Yoga Has Healed My Heart...

Many many moons ago, I was diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope.

​What is this you ask?

Vasovagal syncope (vay-zoh-VAY-gul SING-kuh-pee) occurs when you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. It may also be called neurocardiogenic syncope.

The vasovagal syncope trigger causes your heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly. That leads to reduced blood flow to your brain, causing you to briefly lose consciousness.

Vasovagal syncope is usually harmless and requires no treatment. But it's possible you may injure yourself during a vasovagal syncope episode. Your doctor may recommend tests to rule out more serious causes of fainting, such as heart disorders.

At 22 I was sitting in a cardiologists office trying to rule out a heart disorder. I had MANY episodes of me fainting. From band concerts, sitting at the beach and getting up too fast, the passing of my dear cousin had me emotionally on edge leading me to faint, cutting onions at work and instead of cutting the onion- getting my finger, etc. They had no idea what was wrong with me and sent me to Emory to see an Electrocardiologist. He diagnosed me with Vasovagal Syncope and asked me to never give blood, to avoid blood, and to take my time getting up (I have low blood pressure too). I spent a few months being very careful and having fewer episodes. Then ----- I found yoga helped! 

I have maybe had 3 episodes in the last 9 years and I owe that to yoga! Yoga has been shown in long-term yoga practitioners to improve autonomic variability and the stability of the autonomic nervous system response to stress. The practice of yoga not only stabilized my response to stress, decreased my stress, showed me the stressors in my life that were not serving me that I could "cut out" of my life. It also taught me to breathe through situations where I would normally pass out. Yoga has also conditioned my body making me healthier and more intune with what is actually going on. The last episode I had, I was aware it was coming and was able to stop it mid falling by simply breathing! 

I'm no Doctor- but I can tell you that yoga can help fine tune your body and mind, no matter what you are suffering from, it will find a way to heal you! 

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