Research shows that whole food is and will continue to be our main source of nutrients, however many of us are deficient and need the help of vitamins and minerals in appropriate doses to lower our risk of developing heart disease.
Even if you are a healthy eater a vitamin or mineral supplement can help to fill in the gaps and make our hearts as healthy as possible, so what are the best Vitamins for heart health.?
Numerous studies
Numerous studies have shown a link between heart disease prevention and healthy doses of vitamins and minerals, supplementing your diet can be a safe and not-so-expensive way to provide heart-healthy benefits especially if you have a family history of heart disease.
Your heart is the engine room for pumping oxygen-rich blood to all parts of your body, your heart needs to be healthy to keep all of the vital organs ticking over, it works 24/7 to keep blood flowing throughout a system made up of arteries, veins, and blood vessels.
What puts your heart under pressure?
In today’s modern world we hear a lot about stress but does it contribute to heart disease? many believe that it does but we need more research to prove that stress causes blood pressure to rise.
We know that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, excessive smoking, a lack of physical activity, and weight issues all contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Stress
Stress can affect us in many different ways, the symptoms of stress include a loss of energy, headaches, forgetfulness, and a lack of self-control.
Stress makes your body release adrenaline a hormone that for a short time makes your breathing and heart rate quicken causing your blood pressure to rise.
Chronic levels of stress may make people smoke or drink more and this can cause pressure to the arterial walls and put your heart under pressure.
How many people die from heart disease?
According to the Centre for disease prevention and control as many as 610,000 people die each year in the USA from heart disease or one in four people not only that but more than 50% of those deaths were men!
The most common type of heart disease is CVD (cardiovascular disease) more than 370,000 die from CVD each year.
Did you know that each year almost 735.000 Americans will have a heart attack, about 75% will be their first heart attack and for roughly 35% of these people it will be their second heart attack.
Looking after your cardiovascular system especially your heart should be your number one priority to live a healthy and full life.
By supplementing your diet with the best vitamins for heart health you improve your chances of avoiding heart disease.
What happens to cause a heart attack?
Fundamental to a healthy heart is healthy blood vessels, problems start when blood vessels become blocked and the blood flow to your heart is impeded causing the heart muscle to weaken.
A blockage in the blood vessels is caused by a build-up of plaque consisting of cholesterol, calcium, and other unwanted debris, it can start to build up in your twenties and over time it can become serious and cause a heart attack.
What can you do to avoid plaque build-up in the arteries?
Eating foods that contain fat should be avoided, and always check the sugar amount in foods as it causes inflammation in the arteries, if you smoke STOP.
Get regular exercise, manage your stress levels, eat a diet rich in fiber, and drink as much water as you can handle. Help your heart stay healthy by taking vitamins that are known to help, these are my recommended best Vitamins for heart health:
1. Vitamin D
A lack of Vitamin D has been shown in studies to be a risk factor for heart disease, if you live in a sunny country it isn’t a problem but if you don’t have regular exposure to sunlight your body will become deficient in Vitamin D, so a good quality Vitamin D is a must for you.
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Many studies have been completed showing the connection between Omega-3 Fatty Acids and how they can support the healthy functioning of the heart, unfortunately, our bodies don’t produce these healthy fatty acids, or we don’t get enough in our diets.
A high-quality Omega-3 fatty acid vitamin can give your heart the essential nutrients it needs for support.
3. Magnesium
Magnesium is a natural mineral found in whole grains, nuts, dark green vegetables, and other foods, high blood pressure is linked to a deficiency in magnesium, you could try to eat more magnesium-rich food like cabbage, kale, spinach, soybeans, or avocados if the foods are not to your liking try a good quality Magnesium vitamin.
4. Psyllium fiber
If you can’t get enough fiber in your diet try a fiber vitamin, it has been shown to lower cholesterol when combined with a low-cholesterol diet and low saturated fats.
5. Nattokinase
Nattokinase is a natural enzyme discovered some years ago by a Japanese student to be effective in reducing arterial plaque, several studies have been done since then Nattokinase seems to be an effective way to get rid of plaque build-up in the arteries.
6. Co Q10
Coenzyme Q10 is an enzyme but it works well to combat some of the side effects of statin drugs namely a lack of energy, statins reduce the naturally occurring Coenzyme Q10 production that gives you your energy, so by taking a good quality Coenzyme Q10 enzyme you should feel more energetic!
7. Potassium
Did you know that potassium regulates your blood pressure levels?
By eating a potassium-rich diet that includes bananas, dried fruits, spinach, mushrooms, peas, cucumbers, and potatoes you may reach the RDA set down by the Food and Nutrition Board which is 4,700 mg of potassium.
A good quality Potassium vitamin will also help you to reach the recommended daily amount and keep your blood pressure healthy.
8. Folic acid
Folic acid also known as Vitamin B9 is known to regulate amino acids in the body like homocysteine, this is good because homocysteine is linked to a higher risk of blood clots.
Folic acid is found in asparagus, broccoli, lentils, and brussels sprouts, you can always supplement your folic acid intake by taking a good quality Folic acid vitamin.
9. L-Carnitine
Another fabulous amino acid L-Carnitine is essential to transporting fats into the mitochondria where they are turned into energy, your heart needs the energy to function at its optimum. Many studies have shown that the L-Carnitine vitamin used on people with congestive heart failure showed a reduction in angina symptoms and improvements in the function of the heart.
10. Proargi 9 plus
Proargi 9 Plus is a natural product based on a discovery made by a famous Doctor Louis Ignarro, he found that our bodies can over time become deficient in nitric oxide leading to a build-up of plaque in our arteries and a higher risk of heart disease.
By supplementing your diet with this high-quality amino acid vitamin your body will have more nitric oxide and will be able to keep your arteries free from plaque build-up.
What else can you do to keep your heart healthy?
In addition to taking the best vitamins for heart health you could make these lifestyle choices:
1. Watch your salt intake; it can cause high blood pressure.
2. Watch your sugar intake, it can cause inflammation in the arteries.
3. Reduce your intake of trans fats (which contain hydrogenated oils) that contribute to plaque accumulation.
4. If you smoke QUIT! it causes plaque build-up.
5. Do exercise that gets your heart pumping, it keeps your heart and blood pressure healthy
6. Practice stress management, stress can lead to high blood pressure.
Conclusion
We know that heart disease kills so many people throughout the world, so it makes perfect sense to lessen your chances of a heart attack or stroke by taking my recommended best Vitamins for heart health.
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