These are thicker in the beginning and become finer and thinner as they reach the various organs. These arteries are lined by a layer of epithelial tissues and as blood flows through them, the heavier cholesterol / fat molecules settle down along the walls. 


This attracts more and more fat molecules to settle down.  This is known as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Over a period of time, the vessels circumference reduces and the blood supply to the target organ reduces. This impacts proper functioning of these organs and when this happens to the major organs like the heart, kidney or the brain, conditions like stroke or thrombosis or heart attack can occur.


This condition, known as coronary artery disease, is becoming a major cause of deaths.  While that is the bad news, the good news is that it is largely lifestyle dependent, and if steps are taken, it can be prevented, and in the early stages, the damage completely reversed.


Preventive measures: 
1. Diet: A low-fat, high-fiber, heart-healthy diet consisting of Omega-3 fatty acids is recommended by doctors, especially to people who are prone to develop heart disease.  This also requires reduced salt, increased unsaturated fats, reduced triglycerides and reduced sugar.  Include loads of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds and fish oils. Include multivitamins or other supplements after checking with your doctor.


2. Exercise:  Regular exercise in any form increases the efficiency of the circulatory system, keeps the cholesterol levels in check and helps in blood pressure management.  Exercise in any form is advisable, based on individual preference. A moderate physical activity of 30 to 45 minutes per day is advisable.


3. Smoking: This is one of the major risk factors for smoking, and quitting or controlling smoking is one of the best methods to prevent coronary artery disease.


4. Alcohol consumption:  While moderate alcohol consumption is believed to be healthy for the heart, excessive alcohol consumption is a strict no-no.  Binge drinking especially is shown to cause heart attacks.


5. Weight management: Check with your doctor on what is ideal BMI for you and work out a plan to keep your weight under check.


6. Regular medications: If you are on blood pressure or diabetes medications, ensure you do not miss them.  Keep a constant check to ensure your readings are managed well. 


7. Watch out:  Ask your doctor if there are specific symptoms that you need to watch out and seek medical support if you see any of them.


Coronary disease is not treatable fully, but can be prevented and managed effectively to improve the overall quality of life.

Coronary Artery Disease - 7 Ways You Can Prevent it 

Blood vessels are normally hidden under the skin, but a common complaint of people who stand for long durations of time is the appearance of bluish veins on their legs. In most cases, these veins appear twisted and enlarged. This condition is known as varicose veins. Pregnant women also often suffer from this condition.

Causes of Varicose Veins:

Occupational: Standing long hours

Genetic tendency

Deep vein thrombosis: A condition which affects the valves of veins

It might get triggered during pregnancy and due to obesity

Apart from the appearance of veins, the patient may experience swelling of the calf muscles, cramps in the legs and a feeling of heaviness. If left untreated, it could result in the formation of varicose ulcers and other complications.

Homeopathy is a holistic form of treatment that is very effective when it comes to varicose veins. This form of medication does not address only the symptoms, but also takes into account the personality of the person and his or her overall health.

It helps to reduce pain, control further varicosity, reduces swelling. Homeopathy also helps significantly in the cases which have varicose ulcers. Homeopathic treatment is strongly recommended for all cases of varicose veins except for those which are truly surgical in nature.

Homeopathy treats this condition by stimulating the immune system and restorative processes in the body while strengthening the walls of the veins. It has negligible side effects, but should ideally be taken under a qualified homeopath doctor s guidance. Some homeopathic remedies used to treat varicose veins include the following:

Hamamelis: Hamamelis is the most popular homeopathic medicine used to treat varicose veins. This is prescribed in cases where the veins bleed and there is a feeling of tiredness. The patient may also feel the leg muscles becoming sore or bruised and suffer from inflamed varices.

Pulsatilla: This medicine is often prescribed to pregnant women suffering from varicose veins and in cases of varicose veins that are extremely painful. Some of the personality characteristics taken into account when prescribing Pulsatilla is intolerance to heat and thirstlessness.

