Heart & Your Emotions
by Karen Chin.
It is really important that our heart beats, but it is also important how our heart beats. The Institute of HeartMath, a leading research institution on the heart, has demonstrated a link between our heart and our emotional state.
The heart has its own inbuilt rhythm of contraction and relaxation, and this does not depend on the nervous system. However, there are other factors that can alter this rhythm:
Nervous system: emotional or physical stressors can increase or decrease our heart rate
Hormones: epinephrine from the adrenals can increase our heart rate
Other: neural factors, age, gender, exercise and body temperature can all affect our heart
However, our heart is so much more than a vital organ. Our heart is also the centre of our feelings. When we are nervous, scared or frustrated, our heart’s rhythm can be unstable and irregular. But when we experience love or feel appreciated our heart’s rhythm shows an entirely different pattern. It can be calmer and gentler.
Our heart is quicker to respond to situations and events around us than our brain is because emotions are faster and more powerful than thoughts.
Kinesiology is a wonderful, non-invasive tool which can be used to help identify the emotions, thoughts and feelings that have an impact on our cardiovascular health. It can assist people experiencing cardiovascular issues, such as high blood pressure, circulation, cholesterol etc. Or identify hormonal or endocrine imbalances that may also be affecting our cardiovascular health.
Our heart is closely linked emotionally to love, joy and self-acceptance. These emotions can affect our body physiologically. So remember to always love and accept yourself.
