What is Angina?

Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pain/discomfort which is caused when your heart muscle does not get enough oxygen rich blood. Patients experience a variety of symptoms with pressure or sweezing sensation in the chest, as well as pain being among the most common. The discomfort may also occur in ones shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back and for some may even feel like indigestion. Often angina is a symptom of an underlying heart condition such as coronary heart disease. There are multiple types of angina such as microvascular, prinzmetal's, stable, unstable and variant angina.

Stable Angina – Is when one has brief episodes of pain accompanied by a squeezing sensation, pressure or tightness in the chest. It can be an indicator of coronary heart disease. If one suffers stable angina, it is often due to a blockage within their arteries making it difficult for fresh oxygen-rich blood to flow through to the heart. The lack of blood flow causes ischemia which is the cause of the pain. Usually stable angina is brought on by high levels of phsyical exertion or stress. Episodes are generally short and then fade quickly. This is considered the most common type of angina.

Unstable Angina – Otherwise referred to as acute coronary syndrome causes unexpected chest pains and often occurs while resting or doing little. The most common cause is reduced blood flow to the heart due to the coronary arteries being narrowed by fatty build-ups. This in turn can rupture causing injury to the coronary blood vessels, resulting in blood clotting causing more blocks for the flow of blood to the heart muscle. Episodes of unstable angina are random and should be treated as an emergency. If one has any new, worsening or persistent chest pains/discomfort it is important to seek medical attention as it may be inducing a heart attack which puts one at increased risk for severe cardiac arrhythmias or cardiac arrest, potentially resulting in sudden death.

Microvascular Angina – Is a heart disease that affects the smallest coronary artery of the heart and the smaller blood vessels. Spasms within the walls of these tiny arterial blood vessels causes a reduced blood flow to the muscles of the heart leading to chest pain. If you have been diagnosed with MVD, follow the directions from your healthcare provider regarding when to seek emergency assistance.

Prinzmetal's Variant Angina - This type of angina is characterized by recurrent episodes of chest pain that usually occur when a person is resting and commonly occurs between midnight and early morning. The difference between stable angina and Prinzmetal's angina is that stable angina is often triggered by physical exertion or emotional stress whereas PVA occurs when resting. Episodes of PVA can be very painful, and may last from several minutes up to thirty minutes. In some cases the pain may spread from the chest to the head, shoulder and/or arms. The pain associated with PVA is caused by a spasm in the coronary arteries. This results in an obstruction of blood flow. It should be noted that in some people, persistent spasms may increase the risk for serious complications such as a life-threatening arrhythmia or heart attack and is considered to be a form of unstable angina.

What are the Symptoms of Angina?

• Chest pain (can feel pain in shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back also).

• Tightness in the chest.

• Shortness of breath.

• Squeezing sensation in the chest.

• May feel like indigestion.

• Usually lasts 5-15 minutes with Prinzmetal's angina lasting up to 30 minutes.

How is Angina Diagnosed?

To diagnose angina, a medical professional may want to test a variety of things to check the health of ones heart. Often a medical practitioner will ask about signs and symptoms and may also run blood tests. On top of this the doctor may also take an X-ray and/or an EKG. One may also be asked to conduct an exercise stress test or cardiac catheterization to determine how well the heart is working. It is important to note that some types of angina may need emergency medical treatment to prevent one having a heart attack. To control your condition, the doctor may recommend a heart-healthy lifestyle changes, pharmaceutical medications, medial procedures such as heart bypass surgery as well as cardiac rehabilitation.

Recommended Supplements for Angina

Cayenne (Capsicum Minimum) – Is the strongest of the capsicum family and is one of the greatest herbs on the planet. Due to its culinary use and associations, it's health benefits are often overlooked. It is the number one circulatory herb, being extremely effective and totally harmless. Capsicum has intriguing potential for angina as well as a number of other health conditions. The reason it has gained interest of many scientist for the use of treating angina is due to its ability to improve endothelium-dependent vasodilation of coronary arteries. Endothelial cells produce a number of substances, collectively termed endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), that promote local relaxation of vascular smooth muscle. This allows increased blood flow through the coronary arteries therefore reducing the chances of experiencing angina. In-depth information on Caynne can be found by following the link above and clicking the 'further reading' tab.

Circulate– This is a unique blend of herbs have been specially designed for a unique and effective way to improve circulation. The ingredients are cayenne, which has a total effect on circulation, prevents stickiness of blood platelets as well relaxing the vascular muscles. Hawthorn is a gentle tonic for the heart itself aiding to normalise blood pressure and reduce arteriosclerosis. Ginkgo Biloba is the most prescribed herb in Europe and works as a circulatory aid. Mistletoe also strengthens the wallks of the peripheral capillaries as well as having active substances that normalise the whole system. The final ingredient is ginger, which acts specifically on the peripheral circulation. These herbs combined make a powerful supplement for circulation without needing to take multiple supplements daily.

