Category: Heart Health

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Reducing Your Risk of Heart Disease

Neon heart; reducing your risk of heart disease

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, so taking care of your heart should be a priority. Stress, poor diet, genetics, and a sedentary lifestyle can all contribute to the development of heart issues, so knowing what you can do to reduce stress and eat healthier could make a big difference. It can be difficult to know where to start, but making some diet and lifestyle changes can go a long way in reducing your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Let’s go over what heart disease is and what you can do to help reduce your risk.

Heart Disease

Heart health is a hot topic due to the increasing number of heart disease diagnoses. Heart disease refers to several conditions that are related to the heart including conditions that involve damaged or clogged arteries, a damaged or dysfunctional heart, and certain types of blood clots. Things like poor diet, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, genetics, smoking cigarettes, and several other things can contribute to the development of heart disease, but many of these things can be controlled. Your heart is one of the most important organs and without it we couldn’t live, so make heart health a priority and consider making some changes.

Prevention

You can greatly lower your risk of heart disease through better nutrition, exercise, quitting smoking, and taking certain supplements. Your diet should be focused on organic fruits and vegetables, good fats like olive oil and coconut oil, and grass-fed meats. Processed foods, trans fats and other bad fats like vegetable oil and margarine, processed meats like hot dogs, and high-sugar foods should be eliminated from your diet because these foods can increase inflammation in the arteries and throughout the body which can put extra strain on the heart and surrounding vessels. Drinking enough filtered water is also important because it may help decrease the risk of developing a blood clot.

Supplements

We have several supplements that we recommend for those wanting to improve heart health, balance cholesterol levels, and/or lower blood pressure. These include:

  • Omega Supreme – Omega Supreme is a convenient omega-3 fatty acid supplement offering 1,000 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the natural, triglyceride form per soft gel.
  • BP Support – BP Support is formulated to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels by enhancing endothelial cell and arterial function. Using a combination of highdose L-citrulline, quercetin and grape seed extract, this product delivers full-spectrum support to help maintain normal inflammatory balance, arterial elasticity, optimal nitric oxide levels, and blood flow.
  • Quercetin Bromelain Ultra – Quercetin is a powerful bioflavonoid that protects cells and tissues against free radicals.† Bromelain, papain, and pancreatin provide a mixture of protein-specific and other enzymes that help ensure proper breakdown of protein molecules that may otherwise cause irritation.† Vitamin C, buffered with magnesium to eliminate acidity, supports histamine metabolism, detoxification processes, and collagen synthesis.†
  • Active Mag – Magnesium is an essential mineral for health, strength, and longevity; it functions as the required bio-inorganic catalyst in over 350 enzyme reactions.† Magnesium is necessary for energy (ATP) production; sustaining heart health and healthy blood vessels; maintaining adequate blood flow to the brain to support healthy neurons and nerves; and for optimal skeletal muscle function.†

Heart health should not be taken lightly. There are many changes you can make that can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease like switching to a whole food diet, engaging in light exercise, quitting smoking, taking certain supplements, and reducing stress.

If you are having any heart issues you should see your doctor right away, or if you are having symptoms of a heart attack you should seek emergency medical attention. Signs of a heart attack can include pain in the jaw, neck, or left arm, dizziness, sudden fatigue, chest pain, cold sweats, heartburn, and nausea.

You can listen to our Is it an Affair of the Heart? podcast episode on here. You can also listen on our YouTube channel here.

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What to Know About Cholesterol

Pomegranate seeds shaped like a heart; what to know about cholesterol.

Saturated fat and cholesterol have been demonized for many years, leading to the rise in low-fat diets that cut out egg yolks, meat, and healthy oils like coconut and olive oil. However, over the last several years there has been a resurgence in high-fat diets like keto, and many people have begun wondering if fat and cholesterol are really as bad as some experts had claimed them to be. There are many things that influence cholesterol levels in each person, and there are some steps you can take to help keep them balanced. Let’s discuss what you need to know about cholesterol and what you can do to help your levels stay balanced.

What Is It?

Cholesterol is a substance found in the body and some foods that is similar to fat. It is necessary for healthy brain and nerve function, and the production of vitamin D, hormones, and bile. The liver, brain, and intestines all produce most of the cholesterol you need, and cholesterol from your diet has been to shown to have little to no effect on total cholesterol levels in the blood. However, unhealthy fats like trans fats and vegetable oils, and a sedentary lifestyle have been linked to higher LDL or “bad” cholesterol. High LDL levels have been linked to inflammation, heart disease, arterial damage, and increased risk of stroke.

Possible Solutions

Cholesterol is necessary for many things in the body like hormone production and healthy digestion, so having a cholesterol level that is too low could potentially have negative effects on your health. Ideally you want a healthy ratio of HDL “good” to LDL “bad”, along with a healthy triglyceride level. Eating more healthy fats and greatly decreasing starchy, high-carb foods is a great start. Avoiding bad fats like vegetable oils (canola, vegetable, and corn) and trans fats which can be found in fried foods, margarine and shortening is also important. You can replace these fats with healthier ones like cold-pressed, unrefined olive oil and coconut oil.

There is also emerging research showing that exercise can help your body move LDL cholesterol to the liver where it can be converted into bile for digestion, which may decrease blood LDL levels, in addition to all the other benefits exercise can bring. There are also some supplements that can help support healthy cholesterol levels like Bergamot and Meta-Balance. Meta-Balance is a unique product because it contains a fiber that binds to fat so it can be excreted with minimal absorption. Supplementing with a fish oil like Omega Supreme is another good way to get in more healthy fats.

It can be hard to add more fat into your diet after hearing that it’s unhealthy for so many years, but healthy fats are essential to many functions in the body, and you shouldn’t be scared of them. So, look into the keto diet, or just work on adding in a little more healthy fat into your diet each day, and be more active throughout the week.

You can listen to our Is Cholesterol Your Friend or Enemy? podcast episode here. You can also listen on our YouTube channel here.