Health

10 Best Tricks & Natural Home Remedies for Heart Palpitations

If you’ve ever felt a strange sensation in your chest, like your heart was fluttering or beating different from usual, you may be suffering from heart… Luna - September 26, 2017

If you’ve ever felt a strange sensation in your chest, like your heart was fluttering or beating different from usual, you may be suffering from heart palpitations. Heart palpitations are considered to be an irregularity in the beating of your heart. It can happen for just a few seconds or last for hours. This will depend on the situation and the main cause of the heart palpitations.

The causes behind heart palpitations vary from external stimulants to biological conditions (including hormonal). And even psychological factors can affect your heart rate. Among these causes, there are some frequent ones such as anemia, electrolyte imbalance and overactive thyroid. As well as anxiety (causing high levels of adrenaline in your body), low blood sugar, and the use of excessive nicotine or caffeine for example. All of these and many more can cause heart palpitations.

If your heart palpitations come together with other symptoms like fainting, chest pain, sweating, blurred vision, dizziness, and vomiting; we suggest you to refer to your doctor as it may indicate a more serious heart condition in itself.

However, if you only have heart palpitations from time to time, you don’t have to worry too much. In the following list, we will be discussing ten easy tricks to prevent and stop heart palpitations from happening. Helping you and your family to be on top of your health and enjoy your daily activities!

1. Heart Palpitations Remedy: Valsalva Manoeuvre

Warning: Do not use this Trick if you do have a heart disease. If you are unsure, please consult your physician before using this trick.

The Valsalva Manoeuvre is a very old technique to control and restore a normal heartbeat. It achieves this by stimulating the 10th cranial nerve (commonly called the Vagus nerve). The stimulation is caused by a physical intervention and leads the body to slowing the pace of the heart.

In order to do the Valsalva Manoeuvre correctly during heart palpitations, start by pinching your nose. Continue by closing your mouth, and then make the attempt to breathe out. You will not that your heart palpitations might increase at this point, don’t panic! This is a normal reaction for this manoeuvre to control heart palpitations. If you continue with this manoeuvre, your heart rate will then decrease.

Once it has decreased, stop reproducing these steps and breathe normally. This will control your heart rate and bring you back to a normal state. However, as mentioned above, should you have or believe to have heart disease, this manoeuvre is not suitable for you. It is very important to keep this in mind as this could cause you major harm. In order to know if you have heart disease, please note all your symptoms during heart palpitations. Some symptoms that may lead you to think of heart disease are dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fainting, sweating, or chest pain. Please do keep very good note of your generic symptoms during heart palpitations and communicate them to your doctor in order to prevent any further damage should there already be some.

If you have any doubts about your heart health and heart palpitations, it is always best to consult a physician. Otherwise, use the Valsalva Manoeuvre to calm your heart whenever it starts racing.

2. Heart Palpitations Remedy: Coughing

Another very useful technique to control and reduce occurring heart palpitations is coughing. It mind sound easy, but causing a vigorous cough does not come naturally to everyone. Coughing causes several things to happen within your system, one of them is a build-up of pressure in your chest. This pressure change can help your heart rest and return to a normal speed.

This measure is only a remedy once you start experiencing heart palpitations. It is not a preventative measure though. Whenever you feel heart palpitations, start coughing very vigorously for a few minutes. This will help break the heart palpitations pattern and return your heartbeat to a stable speed.

As mentioned above, this is however not a preventive measure. Coughing will not prevent heart palpitations from happening. It will only soothe them once they are already there. If you feel like you are having too many heart palpitations and coughing vigorously is damaging your throat or lungs, please do not force it. Instead, consult your physician for a more suitable solution for you.

Each person is different and coughing may not be a measure apt for your body. However, should it be something that you feel comfortable with, make sure to be safe when doing it. Always maintain your body hydrated in order to prevent damage in your mouth, nose, or throat. This technique will be very helpful for those that have just a few heart palpitations every now and then. If you feel like your heart palpitations are getting too frequent or too long, make sure to consult your doctor in order to follow your progress and prevent heart damage from happening.

