Heart Healthy Nutrients
Could it be? Are there supplements that actually nourish our hearts and circulatory systems? For some reason this information is something one must hunt down to discover. It’s well known that unless you raise your own organic food and take it straight from the garden or tree to your table, nutrition is lost very quickly from this food. Unless you have your soil tested, how can you even know how rich in minerals and important soil organisms it is? Another well known fact is that the soils of the United States are much depleted of nutrition. Organic food would be the best if you can get it in your area. That is one reason to take a quality vitamin mineral supplement daily. Some nutrients we need more of. Let’s take a look at some supplements we might want to add to our daily health prevention program.
Vitamin E is probably the most well known vitamin connected to our circulatory system. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant which has been documented to block the formation of free radicals. Free radicals are very unstable molecules formed by toxins such as cigarette smoke once it enters the body. Atherosclerosis may develop when these toxins turn blood fats into oxidized cholesterol and lipid peroxides. The artery walls may become damaged and in turn accelerate atherosclerosis. The World Health Organization did a study in sixteen different countries. Thousands of women and men were tested. A heart attack was more than twice as probable when low levels of vitamin E were present. Different levels of vitamin E are recommended for each situation so always check with your natural health professional.
Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant which may protect our hearts and circulatory systems. Dr. Julian Whitaker, M.D. states that that vitamins E and C protect us from free radical damage, a proven factor in the contribution to heart disease. This free radical activity may cause damage to the artery walls eventually creating the condition called “hardening of the arteries” or otherwise known as atherosclerosis. As mentioned previously, as plaque builds up a blockage may occur. Dr. Susan Lark, M.D. states that Vitamin C may protect the structural integrity of blood vessels, inhibit platelet aggregation and improve blood cholesterol counts. You may remember Dr. Linus Pauling and how he was made fun of for recommending high amounts of vitamin C in the 60’s and 70’s. This doctor lived to be well into his 90’s without any major health problems.
B-Complex vitamins may be very important to preventing elevated levels of homocysteine. Homocysteine is an evil amino acid which may cause free radical damage and weaken the artery walls. Levels of folic acid may be depleted by this amino acid B-Complex vitamin which provides adequate amounts of all the B vitamins may reduce heart attacks! Dr. Kilmer McCully first discovered the link between heart disease and homocysteine. B6 supplementation may protect you from this malady. B vitamins are better absorbed in a complex formula. It’s important to make sure it is a quality B-complex providing 75-100mg of B6, 400-1200mcg of folic acid and 100-200mcg of B12. Another plus of taking B-Complex is that they are known as the “happy vitamins.”
Essential fatty acids may be very important to a healthy heart. The benefits of fish oil has even been in the news. Many studies have shown the risk of heart disease may be substantially lowered by a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The highest rates of coronary artery disease are found in people who consume the least amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed and fish oil are the most important foods which contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. The University of Oregon research department found that omega-3 fatty acids (EPA) may cause a drop in triglyceride levels along with cholesterol levels when supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids. Ten patients were tested; all had abnormally high triglyceride levels. In only four weeks on a diet rich in fish oils all patients experienced a healthy drop in triglyceride levels. This fatty acid has been proven to affect blood pressure, our immune system, inflammation in our bodies and blood flow. Eating herring, mackerel and salmon are good choices for obtaining omaega-3 or you may supplement. Flaxseed ground or oil is also a very good source of essential fatty acids. By all means get your omegas daily.
Fiber is critical to keeping our circulatory system healthy. You are probably wondering how something which moves through our intestinal system may help our blood and heart. Good high quality fiber in the form of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes binds with the cholesterol and bile in our intestinal tracts. This fiber moves the food through the colon and increases the elimination of cholesterol in the stool. Total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol may be reduced by adequate fiber in the diet. The good HDL cholesterol is left in tact. Other sources of good fiber are flaxseed, rice and oat bran, and psyllium hulls. Make it a good habit to get your fiber daily.
There are many more supplements you may want to check into. A few of these would be beta-carotene, CoQ10, magnesium, L-carnitine, L-arginine, selenium, potassium, calcium, digestive enzymes and the herbs, hawthorn, ginkgo, gugulipid, and garlic. All have been shown to have a healthy effect on the circulatory system according to Drs. Lark and Whitaker. Check them out!
Until next time I am wishing for you..good health! You may reach me at littleherbshoppe@hotmail.com