That’s why it’s so important to look at all the factors that influence your heart health, not just, say, cardiovascular fitness or cholesterol levels. Enter: holistic integrative medicine.

What is holistic integrative medicine, exactly?

It is a patient treatment approach that is comprehensive and informative, as it considers the whole person when diagnosing and treating – their diet, stress level, sleep, exercise program, intake vitamins, supplements and more to reduce her risk of heart disease and other complications later in life.

“Often patients are simply given drugs without really looking at the underlying causes of inflammation, blockages, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and more, all of which can lead to heart disease. “, says Dr. Shah. “There are certainly cases where we need drugs, but how do we best integrate these two different approaches? [medication and lifestyle changes] is what I believe in the most. Not only does she believe in it for her clients, but she practices it herself by starting her day with specific rituals aimed at keeping her mind and body healthy.

Dr. Shah’s morning routine to promote holistic heart health

“The morning is a great way to form habits that can set the tone for the day, because too often we roll out of bed with our list of all the things we need to do and stress levels start to climb,” explains Dr. Shah “I’m not a morning person at all, but this morning routine was such a big positive change I made in my life that anyone can make.”

“After getting my boys out of school, I’m about 20–30 minutes for me before I have to get ready for work,” she says. Here’s how she spends it.

She drinks water with turmeric and lemon when she wakes up

“I start with a tall glass of warm water with lemon and turmeric because turmeric has so many health benefits, and drinking warm water is so soothing that the first thing I drink,” says Dr. Shah. Additionally, turmeric can improve gut health and speed up the digestive process, and it is anti-inflammatory, which boosts the immune system.

She practices gratitude

After drinking her water, Dr Shah writes down three things she is grateful for to promote feelings of positivity and keep stress levels from rising at the start of the day. “Stress itself is a huge risk factor for heart disease, so simple breathing techniques, meditation, yoga, or journaling, even if it’s for five minutes a day, helps,” she says. . “Writing in a gratitude journal and being kind releases a host of ‘happy’ hormones that may reduce the risk of heart disease. Gratitude has been shown to improve quality of life, lower cortisol levels, alleviate depression, and improve immunity, so don’t skip it.

Then she meditates for 5 minutes

“I breathe in slowly through my nose and usually say a mantra like ‘I am’ as I breathe in, and I visualize love entering my heart before I breathe out,” says Dr. Shah. “With this exhale, I could say ‘in peace’ and imagine love coming out into the world.”

She wakes up the body with a short yoga flow

“I then do some yoga poses, for example the Sun Salutation, to get my body moving before I go in the shower, because yoga has a multitude of health benefits, including reducing stress levels, improving blood pressure and improving immunity and inflammation,” she says.

To start your day greeting the sun like Dr Shah, see how to perform the yoga flow below:

In general, exercise helps reduce the risk of heart disease, manage weight, reduce stress levels and improve our mental state. Shah says even walking 30 minutes a day can improve mood, control stress and protect the heart. So feel free to swap yoga for any workout that feels good to you. Bonus points if it gets your blood pumping.

She delays breakfast for a few hours

“I usually do intermittent fasting, so in addition to black coffee with a sprinkle of Stevia, I don’t eat my first meal until 11 a.m. or noon,” says Dr Shah. “The food we eat is the number one way to reduce inflammation and risk of heart disease. I’m a vegetarian, so the night before, I usually make oatmeal overnight with gluten-free sprouted oats. and unsweetened almond milk, blueberries, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and a sprinkle of cinnamon powder and stevia.Other suggestions include whole grain toast topped with avocado, chia and crumbled feta; smoked salmon and Greek yogurt; nut butter and berries; or hummus with an egg and vegetables.

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