We advise you to suck on caramels or use chewing gums to keep your throat and mouth hydrated at all times should you need to cough to stop heart palpitations.

3. Heart Palpitations Prevention and Remedy: Deep Breathing

For centuries, yogis have known this little secret to help control their own bodies. Deep breathing can be found in several relaxation and body control techniques. The latest trend in anxiety and stress control, also known as mindfulness, also includes breathing techniques. However, deep breathing needs to be done correctly in order to ease your body from its stress. Not only can stress cause heart palpitations, but heart palpitations can also cause you distress. Which will then turn into more heart palpitations. You want to break the cycle at this point.

For deep breathing to help control your heart palpitations, make sure to fill your lungs properly. This means that your belly will need to expand, not your chest. Note that even though we all breathe differently, it is a good exercise to focus on the way your body expands and changes while breathing. Focus on the way your body moves and reacts, the way the air goes in and out. This small details will also help you relax and focus on something other than your heart palpitations.

Start by sitting in a comfortable place and position. Try sitting on your couch, bed, or floor, with your legs relaxed, either extended or crossed. Now take a slow and deep breath using your nose. Fill your lungs completely and allow your belly to expand with every breath you take.

Now hold your breath, count to four, then breathe out through your mouth. Repeat for a few minutes in order to control your heart palpitations.

This technique does not only work as a remedy, but it can be preventive as well if you practice it every day. Join a Yoga or Meditation class to learn more deep breathing techniques, this way you will help to control heart palpitations.

4. Heart Palpitations Prevention and Remedy: Cold Water

Being hydrated is generically good prevention and remedy for most body issues. As you may know, our body is composed of over 70% of water. We are made of fluids and we need fluids to live. Sometimes, a lack of proper water intake can be a leading cause of heart palpitations. This is why it is commonly advised to drink plenty of fluids at any given time. The suggested amount is approximately two liters a day, more if you practice any sports or during hot months.

During heart palpitations, try drinking a glass of cold water. This may help you reduce and control your heart palpitations, as well as help you to control your anxiety, stress or dizziness if any. Very cold water is the trick to shock your nervous system. By doing so you can help your body get back to normal during heart palpitations.

Not only intaking cold water helps. Taking cold showers or splashing cold water on your face will definitely work well to control heart palpitations. This works the same as the above, by shocking your nervous system. Sometimes, distractions from something that bothers you, like heart palpitations, are the best solutions to the problem. If you wish to mix it up a bit, try intervals of cold water drinking and deep breathing techniques to control your heart palpitations. You can do so by taking a sip of the cold water, then taking a deep breath. Before exhaling, take another sip of water. Repeat as many times as needed. This small technique will also help you stop hiccups.

If you feel that your heart palpitations increase during hot weather or sunny days, consult your physician. However, you can also start by making sure that you intake enough liquids to keep your body hydrated.

5. Heart Palpitations Prevention and Remedy: Blackstrap Molasses.

You may have heard this before, but blackstrap molasses are really good for preventing and as a remedy for heart palpitations. This is for a very simple cause. Blackstrap molasses are rich in potassium, magnesium, iron, and calcium contents. This means that Blackstrap molasses can help you to control anemia, which is a leading cause of heart palpitations.

However, this needs to be taken on a regular basis to be a preventative measure or a remedy for your heart palpitations. Taking it only once will not stop your heart issues. You can either take one tablespoon with a cup of water and drink it. Or you can mix two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with a cup of water and drink the mix. Either choice needs to be done once a day in order to start making changes in your body.