DMG (N-Dimethylglycine) – Is often associated with its anti-ageing properties but has far more to offer. DMG can be effective in reducing and preventing symptoms of angina. This is due to DMG's ability to enhance oxygen utilization to the heart during hypoxia (low oxygen availability), thus reduces angina pain, and improving other characteristics of the blood such as reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Organic Germanium – Clinical trials using Organic Germanium at Dr. Asai's research institute in Japan produced results that were anecdotally impressive. Patients were treated with Dr. Asai’s Organic Germanium at dosages ranging from as low as 50mg to as high as 3000mg (3grams) per day and looked at a variety of health conditions. Liver dysfunctions, chronic hepatitis, and various types of cancer (including leukemia were just a few of the difficult diseases that responded well to Organic Germanium. Diseases of the eye, including cataracts, often responded quickly and dramatically. Most importantly Organic Germanium frequently produced excellent results when given to hypertensive patients and proved surprisingly effective at normalizing blood pressure. Heart disease also responded well to dosages as high as infarction and angina pectoris, and Reynard’s disease responded well to dosages as high as 1400mg per day. Similar health benefits were also reported in people with mercury, cadmium, and other toxic, heavy metal poisoning.

Multi-Enzyme Protect - In the past, the therapeutic use of enzymes has largely focused on the use of digestive enzymes; these aid digestion of food but also mop up and dissolve dead material such as proteins and fats that accumulate in the tissues, organs, arteries and all blood vessels in the body. Research has shown that by combining a range of enzymes, with different actions, we can achieve greater, longer lasting, health benefits associated with the use of enzymes. To this end we have formulated Multiple Enzyme Protect. The benefits to patients suffering from angina comes from the ability to clean and dissolve dead materials in the arteries allowing for better circulation. Additionally by including a number of enzymes such as Nattokinase in the blend it also has a very potent fibrinolytic (breaks down fibrin, a blood clotting protein) enzyme, which has shown remarkable ability to affect blood clotting as well as Lipase which is responsible for digesting fats in food. When taken in higher quantities it will also find its way into the blood stream and help to remove excess fatty deposits from the inside of your veins and arteries. When this occurs, the arteries and veins are more open and allow the blood to flow more smoothly throughout your body. Follow the link above and click the 'further reading' tab for in-depth information on enzymes and the role they play.

Serrapeptase- Is a highly effective protein digesting enzyme. Serrapeptase works by breaking down the blockages that occur in the body inhibiting its natural ability to recuperate. This enzyme supplement acts as a pipe cleaner in breaking and digesting scar tissues, arterial plaque, cysts and blood clots while relieving pain and reducing inflammation. This is especially relevant to angina as it can help to clear the coronary arteries and promote better circulation by removing blockages. Follow the link above and click the 'further reading' tab for in-depth information on Serrapeptase.

Zell Immunocomplex - Most of us are starved of oxygen, not because of low blood oxygen levels, but due to inadequacy of cell respiration; this in turn has been found to be due to poor mitochondrial structure and function. The mitochondria are rod like structures contained within every cell in the body. They have been aptly described as biological spark plugs. They act to trigger cellular activity, this includes respiration, and in turn, aiding cell nutrient uptake. When the mitochondria are functioning properly there will be activation of overall energy of the body, a strong active immune system and a good ability to heal/replace damaged cells and organs. This process is a corner stone of health. As we age the mitochondria get 'lazy'. They can also be damaged by chemicals, pesticides, vaccinations and genetic defects. Because of this damage all kinds of illnesses have become prevalent such as fatigue, M.E., Cancer, mature Diabetes, MS, Parkinson's, weakness of muscles, especially of the heart (including heart failure).

Life Style Changes to Improve Angina

• Stop smoking. It can damage your blood vessels.

• Eat a heart-healthy diet to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. When those are out of normal range, your chance for heart disease can rise. Eat mainly fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meat, and fat-free or low-fat dairy. Limit unrefined salt, fat, and sugar.

• Talk to a doctor about starting a safe exercise plan as this can improve blood pressure, help to clear arteries and more.

• If your angina is brought on by high levels of exertion, pace yourself and take frequent breaks.

• Maintain a healthy weight by balancing what and how much you eat with how much physical activity you get.

• Get other health conditions under control such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.

• Avoiding stress is easier said than done, but try to find ways to relax. Talk with your doctor about stress-reduction techniques.

Removal of Blocks to Health, Healing and Wellness

We have defined the major blocks to health improvement which should be considered the number one priority for resolution before one goes on to a more specific healing regimen such as that detailed in the programme above. By removing these blocks one will feel stronger and more prepared for a specific programme and will achieve far greater success with it. Please read this essential article here

The Core Regime

Not all of the remedies listed here will neccessarily be needed. We strive to bring you the most effective remedies to resolve your health problems in the simplest supplemental regime possible. We aim to treat the actual root causes of health problems holistically rather than supply remedies that will give temporary or partial relief from only the symptoms. This has been our mission since the founding of Regenerative Nutrition in 1994. As we uncover more fundamental truths about the causes, and therefore the relief, of diseases and health problems we update and revise our product range and recommendations.

Above, we detail targeted remedy recommendations for Angina, but we further suggest that you view the core regime article and supplement pages by clicking here

To achieve overall good health and long term resolution of this health problem the remedies selected here should be combined with core regime remedies for the best results.

It may well be that there is some overlap and that many of the remedies in the core regime are listed here also.

If you need any assistance in selecting the most suitable remedies, or have any questions, please Contact Us