Supplement Your Diet For A Good Heart
Heart disease is a major health issue globally because it kills more people than many other diseases combined! The downer of it all is that a large portion of these cases could have been prevented. Heart disease can be controlled but it will shorten your lifespan as well as affect your quality of living. By eating a healthy sensible diet and incorporating exercise, you can prevent or reduce the effects of heart disease.
Total diligence in your diet is not always enough to stem the tide of heart disease. In fact, most people find it virtually impossible to follow a heart healthy diet to the letter. Plus, you might find a number of heart healthy diets and not like half the foods listed on there. You need some help in garnering enough vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to create a heart healthy atmosphere in your body.
If you are totally healthy now with no evidence of heart disease, taking supplements will be the most beneficial, although they will still help if you have been diagnoses with a heart problem. As with anything you put in your mouth, you will want to follow-up with your doctor in regards to which supplements would be the most beneficial for you.
"B" good for the heart
There is an amino acid called homocysteine that can build up in the blood and contribute to the accumulation of plaque in the arteries. By taking supplements of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid, you are protecting yourself from this happening. Niacin is another B vitamin that is important for the heart. It has the power to lower your cholesterol as well as improve blood circulation. Niacin also boosts your good HDL in blood cholesterol while reducing your triglyceride levels.
Antioxidants and fatty acids
Vitamins C and A both are great antioxidants which can stave off oxidation of cholesterol as well as protect your blood vessels from damage from the cellular level. This is very important for heart health. Vitamin E maintains blood vessel elasticity and reduced the bad LDL cholesterol in the blood as well as plaque build-up.
Omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish and flaxseed protect the heart in a variety of ways such as helping lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Co-enzyme Q10 is an essential part in maintaining healthy cells in the heart muscle.
Herbal and alternative options
Herbs have been put to use for thousands of years for a variety of ailments and the prevention of heart disease or treating its symptoms is no different. Garlic is widely touted to prevent the blood platelets from clotting and sticking to the fatty deposits that accumulate in the arterial walls. Garlic also reduces cholesterol and blood pressure. Gingko Biloba boost oxygenation in the blood as well as improves blood circulation while ginseng protects the heart muscle by reducing the resistance of insulin.
Be advised that if you do have heart disease and are already on medications, you will want to consult with your doctor about which foods you should not eat as well as what herbs are not good for you. Some foods like grapefruit interfere with medication absorption while some herbs may cancel out the helpful effects of medication. Just know that you have options to prevent heart disease or at least reverse the trend through diet and supplements.
