Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

What you need to know:

There are no natural remedies or complementary therapies specifically appropriate to a heart attack, but following the dietary advice and suggested supplements and therapies for high blood pressure (or hypertension) may alleviate the underlying causes of the attack and prevent further heart problems: Blood pressure checks are seldom done during routine examinations of children. But there’s worrying evidence that some five and six year olds are already developing changes in the walls of the great arteries which show the beginnings of high blood pressure. This is almost certainly due to the high levels of salt and other sodium-based ingredients in processed food - many of them marketed specifically at children.

If your child is at added risk of hypertension, it’s vital to insist that his or her blood pressure is taken regularly - spotting a tendency to this condition early on is the key to preventing it becoming a lifetime problem. It’s also worth checking with the doctor or practice nurse doing the check-up that they’re using the right size cuff for a child. Cuffs used for adults are far too large and give inaccurate readings.

Dietary changes that may be beneficial:

For older children and teenagers - and, of course, for adults - lifestyle is the major factor in determining the risk of developing high blood pressure. Being overweight, smoking, too much caffeine, alcohol and salt, stress and not getting enough exercise all increase their risk. They should be encouraged to:

Increase their intake of foods rich in potassium - the best sources are dried fruits, soya flour, nuts, salads, vegetables, fresh fruit (particularly bananas) and fruit juice, muesli and other breakfast cereals, wholemeal bread and flour, white bread, eggs and cheese. Interestingly, both instant and roasted coffee are very rich in potassium, but don’t overdo it - too much caffeine is bad for your blood pressure
Eat more fibre and complex carbohydrates - wholemeal bread, again, brown rice, dried beans, lentils, oats, pasta
Have more celery, Garlic, leeks and onions
Cut down on saturated fats - in all meat products, the skin of poultry and full-fat dairy products - but have more of the good mono and poly-unsaturated oils, especially olive, rapeseed, safflower, peanut and walnut. Avoid coconut and palm oils, often present in products labelled ‘vegetable oil
Stop adding salt to their food and read the labels on every food package - the average daily consumption of salt in the UK is 12gs and it shouldn’t be more than 4 or 5. Salt causes fluid retention, which pushes up the blood pressure, leading to strokes and heart disease. It’s also an additional problem for teenage girls with PMS.

The most useful Herbs and Supplements:

The following may also help for the over-12s:

A megadose multivitamin and mineral pill every day
Vitamins C and E
Magnesium
Garlic pills
Flaxseed oil
Co-enzyme Q10
Rutin
Bioflavonoids
Selenium
Valerian
Celery seed
Pycnogenol
Lycopene

Children and young people at risk of heart disease should also be getting regular exercise.

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The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.