Class Notes from Lesson 7-13 Constitutional

 Lesson 7-13: Cardiovascular

The heart pumps arterial blood out through the left ventricle, into the aorta and out through the major arteries. Arteries lead blood into arterials, and out into capillary beds where nutrient bearing serum leaks out to become interstitial fluid, feeding cells and picking up waster products. Some serum flows into lymph system. Lymph breaks down metabolic waste into blood borne waste.... gradual absorptive filter. The rest of the blood, containing soluble waste and gas filters into venous blood. Thickened waste blood joined in subclavian veins by missing lymph. Explanation of blood pressure, varicose veins, etc. Venous blood restored to volume minus waste solids, enters right atrium of heart. Blood from lungs enters left atrium. Goes to right ventricle. Ventricle is muscular. Valve between Atrium and ventricle so blood does not backwash. Ventricle propels blood out, to lungs. Oxygenated blood then enters left atrium, goes to left ventricle. Left ventricle sends blood to brain through aorta. Adrenaline stress causes heart to pump more blood to brain, lungs and muscles. Local circulation to skin and mucosa is largely regulated by local factors. Deficient organs get less blood. Excess organs get more blood - body feeds it strengths and stresses. Injuries also get more blood.

Deficiency: Cold hands and Feet. Dry Skin and Mucosa. Thready, shallow pulse, easily compressed. Skin flushes and blanches under environmental and emotional stimulus. General tendency toward peripheral vasoconstriction. The heart tends to over react - speeds up or slows down easily. Heart lacks rennin. Lacks vasoconstrictors. Heart deficiency goes with kidney deficiency. Sometimes dizzy or faint. Can be caused by BETA blockers. Cold, clammy or dry hands. Hypertension not responding to diuretics - episodic or nervous, not build up of fluid - heart responds to emotional or environmental stress. Emotional reaction to non-physical threat that causes dramatic increase or disruption in heart rate. The effects of adrenaline dominate heart.

Herbs to stimulate deficiency either increase the force and efficiency of cardiac output. increase the resilience of arterial walls, stimulate parasympathetic energy to oppose fight or flight or act as simple vasodilators.

CARDIOVASCULAR DEFICIENCY.

CARDIAC/ARTERIAL STIMULANT: Aconitum (cured Chinese), Apocynum, Asclepias asperula, Cereus (Selenicereus), Cola, Convallaria.

PARASYMP/VASODILATOR: Anemone, Aristolochia (all). Bryonia, Ginkgo, Guaiacum, Leonurus, Stillingia, Xanthoxylum, Zingiber.

Excess: Warm and sweaty hands. Pounding pulse. Strong and easy secretions and excretions. Hypertension with excess blood and fluid. Retain fluids and sodium. Always blood pressure elevation. Blood viscosity may be high. Often related to anabolic stress/dominance. Kidney and liver excess is usual cause. Surplus fluid, excess blood volume or viscosity is the issue, and suppressing heart doesn't fix it. No blood pressure lowering medication has ever been shown to increase lifespan, but many can shorten lifespan. Slow, strong pulse. Frequent physical activity. Warm body. Hypertension responds to diuretics.

CARDIOVASCULAR EXCESS.

CHOLINERGIC COOLING: Crataegus*, Chrysanthemum parthenium, Leonurus, Lycopus (thyroid), Passiflora, Veratrum, Viscum.

*Crataegus, Hawthorn dilates coronary arteries and strengthens the heart. Improves resilience of cardiac artery - lessens likelihood of heart attack. Improves blood supply to heart. Lessens likelihood of clot, angina, etc.

Passion flower good for lowering diastolic.

Here is the link to the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine Course

https://www.swsbm.com/school/