Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. According to the NHS it is one of the main causes of death and disability in the UK but can often be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle. We’ve pulled together some top tips for promoting a healthier heart, and how essential oils and aromatherapy massage can help!

Holistic advice for a healthy heart

There are many ways in which we can naturally reinforce healthy heart function by making positive, pro-active lifestyle adjustments.

• Try following a Mediterranean diet which includes lots of fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils, wholegrains as well as fish, white meat, nuts and seeds alongside with some low-fat dairy produce and fat from unsaturated sources like olive oil. This diet has been shown to help reduce the risk of health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and raised cholesterol.
• Increasing your garlic intake can be a powerful tool in helping boost heart health, as it helps to lower cholesterol levels. Up the green vegetables in your diet as they are rich in chlorophyll which can help build blood quality – chlorophyll and haemoglobin in the blood are molecularly very similar.
• Keeping salt intake low and reducing or cutting out stimulants such as caffeine (reduce slowly if current intake is high), alcohol and chocolate.
• Watch your weight. Carrying too much fat raises your risk of heart and circulatory diseases, diabetes and many types of cancer.
• Regular exercise, even if its relatively gentle, also plays a major role in heart health. Did you know that your over-all muscle tone is directly reflected in the muscle tone of your heart? Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Quong or Pilates can be ideal, as they are gentle but powerful, and deeply relaxing and stress relieving.

How aromatherapy can support a healthy heart

Aromatherapy offers safe and effective help too, both in the form of professional aromatherapy massage treatments, and using essential oils around the home in burners/diffusers, in the bath, and for self-massage. Essential oils can also be made into atmosphere sprays or added into fragrance free cosmetic bases to make your own naturally therapeutic skincare products.

Numerous trials reflect the positive effect essential oils can have on health in general – and on high blood pressure in particular. This is one of the most common types of health issues that can cause strain on the heart, blood vessels and kidneys if it is continually high.

One trial sited in the European Journal of Cardiology demonstrated how short-term inhalation of 100% pure Bergamot essential oil helped significantly lower the blood pressure and heart rate. In a study involving 100 young, healthy spa workers, heart rate fell by an average of 2.21 beats per minute and blood pressure by 2.10 mm Hg after 45 minutes of them breathing the oils. Interestingly it was only short-term exposure (e.g. 15 to 60 minutes) that proved beneficial. Anything over 60 minutes appeared to cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate [1].

In another study involving 52 patients with essential hypertension (high blood pressure), daily inhalation of a blend of Lavender, Ylang Ylang and Bergamot essential oils for 4 weeks, resulted in a statistically significant reduction in blood pressure, pulse, subjective stress, state anxiety and serum cortisol levels, suggesting that it could be considered an effective intervention for patients with high blood pressure [2]. An alternative study looked at the effects of transdermal application of just Ylang Ylang essential oil and this was also found to increase relaxation and significantly decrease blood pressure [3].

A study conducted in Japan also showed that a 10-minute inhalation of Yuzu essential oil significantly decreased heart rate and increased high frequency power of heart rate variability (HRV) [4].

Salvo (1999) gives a comprehensive overview of the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy massage. Both the blood and lymphatic circulation are positively affected. Venous return is stimulated, circulation improved, and blood pressure reduced. The oxygen carrying capacity of the red blood cells are enhanced, the immune system boosted, and lymphatic detoxification rate improved. It is also thought that the rate of respiration slows down, and stress relief and relaxation is enhanced, due to dopamine and serotonin levels being elevated following massage.

Constant stress is now thought to increase the risk of heart and circulatory disease, with researchers from Harvard University suggesting that it’s now as important a risk factor as smoking or high blood pressure. Interestingly people who have high blood pressure often find it difficult to relax and suffer from high stress levels.

Essential oils for a healthy heart

Patricia Davis (1995) sites a number of essential oils as being cardiac tonics – i.e. having a strengthening effect on the muscle of the heart. These are Lavender, Marjoram, Peppermint, Rose and Rosemary. 

Lavender, Marjoram, Neroli and Ylang Ylang are helpful for high blood pressure (particularly when used for massage), with Ylang Ylang being especially valuable for over-rapid breathing or palpitations.

Taking note of the emotional as well as the physical state is always key and other oils that may be useful for their uplifting, anti-depressant and relaxing effects include Frankincense, Rose, Bergamot and Chamomile.

If weight reduction is part of the lifestyle changes required, certain essential oils can help with the detoxification process. These include Juniper, Fennel and Lemon.

If blood pressure is low, stimulating oils such as Rosemary, Black Pepper or Peppermint can be of use, but should not be used to excess. Brisk, vigorous massage can also be helpful.

You might also like to read our blog on high blood pressure.

Joannah Metcalfe
Consultant Aromatherapist

Disclaimer & Safety Advice

References

1. Chuang K-J, Chen H-W, Liu I-J, et al. The effect of essential oil on heart rate and blood pressure among solus por aqua workers. Eur J Prevent Cardiol 2012; DOI: 10.1177/2047487312469474
2. Hwang JH.The effects of the inhalation method using essential oils on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension. Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. 2006 Dec;36(7):1123-34. Korean.
3. Hongratanaworakit T, Buchbauer G. Relaxing effect of ylang ylang oil on humans after transdermal absorption. Phytother Res. 2006 Sep;20(9):758-63. PubMed PMID: 16807875.
4. Matsumoto T, Kimura T, Hayashi T. Aromatic effects of a Japanese citrus fruit-yuzu (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka)-on psychoemotional states and autonomic nervous system activity during the menstrual cycle: a single-blind randomized controlled crossover study. Biopsychosoc Med. 2016 Apr 21;10:11. doi: 10.1186/s13030-016-0063-7. eCollection 2016.