Improve Your Heart Health

By Jim Golick, CCN, LDN

More than 900,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each year, according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease is not inevitable. You can prevent it by adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, dietary supplements, and regular exercise. Here are a few ways to reduce your risk of heart disease:

Eat a fiber-rich diet that’s high in whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats (certain fish, nuts, macadamia and olive oil), and low in hydrogenated (trans) and saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates.1

Exercise regularly. This will help lower cholesterol and raise the good HDL, reduce stress, and improve cardiovascular fitness.

Maintain a healthy weight (especially if you are obese).

Lower stress. Try relaxing with prayer, meditation, stretching, deep breathing, Pilates, or yoga.

Quit smoking and avoid smoky environments.

Get yearly physicals to check blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a cardiovascular disease marker.

“Of the 1.5 million heart attacks and 600,000 strokes that occur in the U.S. each year, almost half will affect apparently healthy men and women with normal or even low cholesterol levels. Older age, smoking, diabetes, and high blood pressure all contribute to risk of heart disease. Both cholesterol AND CRP predict cardiovascular disease risk, but your cannot predict your CRP level on the basis of your cholesterol (or vice versa).

The highest risk is seen among those with high levels of both LDL and CRP, while the lowest risk is among those with low levels of both markers. Individuals with CRP levels greater than 3 mg/L have a risk of getting diabetes 4 to 6 times higher than individuals with lower CRP levels. Part of the link between heart disease and diabetes is due to inflammation, and for many patients, that inflammation in turn is the result of obesity, particularly “central obesity” (weight around the stomach).”2

Among U.S. adults, 68% consumed less than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium (400 mg). Individuals with intakes below the RDA are more likely to have elevated CRP, which may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk.3

Jim’s Tip: A CRP score of less than 1 is ideal.

Reference:

1 “Exacerbation of the pro-inflammatory process may be a mechanism whereby a high intake of rapidly digested and absorbed carbohydrates increases the risk of ischemic heart disease.", Am J Clin Nutri 2002 Mar; 75(3):492-8 (Translation: White flour and sugar are bad for your heart.)

2 “C-Reactive Protein: A Simple Test to Help Predict Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke”, Paul M. Ridker, MD, MPH, Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Harvard Medical School

3 Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 24, No. 3, 166-171 (2005)

CARDIOVASCULAR SUPPORT SUGGESTIONS

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) (omega-3 fats) – Fish oil capsules (EPA/DHA) or molecularly distilled fish oil liquid. EFA’s play key roles in regulating inflammation, blood flow, brain health, and blood pressure.

Co-Enzyme Q-10, 60 mg with Lecithin and Fish Oil – An essential “spark plug” of cellular energy. An antioxidant for healthy heart, liver, brain, gums, and lung function.

NOW Tocotrienol E or Advanced Gamma-E or Tru-E (non-GMO) – Tocotrienols are closely related cousins to vitamin E, but are more powerful antioxidants. They inhibit enzymes involved in cholesterol manufacture. Gamma-E is superior to d-alpha E in fighting certain free radicals and reducing inflammation.

Calcium and Magnesium – These minerals play key roles in the cardiovascular system. Magnesium plays a particularly essential role in blood vessel relaxation and heart rhythm.

Fiber (Flaxseed, apple pectin, psyllium, oats & oat bran) – Many forms of soluble fiber aid in lowering cholesterol and promote bowel regularity. Most Americans get half the recommended fiber amount.

NOW Super Antioxidants (12 herbal extracts) – Standardized extracts of green tea, milk thistle, curcumin, quercetin, grape seed, cranberry, rosemary, ginkgo, bromelain, bilberry, hawthorn berry, ginger. Most of these herbs are members of the bioflavonoid family. As herbal antioxidants, they help regulate inflammation and blood vessel stability and much more.

NOW Heart Support – B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, iodine, selenium, Pure-Gar garlic, L-Carnitine, ginger root, cayenne, hawthorn berry extract, Co-Q10, Alpha Lipoic Acid.

NOW Cholesterol Support – Garlic, guggul, policosanol, guar gum, chromium, for support of serum cholesterol levels already within the normal range.

TO SCHEDULE A NUTRITION COUNSELING SESSION WITH JIM

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Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only. Many lifestyle factors can influence cardiovascular health. These include physical activity, smoking, personality, stress, blood pressure and genetics. Additional dietary factors include dietary sodium/potassium ratios and types of fats consumed. Interested persons should seek additional information from knowledgeable sources. Seek the advice of your physician regarding any change in your medication, diet or supplement program.