What brings you JOY?
What brings you JOY?
February encourages a commercialized focus on love and chocolate. I like both of these things. And I relish any opportunity to give and receive greeting cards that are full of authentic sentiments of appreciation. But this year, I’ve been thinking more about the heart: how to protect it and make it stronger, both physically and emotionally.
And that led me, in part, to JOY!
In this current timeline of being a human, there is a lot to be joyful about, and there is a lot to be…the opposite of joyful about. Both of these things are true. So. I’ve been trying to balance these realities, leaning heavier on the joy because we can stock up on good feelings and experiences to make ourselves more resilient and capable of handling the challenges when they come.
Just as the heart needs a healthy amount of stress (in the form of cardio workouts, not shocking headlines every five minutes) to continue to do its job, it also needs experiences that swaddle us in the kind of happiness that makes us feel like this.
Joy feels like a balloon nestled in my heart-space, lifting me from my chest onto the tips of my toes. It’s the excited flutter of a butterflies’ wings, escaping my lips as a giggle. It’s the warm, slow peace of watching a sunrise turn the sky from black and grey to shocking pink and salmon orange, and finally, to the day’s blue. What brings you joy these days?
Just as our emotional hearts are complex, many influences dictate the health of our physical hearts as well. Our cardiovascular systems are affected by genetics, age, hormones, lifestyle choice, and stress from medical conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Some of these factors are out of our control. Some are not. We do what we can do. Isn’t that true in all aspects of life?
The beautiful hawthorn tree at herb school in October
While it may be a lot to ask ourselves to make the best choices 100% of the time, it is okay to know our major risk factors and see what we can do to lessen them. Some of those factors that can be altered are cigarette smoking, more than moderate use of alcohol, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and physical inactivity. I’m not saying it is easy to control these realities. We just do the best we can.
Working with a skilled herbalist is important, especially when taking on issues such as heart health. As Sonoma county herbal treasure David Hoffman says, self-diagnosis can be a very hazardous pastime. However, there is much we can do to support our cardiovascular health with our daily choices.
There are herbs that are considered cardiotonics which mean they offer gentle, safe, overall support for the heart and the cardiovascular system. Crataegus laevigata, or hawthorn, is one such cardiotonic herb.
David writes, “Simply stated, hawthorn will help keep the heart healthy, preventing the development of coronary disease.” He shares this simple recipe in his book Medical Herbalism.
Hawthorn Berry Conserve:
Soak a large handful of dried hawthorn berries in apple juice (enough to cover plus a few inches) with a cinnamon stick. Leave overnight in the refrigerator. Remove the cinnamon stick and blend the berries with a little honey. Keep refrigerated.
Consider making this sweet treat to spread on toast, add to oatmeal or yogurt, or just take a spoonful and taste the way a little sugar really does help the medicine go down. If you’re not blessed with a hawthorn tree in your garden, dried organic berries can be found in bulk at Shelton’s in Healdsburg, Oliver’s in Windsor/Santa Rosa, or ordered online.
To further support your cardiovascular system,
incorporate these herbs and spices into your kitchen:
garlic
onion
ginger
cayenne
cinnamon
caraway
fenugreek
turmeric
Sounds like a delicious curry in the making to me! Add lentils for plant-sourced protein and increased fiber, and serve it over a whole grain like brown rice or quinoa. A heart-happy dinner right in your bowl!
Let’s MOVE!
Feeling good in our bodies is foundational for good mental, emotional, and physical health. Bodies are made to moooooove!
Our hearts love to pump, getting oxygen to flow to our lungs and throughout our bodies. When our muscles are flooded with oxygen, we feel strong, alive, and invigorated. Noticing this feeling, we start to look forward to our daily exercise of choice, and it becomes a treat to be cherished. We just need to find the right form of movement that fits us, whatever stage of life we are in.
Do what makes you feel good. Follow your joy. Tend to your sweet and strong heart, and remember: chocolate is also a health-food.