Heart palpitations are often caused by the lack of necessary minerals like the ones listed above, so a balanced diet and regular exercise will also help you to control them better. Consult with your physician to get regular blood tests done. This way you will be able to control your heart palpitations by knowing your own body better. Make sure to intake enough fruits and veggies in your daily diet and drink plenty of fluids. If you are not doing so already, add light exercise to your weekly routine. This will help you to control heart palpitations.

If you don’t like the bitter taste of Blackstrap Molasses, you can add a bit of Manuka Honey to the mixes above. This will not only give it a sweeter taste but also add antibiotic and energetic features to the mix to keep your body healthy and going for the day.

6. Heart Palpitations Prevention: Magnesium Intake.

One of the main causes of heart palpitations is magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is an extremely important mineral for our body’s functions. Not only to prevent heart palpitations but to better the general blood circulation in your body. Magnesium is perfect to help control heart palpitations because it is one of the minerals that ensure the appropriate functioning of your heart.

In order to get your magnesium levels right, you can follow two different options. One would be intaking foods that are magnesium-rich. For example, you could add spinach, kale or dark green vegetables to your daily diet. You can also intake nuts like cashew or almonds. If you like fish then you can eat cold-water ones. Other foods like seeds (sesame and pumpkin especially), bananas, dark chocolate or avocados are great sources of magnesium for heart palpitations prevention. By adding these foods, you won’t only make sure to intake magnesium but also other vitamins and minerals that are essential to your body’s correct functioning. So make sure to prepare balanced and colorful dishes which will keep you healthy and energized every single day.

However, if you already eat these foods and you still don’t get enough because of nutritional absorption issues, then you can take option two. That would be taking magnesium supplements. They usually come in a 350mg format which is perfect to swallow and forget about heart palpitations. It is however necessary that you consult your doctor before following option two as you may want to make regular blood test to control your mineral intake. If you have absorption issues, make sure to ask your doctor about probiotics and any general tests to undertake to better understand your body. All of this can help you to prevent heart palpitations in the long run.

7. Heart Palpitations Remedy: Cinnamon.

We all love some sweet and spicy cinnamon in our dishes, especially in desserts. But cinnamon is not only something that tastes good, it actually has some extremely beneficial properties. Cinnamon has been used for centuries to energize your body and improve your metabolism. It helps you burn fat and feel in a better mood. It is actually made of numerous nutrients and chemicals, among them are manganese (not to be confused with magnesium above) and potassium. Both are very beneficial for the remedy and prevention of heart palpitations and heart health in general. Cinnamon is also good to improve your blood flow to the heart. It also prevents and helps you to reduce LDL (known as bad cholesterol) and control high pressure for those suffering from it.

All in all, cinnamon is an extremely good and well-known home remedy for many symptoms you may experience. And for heart palpitations, it is just the thing! If you feel like your heart palpitations are getting somehow out of control, make sure to consult your physician. In the meantime, start intaking cinnamon on a daily basis. You can try one of these two mixes to add cinnamon to your daily routines and control heart palpitations once and for all:

  • Add one teaspoon of cinnamon powder to a glass of lukewarm water. Drink it all in the morning.
  • If you need a sweeter solution, mix one teaspoon of cinnamon with one teaspoon of honey. You will love it!

Add cinnamon to your diet if you want to make sure to have a proper intake. You can do so by adding it in powder form to salad dressings, stir-fries, desserts and hot drinks such as coffee, hot chocolate or even tea! Additionally, you can also use cinnamon sticks to flavor your milk, teas, or creams. Everything tastes better with cinnamon on it!

8. Heart Palpitations Remedy and Prevention: Valerian.

If the cause of your heart palpitations are anxiety or panic attacks, then you may want to have valerian at hand. Valerian has been known for helping you to relax and have better-sleeping patterns. Valerian has a calming effect and will help you control your heart palpitations by restoring normal heartbeat.

