How to Make Your Heart Grow “Fondness”—And Other Health Benefits: Part 1
Randy W. Green, Ph.D.
“Educating the heart without educating the mind is no education at all.”
Aristotle
Did you know your heart and brain communicate? They are talking about you behind your back; and what they have to say directly affects your health! They communicate through your neuro-musculature—your posture, gait, breathing, tone of voice and muscle tension—that precede feelings of stress, anger, depression and other limitations. But don’t despair—they also communicate about some very positive things…
It’s time we had a heart to heart talk.
What if I were to tell you that one of the organs most responsible for reducing stress, building stamina, and increasing focus and concentration so you make better choices is…. your heart? Learning to focus on your heart not only generates positive emotional states, but also helps reduce negative emotions, which can suppress the immune system for up to six hours! So what does focusing on your heart mean? It’s all about the waves…
Dr. Irving Dardik, a renowned vascular surgeon, had an idea that every point in the universe—from the largest of stars to the smallest atom– communicates with every other as one body through the medium of waves. All matter moves in interconnected waves that are synchronized or “coherent” so that the various systems influence one another. An interesting illustration from a recent New York Times article is the total solar eclipse that occurred this past August. Solar eclipses regularly occur in a cycle known as, “Saros”; an example of how wave pattern movements influence one another.
Dr. Dardik developed his principles into what he referred to as the “SuperWave Theory.” For years, this was considered controversial and he met with much criticism and ridicule. However, in the past couple of decades, there has been compelling evidence to support his principles. As the “SuperWave” principle essentially implies the existence of natural rhythms expressed in waves, it sheds light on performance, stress, wellness and disease among many other concepts applicable to human beings. “Stress” for Dardik, occurs from the various activities, thought patterns or behaviors that tear us from the natural rhythms or wave patterns, which promote a healthy lifestyle. And one illustration of such a lifestyle is reflected in a coherent heartwave pattern.
Think of the organs in your body that generate wave patterns as instruments in an orchestra for a minute. Coherence happens when they all play in tune, during a performance, as opposed to when they are warming up, each playing it’s own thing and sounding discordant.
Are you still with me? As opposed to trying to “get over” feelings of stress, anger and depression by talking endlessly about the events you guess might have caused them, the focus here is entirely on your heart!
Dr. Dardik began to notice something intriguing: The healthiest people had more variable heart rates. That is, the time interval between heartbeats varied; and people with more varied heart beat intervals were often calmer, more focused, had lower blood pressure and improved immune function, among other benefits. In terms of the aforementioned, their heart wave patterns were more coherent. So he developed an exercise protocol that would enhance heart rate variability (HRV).
The protocol was essentially a cyclic exercise to help restore the natural rhythms and consisted of four or five short bursts of intense exercise, each followed by a recovery period of complete rest. A modified version of his exercise principle that became fashionable– the “Harvard approach”– involves intense, followed by very slow exercise and came to be known as “interval training.” This aerobic exercise—which increases HRV– has become associated with reduced stress, increased mental acuity, improved physiological efficiency (immune function, blood pressure, etc.) and an overall sense of well-being. It is one essential component of my consultation process with clients.
Thus, HRV exercise training not only improves physical health, but emotional or mental health as well. Such training is one way to achieve a state of high coherence. So how is this all possible?
When you work to achieve high coherence with increasing consistency, a system-wide repatterning process occurs, in which synchronized, harmonious, adaptive patterns of activity become ever more familiar to the brain and nervous system. These patterns become established in someone’s neurology as a new, stable baseline or norm, which the system then strives to maintain. The result is that unhealthy or maladaptive patterns, that is behaviors such as, angry outbursts, anxious, negative internal dialogue, and self-defeating acts are progressively replaced with ones that foster healthy blood pressure levels, improved immune function, and increased mental acuity, and emotional stability.
Whew! That was a big chunk—wasn’t it? Just be aware that a highly ordered, smooth hearth rhythm indicative of coherence and measured by HRV is a sign of good health and emotional balance. It’s like your body is taking out the garbage and making room for new things, choices that are healthier. Therefore, you want to be putting your attention on behaviors that will increase HRV. Physical exercise such as interval training is one way to get there. Go to the gym and get on a cross-trainer or elliptical machine. Alternate between a brisk pace for about two minutes, followed by a very slow pace. Repeat about 4 or 5 times.
Another way to increase HRV and therefore coherence is emotionally based. It has to do with becoming “light-hearted.”
Be here next time and learn how love, appreciation and gratitude allow your heart to communicate with your brain to build neural sensitivity to positive behaviors and thoughts.
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