Keep Your Heart Healthy

What can I do in my daily life to lower my risk of heart disease? even when you have several risk factors for heart disease, there are things you can do to improve your chances of avoiding it. You know you should eat healthy, exercise, and quit smoking. Here are some steps you can take: go for regular checkups: at least once a year, get a physical to make sure you haven’t developed any conditions that would put you at risk for heart disease and to make sure you are controlling any conditions you already have.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. Oats, salmon, and dark leafy greens are just some of the most heart-healthy foods
nutritionists recommend eating. To keep your heart healthy it may be better to focus on a variety of healthy foods instead of focusing on a few.

Keeping your heart healthy is about more than avoiding fast food and overly processed chow. You can also pump up your heart’s health by choosing foods that will help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammation.

Heart disease is a serious and dangerous disease in the United States. You can decrease your risk factors by maintaining healthy blood pressure, managing stress, eating healthfully, and getting plenty of exercise and keeping your cholesterol in check. There are herbs and supplements that can help prevent heart disease and reduce its symptoms by lowering blood pressure, improving breathing, and helping your heart to function at optimal levels. One of our favorites, Cardio Cocktail!

Magnesium and Heart Health

Magnesium helps promote healthy muscles, and the heart is no exception. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to several cardiovascular disorders including high blood pressure, heart rhythm abnormalities, clogged arteries, increased risk of cardiovascular issues, and more. Taking a magnesium supplement can help your blood vessels relax, promoting heart health. Unfortunately, magnesium levels are not routinely checked by most conventional doctors.  If you do have low levels of magnesium, your doctor and health coach can recommend the right magnesium supplement, in addition to simple lifestyle changes, to resolve any symptoms you may be experiencing.

Consult with your doctor before taking any supplements. Don’t assume that large doses of a supplement increase its effectiveness. You should follow daily serving sizes as directed by your physician. If you have a preexisting condition, supplements can cause harmful side effects and life-threatening drug interactions.

How to Maintain a Healthy Cardiovascular System

We have written extensively about the benefits of omega-3s for heart health. The essential fatty acids, which comprise eicosapentaenoic acid ( EPA ) and docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA ), support the cardiovascular system in a multitude of ways, not least by reducing inflammation, preventing the formation of clots, and helping you maintain healthy blood pressure and blood triglycerides. Salmon is one of the finest sources of omega-3. In a three-year study published in the highly respected American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, post-menopausal diabetic women who ate salmon twice a week reduced their atherosclerosis risk by an astonishing 60%.

Before we break down the strategies for maintaining a healthy heart, let’s talk about how and why heart diseases (also known as cardiovascular diseases) develop. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the united states. The heart pumps blood to different parts of our bodies through a system of arteries, veins, and vessels. That’s nearly 100,000 miles for an adult —or 4 times the circumference of the earth!.

Vitamin K & Arteries

Vitamin K2 may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing calcium buildup in arteries around the heart. In the Rotterdam Study, scientists looked at the vitamin K1 and K2 intake of 4,807 Dutch women and men older than 55 over a 10-year period. They found that Vitamin K2 intake (of about 25 μg/day) reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by 57%. It also reduced cases of coronary heart disease by 41%, severe arterial calcification by 52%, and overall mortality by 36% (Grober, 2015). (Meanwhile, vitamin K1 was found to have no effect on heart disease or mortality). Another study of more than 16,000 women found that vitamin K2 intake was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (Gast, 2009).One caveat: These are observational studies, not controlled studies, so they only suggest a connection; they can’t prove cause and effect in terms of the role of vitamin K2 in cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin K can interact with some medications, including the anticoagulant warfarin (brand name Coumadin). Warfarin works by inhibiting an enzyme that activates vitamin K, which reduces the ability of the liver to make clotting factors. Taking increased doses of vitamin K can decrease the effectiveness of warfarin and make your blood more likely to clot, which can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and pulmonary embolism. Certain medications can also reduce vitamin K absorption in the body, including antibiotics and the weight-loss drug Orlistat. Talk with your healthcare provider about all medications and dietary supplements you’re taking before you start vitamin K2 supplementation.

Take Action: Sign of Heart Attack

There are several possible causes of heart palpitations. Trouble from above. Some palpitations stem from premature contractions of the heart’s upper chambers (atria). When the atria contract a fraction of a second earlier than they should, they rest an instant longer afterward to get back to their usual rhythm. This feels like a skipped beat and is often followed by a noticeably forceful contraction as the lower chambers (ventricles) clear out the extra blood they accumulated during the pause. These premature beats are almost always benign, meaning they aren’t life-threatening or the sign of a heart attack in the making.

Eat Healthy for Heart Healthy?

Treat your heart right by eating healthy, staying active, and managing your stress. Although some heart conditions are heredity, you can reduce your risk by keeping your cholesterol and blood pressure at healthy levels, avoiding tobacco products, and losing some pounds if you are obese or overweight. A diet high in fiber, veggies, and fruits is essential for a healthy heart. Vitamins and supplements, such as fish oil, may help reduce your cholesterol, which if too high can cause blockage in your arteries and lead to a heart attack.

Researchers looked at more than 100 prior studies including 16 kinds of supplements and found that only two types, folic acid, and omega-3, helped reduce people’s heart-related disease risks. Supplements that combined vitamin d and calcium were found to increase a person’s risk of stroke.  There’s plenty of evidence that suggests stocking up on vitamin supplements to stay healthy is a waste of money, if not harmful to health, and a robust new study adds even more weight to that argument.

Control Your Cholesterol And Blood Pressure

One of the most popular herbs in America due to its well-documented cardiovascular benefits. Garlic is extremely effective when it comes to fighting heart palpitations. By controlling the cardiovascular problems that trigger palpitations, garlic can also fight clogged arteries, atherosclerosis, as well as reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Being physically active is a major step toward good heart health. It’s one of your most effective tools for strengthening the heart muscle, keeping your weight under control, and warding off the artery damage from high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. It’s also true that different types of exercise are needed to provide complete fitness. “aerobic exercise and resistance training are the most important for heart health,” says Johns Hopkins exercise physiologist Kerry J. Stewart, ed. D. “although flexibility doesn’t contribute directly to heart health, it’s nevertheless important because it provides a good foundation for performing aerobic and strength exercises more effectively.

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