Calcarea: Painless cases of varicose veins are often treated with Calcarea. However, there may be a burning sensation in the varicose veins. The patient, in such cases, is usually obese, but malnourished and sweats excessively though his/her hands and feet stay cold.

Graphites: Varicose veins that are excessively itchy can be treated with Graphites. It is also effective in cases where the patient suffers from cramps in the legs and other skin problems. Patients who benefit from Graphites for varicose vein treatment are often obese and suffer from constipation.

Arnica: Arnica is often used to treat varicose veins that are sore and bruised. In such cases, the patient s legs may also have blue black discolouration and they may appear as if they had been beaten. Any kind of exertion aggravates the symptoms.  

Homeopathic Remedies For Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are a condition marked by enlarged or gnarled veins. This typically affects the veins in the feet and legs. In most cases, varicose veins are a mere cosmetic concern but in some cases, it can be quite uncomfortable and painful. If left untreated, it can also lead to further complications.

Varicose veins may be caused by a lack of elasticity in the veins causing blood to pool in them and flow back-wards. This blood is deoxygenated and hence the veins appear blue. Women have a higher risk of suffering from varicose veins as compared to men. This risk also increases with age and weight. Pregnancy can also cause varicose veins. The most common symptoms of this condition are:

visible veins just under the surface of the skin
veins that appear blue and gnarled
a dull ache in the legs
throbbing or burning sensation in the calves
pain in the legs that worsens after standing or sitting in the same position for a long time
itching around the veins
bleeding veins
inflammation of the skin or ulcers around the ankles
red or blue spider veins
Varicose veins can be treated with simple home remedies. Keeping the legs raised or wearing compression stockings can relieve the pain associated with varicose veins and prevent the condition from worsening. Exercise can also help improve blood circulation. If these home remedies are not effective, the patient may need to consult a doctor.

Varicose veins cannot be completely prevented. However, an individual can reduce the risk of suffering from this condition. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to do this as being overweight can increase the pressure on the legs and hence aggravate varicose veins. Women with a family history of varicose veins should also avoid wearing high heels and tight stockings.

Complications caused by varicose veins are rare. However, some people may experience bleeding on the surface of the skin. There are chances that the veins deep inside the muscle may get twisted which may lead to the swelling of the calf muscles. Varicose veins may also cause painful ulcers around the ankles and is a result of the buildup of fluid around the ankles.

All the complication must be reported to the doctor at the earliest to prevent the condition from worsening.

Varicose Veins - The Most Common Symptoms Your Should Know!

Varicose veins are bulging blue veins on the legs that can cause leg swelling, skin blackening and even open wounds called ulcers. It is commonly seen in people aged 35 and above who have to stand a lot. Here are a few tips to prevent these:

1. Avoid standing for long periods: standing for long periods of time causes blood to pool in your leg veins and they begin to bulge out like a balloon. Avoid standing desks at your work. If you have to stand, take a 5-minute break every hour and walk around or sit down.

2. Keep weight in check: overweight people have a higher incidence of varicose veins. Keeping your weight in check would also prevent varicose veins.

3. Exercise 30 minutes a day: exercise, especially brisk walking or jogging, will get the blood in your leg veins to circulate and thus prevent varicose veins.

4. Take the stairs: this simple exercise activates your calf muscles and gets blood to circulate in your veins.

5. Be vigilant: calf cramps, swelling, change in colour of skin over foot and open wounds over the feet are a few signs that you need to look out for. Seek medical help to prevent worsening of this disease.

Follow these simple steps and you would be able to prevent varicose veins and have healthy feet.


5 Tips To Prevent Varicose Veins and Varicose Ulcers

Formation of blood clots in the arteries of the lungs, heart or legs can actually kill a person. In such a case, the immediate medical action is necessary and the only way to deal with blood clots is thrombolysis.
Thrombolysis or thrombolytic therapy is a medical process that dissolves blood clots and facilitates blood flow to all parts of the body. Thus, it protects tissues and muscles from damage.

