We have all had the odd heart palpitation or two over the years! Hopefully many of them related to love rather than to heart problems! Heart palpitations can relate to many conditions and two about which I would like to make mention are food sensitivities and anxiety attacks. Food can cause many symptoms and heart irregularities is one of them. There is, in fact, a method of determining food allergies by taking your pulse before and after eating. If your heart rhythm changes after eating one of the reasons could be what you had to eat. Coffee is well known for this.

One of the first things I recommend in treating anxiety attacks is controlling the blood sugar. Many anxiety disorder clinics are now recommending controlling your blood sugar to help you control anxiety. If you eat regularly and not let long periods of time lapse between meals, your blood sugar is more easily controlled. The type of food you eat also affects surges in blood sugar, which aggravate heart palpitations. I recommend that people choose high protein foods to reduce the highs and lows of blood sugar. Carbohydrate foods including potatoes, some fruits, white breads and rices cause these highs and lows. Protein choices should be high quality, low in fat and organic as much as possible. Contrary to popular belief lean proteins are the food of choice to control weight so you may have the added bonus of losing weight and certainly by reducing your weight and blood sugar problems you also reduce your risk of diabetes. Another heart saver! I will be happy to send you questionnaires for both food allergies and hypoglycemia to help you determine your symptoms.

Aside from taking care of your blood sugar and allergies there are several antioxidants that I recommend for everyone over the age of 40 to reduce the incidence of heart disease. Vitamin E is so overwhelmingly positive in all the research in its heart protective abilities that cardiologists are taking it but may not be telling you! Be sure to choose the natural non-rancid d form and not the d-l synthetic form. Others include CoEnzyme Q10, Vitamin C, natural carotene complex, selenium, and garlic. Calcium and magnesium are crucial for keeping the heart rate regular. Intravenous magnesium is used in many medical centers in the United States to stabilize the heart during a heart attack, which saves many lives! Lipotropic factors such as methionine, inositol and phosphatidyl choline are crucial to help the liver to lower the bad blood fats (LDL) and raise the good ones (HDL).

During this month of February known as Heart month, nurture your emotional heart as well. Remember what it is you love to do and do it! Better yet try and get it into your life on a daily basis. I am reminded of the words of Joseph Addison: The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

Dr. Pincott has been a naturopathic physician for 14 years. She is currently practicing in Campbell River. She welcomes your questions at 250-286-3655 or visit her website at www.DrPincott.com.

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