Inescapably annoying and often worrisome, heart palpitations pose no serious health threat to most who endure them. Underneath the brief rhythm-less haze of heart palpitations lies a range of minor health ailments that can often be corrected through simple dietary changes. The addition of green foods is a good place to begin. While the color green in vegetables usually denotes strong disease-fighting capabilities, the definition of green foods is a bit more ambiguous. It is safe to say that any food that is raw and unprocessed, grown organically and packs a nutritious punch will make the "green team".
Potassium-Rich Foods
Heart palpitations are often an uncomfortable symptom of an electrolyte imbalance in the body, according to the National Institutes of Health. As natural electricity conveyors, electrolytes are responsible for smooth muscle and skeletal contractions and normal heart rhythm. By increasing your intake of potassium-rich green foods like organic tomatoes, raisins, oranges and beet greens, you may be able to correct heart palpitations provided there are no other underlying causes for palpitations such as arrhythmia or heart disease.
Barley & Wheat Grasses
The emerald green hues of young barley and wheat grasses are indicative of the disease-fighting pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is often called "green blood" by scientists, due to its structural similarity with hemoglobin; the two part ways at the core where chlorophyll's sun-energy creates the electrolyte magnesium. In his book, "The Magic is BAC," naturopath Dr. Roland Thomas states that the magnesium core of chlorophyll aids the heart by transmitting nerve pulses that regulate heart muscle contraction.
Leafy Greens & Healthy Seeds
Oxygen is required by the heart to function properly. When oxygen is limited in the blood heart palpitations are a common result. According to Crohns.net, the essential fatty acids linoleic and alpha-linoleic, uncommonly known as vitamin F and commonly known as omega 3, work to maintain optimal heart health by naturally increasing oxygen uptake in the blood. Implementing a continuous flow of dark leafy green vegetables and healthy seeds such as flaxseed and linseed into your daily regimen can help to alleviate heart palpitations.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Heart Palpitations
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Potassium
- Oprah.com: Dr. Perricone's No. 6 Superfood: Barley Grass, Wheatgrass and Other Green Foods
- "The Magic is BAC"; Roland Thomas, N.D.; 2005
- Crohns.net: Essential Fatty Acids
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: Essential Fatty Acids