What are the causes of blood clots in the body?

  Poor blood circulation
  Conditions such as Deep Venous Thrombosis and atrial fibrillation
  Blood clots can also be formed because of dialysis catheters and by-pass grafts

How can you tell if you have blood clots?

  Swelling in one or more legs
  Cramp and tenderness in the legs
  Breathing trouble might indicate that blood clots have travelled to the lungs
  Sweating and frequent chest pain may suggest that blood clots have travelled to the heart

How is Thrombolysis performed?

Thrombolytic drugs are injected into the body intravenously. They make their way to where the blood clots exist and dissolve them. If there is a medical emergency, the drugs are delivered to the exact location of the blood clots and immediately start dissolving them. Another method is inserting a device into the blood clot infested region to break the clots up. The drugs which on entering the body dissolve blood clots are called thrombolytics. There are many varieties of thrombolytics such as the following-

  Streptokinase - It is a kind of enzyme. It is used when a person has just suffered a heart attack or pulmonary embolism. Doctors do not usually prescribe the second usage of this drug. It is injected into a vein and can be administered to pregnant women.

  Tenecteplase - Also an enzyme, it is a plasminogen activator. When it binds to the surface of the blood clot, it makes the clot degenerate.

  Reteplase - It is actually extracted from E-Coli. It is a sterile intravenous bolus injection

The leading cause of heart attacks and ischemic heart disorder is the formation of blood clots in the arteries that connect the heart and the brain. Thrombolysis is often employed as an emergency treatment for this purpose. Thrombolysis is also effective against blood clots formed in the lungs (which lead to acute pulmonary embolism). Sometimes blood clots are formed in the legs, upper extremities of the body, the pelvic region (deep vein thrombosis). These clots may travel to the lungs and heart.

Consult your doctor before undergoing the treatment.

Thrombolysis - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment Of It!

The coronary arteries supply the heart with oxygen-enriched blood and nutrients. If these arteries become damaged or diseased; they could cause Coronary artery disease or CAD. Plaque deposits on the walls of the arteries are the most common cause of this disease. This plaque is usually the result of high cholesterol levels. As the plaque builds up, the passage of blood flow is reduced. This reduces the amount of blood that reaches the heart. In cases of a complete blockage, CAD can even cause a heart attack. Because of its slow progression, this disease is often not diagnosed until it reaches a dangerous stage. However, it can be prevented and treated if diagnosed in time.

In the early stages of CAD, symptoms are not very noticeable. Symptoms become visible only when blood flow to the heart reduces and the heart has to pump harder than normal. The most common symptoms experienced include:

Chest Pain: This is also referred to as angina. It may feel like a tightening of the chest or pressure on the chest as though someone is pressing against it. This type of chest pain may be triggered by emotional or physical stress. It is usually relieved within a few minutes of stopping the activity. Women may experience this pain as a sharp, fleeting pain in the back, arm or neck.
Breathlessness: When the heart does not receive enough blood, it has to work harder to pump blood through the body. This may be translated to breathlessness of shortness of breath when performing any type of physical activity. It can also cause extreme fatigue.
Heart Attack: A heart attack is the most severe symptom of coronary artery disease. This is caused by the complete blockage of a coronary artery. A heart attack can occur without any symptoms or be preceded by slight symptoms. The signs of an impending heart attack include pain in the chest and shoulder, shortness of breath and extreme sweating. The chest pain may also travel to the lower jaw. These symptoms are more pronounced in men as compared to women. Women have a higher tendency of experiencing atypical signs such as extreme fatigue.
Other symptoms that might indicate coronary artery disease are dizziness, nausea and an irregular heartbeat. The good news is that this disease can be prevented. Staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress and eating a low fat and low salt diet can help reduce the risk of CAD.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) - What Are The Symptoms?

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