The good thing about Valerian is that it comes in several formats. That way you can choose your favorite to control anxiety and panic. Thus controlling heart palpitations. Among these formats, you will find Valerian teas, which can be brewed just as any normal teas and taken when you feel stressed or before sleep. Just make sure not to drink too many of them as it may calm you in extreme and prevent you from making a normal life. You can also purchase Valerian dry herbs in bulk, which can then be used in food or drink format by adding it as a normal spice. Valerian is perfect for a night brew before bedtime!

You may also want to check out Valerian tincture, which can be added (10 drops) to a glass of water if needed for a quick fix. This can be taken when heart palpitations start and will help you to calm down fast. It is easier to find and buy in herbalist specialised shops.

Another option is to take Valerian as a supplement for heart palpitations. This would be more of a preventive measure rather than a remedy. The dosage will depend on your personal needs, so please refer to your doctor for an appropriate prescription. Valerian is fantastic prevention for anxiety and stress. If you are a busy bee, this might be just the thing for you!

Warning: Please do not intake Valerian if you are or believe to be pregnant. Consult your physician before taking it.

9. Heart Palpitations Prevention and Remedy: Hawthorn.

Hawthorn is an extremely effective herb for the prevention and treatment of heart palpitations. Seemingly to what Valerian and Cinnamon do, as described above, Hawthorn helps to increase your blood flow to the heart. It also helps your heart health by improving the contractions of your cardiac muscle, which results in a very steady heartbeat thus lessening heart palpitations.

Hawthorn can be intake as a herb supplement. The dosage however varies a lot depending on the person. It ranges from as little as 160mg to as large as 900mg. And it can be taken daily from 3 weeks to even 24! This is why it is extremely important that you consult your physician before taking it. Hawthorn can interfere with some medications, so if you are taking or planning on taking any, it really needs to be taken into consideration for your daily routines.

Similar to Valerian, it is not recommended during pregnancy or if you believe that you may be pregnant. A herbalist or a doctor will be able to specify which herbs will be suitable for you in these two cases. Likewise, if you take any specific medications even if not pregnant, Hawthorn needs to be regulated by your physician in dosage and length of treatment.

Hawthorn is generally good for heart palpitations prevention but also as a remedy, however, not a quick fix. You need to make sure to take it regularly and in the right dosage to function properly as both. Hawthorn is not only good for heart palpitations but it can also be used for sores, wounds, and boils. It has anti-inflammatory properties and it’s amazing for cardiac issues that may not be directly heart palpitations. It is also perfect to get rid of LDL and improve your cholesterol levels all in all!

10. Heart Palpitations Remedy: Lemon Balm.

Many people know Lemon balm as Melissa or Melissa officinalis in its Latin form. It is a great herb to help you control heart palpitations from the start. It is known for its tonic effects on the circulatory system and on the heart. Additionally, Lemon balm is great as a mild relaxant which can be used to reduce anxiety and panic attacks should you have any. It is also used sometimes to regulate overactive thyroids.

It can be taken in many forms though most people prefer to brew it as a tea. If you also prefer so, you can prepare a perfect one by adding one teaspoon of dried lemon balm to one cup of hot (not boiling) water. Cover and steep. It will take approximately five to ten minutes to be ready. Drink this brew when you feel like your heart palpitations are starting.

Lemon balm can also be added as a spice to your daily cooking, just like oregano or rosemary. It will spice up and give taste to your dishes whilst helping you to control heart palpitations. If you prefer to avoid its taste, you can take it in pill form as a supplement. However, for this last option please make sure to consult your doctor. You will need to be prescribed just the right dosage for your body’s needs, and you will probably need blood tests done regularly.

All in all, these remedies are perfect to help you control heart palpitations. But don’t forget to have a balanced diet and regular exercise. This will help you lead a healthy life which will result in better life quality. Consulting your doctor regularly will ensure that your heart palpitations don’t result in heart conditions and will help you to prevent them in the long run. If you want to reduce anxiety and stress in general, make sure to attend some Yoga and Meditation lessons in your local gym!

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