How Mindset Can Mend Our Hearts– The Heart-Brain Link and Healing Holistically with Essential Oils Through the Interconnections of Neurocardiology, Psychocardiology, and Psychoaromatherapy

Table of Contents:

• Integrative Cardiovascular Care: Healing Our Hearts with Holistic Medicine
• What Impacts the Heart Impacts the Mind (Psychocardiology)
• The Crosstalk Between Our Heart and Our Nervous System (Neurocardiology)
• Bolstering Heart Health with Essential Oils
• Emotionally Healing the Heart with Essential Oils (Psychoaromatherapy)
• Essential Oils to Fortify Our Physical Heart

 

Integrative Cardiovascular Care: Healing Our Hearts with Holistic Medicine

Our emotions and mindset have a profound influence on our overall vitality and well-being. It is now known that what impacts our mind impacts our physical health, and vice versa. This holds true for our hearts.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we are whole people, and that our organ systems are interlocked with each other. Yet, when allopathic medicine became predominant, the mind and body were treated as separate entities. Clinical trials and evidence-based medicine reigned as the new standards for care. Disease was viewed solely as a biological manifestation with symptoms that needed to be suppressed. Natural remedies, holistic approaches, and the therapeutic relationships between doctors and patients were no longer revered. As a result, we ended up with medicine that is siloed into 24 specialties based on body parts.

Modern medicine can be lifesaving, but it also has its pitfalls. Our conventional sick care system is failing at keeping us well. For the most part, it only offers temporary relief to the discomforts of chronic diseases. It rarely resolves the root cause. This is especially true when caring for our hearts. Even after “American Heart Month” was proclaimed in 1963, heart disease remains the number one cause of death in our nation.

In my previous video post, I highlighted the problems with the standardized approaches and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). I discussed:

• The narrow focus on the common risk factors, such as lifestyle and cholesterol levels, while ignoring the psychosocial aspects.
• Some of the most important influences for heart health, such as socioeconomic conditions, mental health, and relationships, that are often not addressed.
• An approach that addresses the underlying causes of heart disease and considers the links between the mind, body, heart, soul, and relationships.
• Enhancing heart function with the mind-body therapy of essential oils

In this video post, I will take you on an even deeper dive into the holistic approach to heart health. We will examine the interconnections between our beloved organ and our brain and nervous system. We’ll also explore how essential oils benefit the physiological functions of our pumping organ while aiding the emotional attributes of the heart-brain and heart- nervous system connection.

It has only been recently that naturopathic and integrative medicine have re-emerged into mainstream. After taking in this information, it is my hope that you will come to understand why this form of holistic healing is crucial to mend the hearts of our nation.

As always, all the links to the references, studies, and resources will be available in this accompanying article.

So, let’s get started.

 

What Impacts the Heart Impacts the Mind (Psychocardiology)

Pyschocardiology, it is a big word, with big impact.

It explores how heart conditions may increase the risk for psychiatric illnesses, while mental health conditions and high stress levels can negatively impact cardiovascular function.

According to a review article of the medical literature from 1995-2012, the following aspects were associated with cardiovascular disease risk:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Social isolation and social support
• Psychosocial work environment
• Acute and chronic life events
• Personality type and hostility

Of all the factors, stress, mental health, and relationships had the strongest influence on heart disease outcomes. The powerful role of social support as the number one predictive factor for heart risk and mental health issues was expanded on as follows (parenthesis mine):

• One of the major protective factors for CHD is social support. Some studies have shown that perceived social support during hospitalization decreases depressive symptoms in subsequent months.

• In addition, many studies have shown that after myocardial infarction (heart attack) the rate of depression depends upon the amount of social support.

• This study also showed different types of stress such as anxiety, depression, social isolation, social support, acute and chronic life event, hostility, and type A behavior. Among these variables, social support is more important than other variables. Not only is the lack of social support associated with the occurrence of CHD (cardiovascular heart disease), but it is also an independent risk factor for mortality.

 

Our Heart and Our Nervous System (Neurocardiology)

Stress, lack of social support, and mental health don’t just impact our mind and heart, they also affect our whole body and activate our nervous system.

