Heart Rate Variability

[Celebration]

So, today I posted something in Health on the relationship between the Mediterranean Diet and heart rate variability

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=222x88629

I'm not so much interested in the diet as I am the use of heart rate variability testing to show the health of the autonomic nervous system. This interest is due to a great book I just read, "Making Waves". Here is the book on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Making-Waves-Irving-Superwave-Principle/dp/1594860440/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I found the book really intriguing. It was part biography and part exercise theory, and part theory of everything. Heart rate variability is higher in persons who are healthy, as it is a marker for the ability of the nervous system to handle stress. So, anything that could increase heart rate variability would be a good thing. Lots of energetic techniques probably work by this mechanism, from deep breathing, to yoga, etc. What interested me, though, was the best way to exercise. Dardek feels that distance runners are lowering their heart rate without simultaneously increasing their heart rate variability, so they are at risk for sudden death when they stop running (think Jim Fixx and others). Ending an exercise, and the heart rate lowering can be stressful, and long distance runners are not conditioning their bodies to handle that.

So, how to exercise?? Basically the idea is to get your heart rate up, and then stop, wait for it to return to normal, and then get your heart rate up again, and repeat the whole process, several times. That is more like interval training, but it goes further than that, because stopping is better than slowing down.

Here's something else interesting--alternating hot and cold in the shower several times can accomplish the same type result, retraining the system to handle stress.

Anyway, I am going to try all this. But I have to say I have been alternative hot and cool water in the shower, and not overly shocking my system with ice cold water.

Oh, sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I've been out of town so I have to catch up on my reading in the group! I think one of my daughters is going through all the astrological challenges now so I am extra motivated to read all about it.

[ricochetastroman]

1. I've had to focus greatly on heart rate

FYI it's largely affected by transiting Uranus. And, since it went into Aries on 5/27, is that when this erupted?
It is known to "cause" irregular heartbeats. I'm not a doctor, just my observation.

:hi:

[Celebration]

2. one would think

That a perfectly even heartbeat would be ideal. While irregular heartbeats are not something to be desired, neither are perfectly regular ones. All this heart rate variability stuff started with alternative physicians, and now there are sophisticated programs to evaluate it. Some doctors use this to monitor the efficacy of different therapies on the patient. Anyway, I was really, really glad to see the study on heart rate variability with the Mediterranean diet.

One thing I didn't mention and you would find really interesting. Dardik's more sophisticated exercise program includes lunar cycles. So whether the moon is full or not, whether it is a high tide time or not, has a whole lot to do with how or even if the exercise cycles are performed. The discussion in the book had more detail than I am saying, but not enough detail to really be able to follow it specifically. I was thinking while I read it that maybe he would be adding more astrology to it as he gained knowledge.

Apparently women who follow his program have their menstrual cycles all exactly even 28 days, and most synchronize with the moon cycle.

I don't know if anything happened re: 5/27, but it sure would be interesting for an astrologer to get hold of all the data he collects.

Needless to say, Dardik is in Quackwatch. So, I don't really want to post about him in the Health forum. To say that he is an interesting fellow is an understatement. He could not tolerate going to Anatomy class in medical school. He skipped every single class, but checked out the anatomy textbooks from five different medical schools in the area, and read them and compared the differences in the way the subject was taught at each school. That was the only way that he could learn the subject. And, on and on. The book is fascinating.

You would probably be really interested in the subject of heart rate variability, and might be well served to learn more about it. I don't have any particular recommendations, though. The book is great but doesn't go into a lot of medical detail about heart rate variability--just the basics.

[peacefreak]

3. wow. interesting.

I landed in the ER last week with chest pains & extremely high blood pressure. I've been under a huge amount of stress lately (loss of unemployment, no jobs, just like how many 1,000's) I had an EKG done at the time & the tech said my heart was beating a little fast with extra beats.
This whole transmit business is kicking my butt.

[Dora]

4. This happens in my yoga practice.

Your post is interesting to me. I've been going to kundalini yoga classes with some regularity for the past year. Our kriyas often consist of a series of exercises involving movement and breathwork, and these inevitably get our hearts beating faster. The exercises are interspersed with periods of lying down and relaxing, "integrating" the energies and allowing our hearts to slow back down. I've noticed that the effect of this yoga on my body has been more pronounced than when I was doing strictly hatha, and I wonder what aerobic effect this may have on my heart. Whatever it is - it's working!

[Celebration]

5. just found an acupuncture/chf study

with heart rate variability as one of the end points.......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=222x89053

[BlueIris]

6. I'm totally going to try the alternating hot/cold water in the shower.

That sounds useful.