Heart Health
by Dave Foreman
Being “heart healthy” isn’t rocket
science – anyone can do it!
I found some staggering numbers
that may give you the push you need to
change your lifestyle.
According to the National Heart, Lung
and Blood Institute, about 1.1 million
Americans suffer a heart attack each year.
About 460,000 of those heart attacks are
fatal. About half of those deaths occur
within one hour of the start of symptoms
and before the person reaches the hospital.
Heart disease is the number one killer
in America, affecting more than 12 million
Americans. If those numbers don’t grab
you, I don’t know what will!
But what is heart disease? I was shocked
to find out how many sub-conditions
really encompass the disease itself;
conditions affecting the structures or
function of the heart.
RISK FACTORS
Heart disease has many risk factors
associated with it. Some you have no
control over, such as gender; age; family
history; race; or being post-menopausal.
But others - those related to lifestyle -
you do have control over, such as
smoking; activity level; weight; diet; and
stress level.
It’s not too late to address these risk
factors. Simply put: stop smoking; avoid
alcohol; eliminate sodium (salt), refined
foods, saturated fats, caffeine; get regular
exercise; practice stress management.
HEART-FRIENDLY
SUPPLEMENTS
For the majority of my readers,
supplements are going to be a first line
of defense in approaching this deadly
disease. Supplements play an important
role in getting back to being heart healthy
and maintaining your heart health.
I personally have a family history of heart
disease – my grandparents on both sides
of the family,my mom, dad and sister
all have heart disease. This subject hits
close to my heart (no pun intended);
and therefore, I take it very seriously.
The following are some of the key
nutrients I recommend when it comes
to being heart healthy: Coenzyme Q10;
Fish Oil; Garlic; Magnesium; Calcium;
B-Complex.
I personally use Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10)
and Fish Oil (Coromega®) daily for heart
health. For me, they help with so many
of the health issues that make up heart
disease. Fish oil - more specifically,
Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil - is even
recommended by the American Heart
Association as a benefit in a diet geared to
preventing heart disease. They actually
recommend consuming fish directly, but
with the issue of heavy metals, pesticides
and how much oil is in the fish, I look to supplementation. CoQ-10 supplementation
is rising fast, and is even being recommended
for heart health by many cardiologists
I know.
When I am asked, “If you were stranded
on a desert island and could only take
one herb, what would it be?” - my answer
is always garlic. Garlic is an excellent
heart health herb. I prefer to use the
standardized version, such as Garlinase
or Garlicin, but there are many other
quality forms available, too. In Europe,
garlic is revered for its ability to help with
supporting healthy cholesterol levels and,
with proper lifestyle habits, maintaining
healthy blood pressure levels. Hey, it
even tastes great in your diet!
Calcium and magnesium go hand in
hand. These two minerals play a huge role
in the relaxation of veins and arteries
(to support healthy blood pressure levels)
and the rhythm of the heart.
Lastly, B-Complex makes the list, because
I never recommend any one B-vitamin
by itself. The main B-vitamins that are
“heart healthy” are Folic Acid, Niacin
(B-3), Pantethine (B-5), B-6, and B-12.
Each one of these has shown to support
heart health in one way or another.
Often, your multivitamin will only contain
these in small amounts, and therefore
I recommend taking an additional
supplement of B-Complex. The family
of B-vitamins also possesses other health
benefits, like nervous system support,
and therefore is a great addition to your
everyday supplement program.
If you are a reader who already has
an issue with heart disease, these
supplements are probably already part of
your program. Obviously, if you already
have issues with hypertension (high blood
pressure) or cholesterol, then you may
wish to seek other supplements that
directly impact that aspect of your health.
These recommendations should serve as a
foundation to maintain heart health.
Along with the other three “Pillars of
Great Health,” they can help you maintain
a healthy cardiovascular system.
|
(0 Items) your shopping cart