Neurocardiology is the connection between the heart and nervous system and it has many dimensions. For example, studies have revealed that the neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and epinephrine, cause changes in heart physiology at a cellular level. This means that these “stress compounds” literally influence our heart’s function and structure. (R, R, R)

In a review of how stress impacts the body, the authors summarized how the heart entrains with the nervous system by affecting:

1. blood pressure
2. blood lipids and blood clotting factors
3. heart rate and rhythm
4. oxygenation to the heart

These concepts have not only been validated through associated and mechanistic studies, but have also been demonstrated and measured through the electroencephalogram (EEG) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV). (R, R, R)

This means that if we start at the level of the mind, where stress is interpreted, we can prevent many of the negative downstream effects of stress on the heart, our nervous system, and our psychology.

 

Essential Oils for our Heart

Essential oils can support cardiovascular health and emotional well-being through their biological and psychological effects (psychoaromatherapy). These aromatic allies influence neurological signals and can “rewire” our brain after stressful events, which in turn influences the heart, mind, and nervous system.

 

Emotionally Healing the Heart with Essential Oils (Psychoaromatherapy)

Due to their aromatic nature, essential oils can be used as a nourishing and comforting modality to help one process and balance emotions (psychoaromatherapy). This is because aromas reach the brain’s limbic system, our memory and emotional center, to instantly create a shift in our mood. In fact, smell influences our mental state directly, before the change even reaches our consciousness.

As a result of the direct influence of smell on our brain, inhaling essential oils can alter and interrupt the brain’s imprinting of trauma or stress when one is exposed to emotional or relationship triggers. Rather than re-enforcing the feelings of helplessness and sadness, scent can promote well-being, security, and hope. At the same time, the biochemical properties of our aromatic companions can help to alleviate the physical, mental, and cognitive manifestations associated with overwhelming and hard emotions. As a result of the brain being in a calm state, one is less reactive to their partners and friends. This means essential oils can further support mental health by aiding better intimacy skills and stronger connections.

Essential oils are also valuable tools for relieving stress and alleviating its biological downstream effects. Essential oils quickly impact the brain, which influences the heart and nervous system, due to how they:

1. Soothe the limbic brain, immediately taming emotional and nervous system reactivity caused by stressful events
2. Modulate vagal tone, calming the nervous system
3. Support neuroplasticity in the brain, contributing to improved behavioral response patterns
4. Influence hormones, which impacts brain function and emotional balance
5. Affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to promote balanced communication between the brain and endocrine system – This is through their ability to modulate cortisol (the stress hormone), hormones, neuroinflammation, and neurotransmitters.

 

Essential Oils for Our Biological Heart

Along with their mind-body–soul and stress alleviating benefits, essential oils can further support heart health through their biochemical properties. In fact, their compounds mediate various triggers that can lead to poor circulatory function. This is through:

• acting as anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants
• promoting circulatory flow
• mediating neurotransmitters and hormones
• boosting the immune response
• helping the body to detoxify toxins
• and more…

My episode on heart health on the Essential Oil Revolution podcast provides a summary of all things related to cardiovascular care and essential oils. I also highlighted some of my favorite single essential oils and oil blends that support heart health. You can grab the link to the episode and the additional resources here.

 

Summary on the Link Between Our Heart and Brain and Healing Our Hearts Holistically with Essential Oils

Conventional medicine is missing the mark when trying to achieve better heart health outcomes. Too much emphasis is based on suppressing symptoms, manipulating lifestyle factors, and providing medication. Often treatment ignores the vital influence of mental health, socioeconomics, relationships, and other whole-person aspects associated with cardiovascular disease.

In this article, we explored the holistic connection between the heart and the brain (psychocardiology) and the heart and the nervous system (neurocardiology). We reviewed how mental health and psychosocial factors can predict heart health outcomes. We also saw how the heart entrains with the nervous system. We discovered how stress is a common factor that influences both our mental and nervous system state and relationship interactions, and therefore our heart function.

Essential oils influence our mind’s perception of emotional triggers and stress through their direct connection to the emotional center of our brain. In this way they can intercept at the level of the mind to positively impact our mood, nervous system, and heart. Their biological properties additionally aid in alleviating stress while enhancing well-being and physiological balance of the heart and other organs.

Integrative, naturopathic, and functional medicine incorporates mind-body practices, such as essential oils. By considering the psychosocial aspects to health, these forms of care can not only aid our nation’s hearts, but also our population’s whole mind-body health.

I hope that you found this article inspirational. It is my desire that you will now prioritize tending to your psychology and nervous system, as much as you would your diet and lifestyle, for better heart health.

In an upcoming article, I’ll review several of my favorite oils for holistic heart health. If you are an email subscriber, you’ll get a sneak peek of some of my most recommended ones in the associated product section of my weekly email. Access it here.