Build A Healthy Heart With Natural Supplements

High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and ever increasing stress are all factors related to the leading cause of death for both men and women, heart disease.  Luckily, heart disease is a problem you can do something about.  By taking nutritional supplements, making changes in the food we eat, exercising most days of the week, drinking in moderation, and eliminating tobacco use, we can prevent or lessen the effects of heart disease. 

After choosing to live a healthier life, it may seem very overwhelming.  However, lots of people feel this way.  As a result the American Heart Association is urging people to prevent heart disease by identifying their individual risk factors.  Each risk factor indicates whether or not you may develop a certain health condition.  In heart disease prevention, there are two types of risk factors, those you can control, and those that you can’t control.  Risk factors that you can control include: diet, exercise, and the supplements that you take, whereas risk factors that you can’t control consist of age, race, gender, and your family’s history of heart disease. 

There are a few, specific supplements that should be taken to increase your health and lower your chances of developing heart disease.  You should take a quality heart formula multivitamin, garlic, and a fish oil supplement that provides Omega-3 fatty acids.  CoQ10 is also a good way to give complete heart health support.  The heart formula multivitamin will provide your heart with the exact nutrients needed to prevent heart disease. 

Since the human heart cannot function without adequate amount of vitamins and minerals, it is logical that a multivitamin specifically formulated for heart health would work best.  The cells and tissues that make up the heart must have vitamins C, A, and E, and also B1, B6, B12, and folic acid in order to function.  These B vitamins are very important because they help to lower homocysteine levels, which is a potential cardiac risk factor.  Healthy hearts also need a daily amount of magnesium in order to function correctly.  They also need alpha lipoic acid, which is a fatty acid that provides protection against high cholesterol and blood pressure.  Along with magnesium and alpha lipoic acid, lutein and lycopene keep our arteries free from buildup, which can later lead to heart attacks or strokes.  Unlike other multivitamins, which contain herbs and other nutrients that can interfere with prescription medications, a heart formula consisting of the above vitamins, minerals, and nutrients will work with medications to treat heart disease and provide the nutrition that our hearts need.

Garlic supplements have a very long and successful history of preventing premature death from heart attacks. Garlic can also help lower high blood pressure and cholesterol, naturally and effectively.  The best garlic supplements contain allicin, which is a compound that lowers harmfully high cholesterol levels.  Since allicin is very stable when dry, a properly prepared garlic supplement preserves allicins health producing action until the garlic mixes with the fluids of the intestinal tract.  A supplement prepared with enteric coating can also help prevent against garlic breath.  In order for a garlic supplement to be the most effective, it must be made from fresh garlic, enterically coated, and provide a daily dose of at least 4,000 mcg allicin.  By taking this once daily supplement that delivers 4,000 mcg of allicin, you can significantly and effectively lower your high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Not all fish oil supplements are made the same, some can be harmful, but rest assured there are companies out there who supply fish oil supplements which are naturally loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids and certified free of harmful contaminants and heavy metals.  This Omega-3 is a powerful nutrient that is known to prevent heart disease and protect the heart.  Research has proven that Omega-3 can reduce the risk of arrhythmias, lower the levels of triglycerides, slow atherosclerosis, and keep blood pressure levels low.  With just 600-1800 mg of fish oil, you can get all of the above heart disease prevention.  However, you must make sure the fish oil supplement that you take is free from contaminants and is guaranteed fresh.  The manufacturer of the fish oil supplement should be able to provide documentation of purity in their product.  The supplement should contain no detectable dioxin, which is a widely used toxic preservative, DDT (a toxic insecticide), PCBs, or heavy metals such as mercury or lead.  Before you buy any fish oil supplement, ask the clerk if you can open the bottle and smell the contents.  A fishy smelling fish oil supplement means it may contain heavy metals and could be rancid, which is not going to help your heart at all.  It may actually hurt it. 

CoQ10 is part of our energy producing system by working directly with our mitochondria in each cell.  The mitochondria generate 95% of the energy that the body requires and are more abundant in places that require more energy.  Because of this fact, the heart has a large number of mitochondria in its cells, each needing CoQ10 to help them produce the most energy that they can.  Because CoQ10 levels can become dangerously depleted by medications for high cholesterol levels, it is important to take at least 100 mg - 400 mg of CoQ10 each day.  Otherwise, the good that the medications are doing to lower cholesterol levels will be negated by the lack of CoQ10 levels.  Even if you have already been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), CoQ10 can still help you by slowing down the destruction that occurs.  CoQ10 is also known for healing the heart muscles damaged by heart attacks. 

There are some types of CoQ10 products that are better than others.  The quality of manufacturing has a lot do with which CoQ10 product is best.  Make sure to take a CoQ10 supplement that has been used in research conducted by a prestigious university, which the supplement will tell you right on its label.  The main requirements for a good CoQ10 are: it must be easily absorbed during digestion, it must reach the mitochondria in the cell, it must be proven effective in studies, and it must be safe and free of impurities.

Although CoQ10 is recommended for people with moderate or high risk factors of heart disease, people with low risk factors can take CoQ10 ever day to reduce their risk of cancer, prevent gum disease, and help certain nerve cells work more effectively.  By following all of the above recommendations, you can help to keep your heart healthy and strong.  All the supplements suggested in this article can be found at your local vitamin store or Internet health food store.

What Is A Cholesterol Free Diet And Is It Good For Me?

Cholesterol has been a hot topic in the past ten years. People draw conclusions that if you have cholesterol you have a poor diet and have poor health, people also want to get rid of cholesterol without understanding what it is or how it affects your body. 

People need to learn that there are in fact two types of cholesterol bad cholesterol (known as low density or LDL) and good cholesterol (known as high density or HDL).  People do not realize that cholesterol is an essential substance in the human body but it depends on the levels that you have.  If you were to choose a cholesterol free diet it could be very harmful to your wellbeing, HDL cholesterol are really extremely vital to certain bodily functions such as constructing and repairing cell walls.  New research shows and  even suggests that HDL cholesterol acts as a crude antioxidant. 

You do not need to have a cholesterol free diet if there have  been signs you or your family have had a  history of heart problems or cardiovascular disease.  Instead, understand what bad cholesterol you need to avoid and maintain the beneficial cholesterol in your diet.  LDL cholesterol can certainly be challenging, as it has been associated with heart attacks as well as strokes, but it doesn’t require a lot of effort to methodically eliminate it from your diet.  Instead of trying to keeping away from cholesterol overall, steer clear of a cholesterol free diet and as a substitute look for foods that are low in LDL cholesterol and high in HDL cholesterol. 

Is A Cholesterol Free Diet The Best Choice?

To find foods which are good for your health is not as hard a task as you may think as long as you know what you are looking for. Foods such as lean meat and fish are both good meat choices, and are also high in protein.  Also choose low-fat dairy products and be sure to keep up with your grains, vegetable and fruit intake. A good diet to control or reduce your cholesterol would be around six servings of grains each day, three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits. 

This  diet is not a hard one to follow and if your keep this strategy in place when shopping then you will be avoiding the products which contain the harmful LDL cholesterol. Remember to reduce your fat in take  especially fats that have saturated fat  as they tend to raise blood cholesterol levels.  Avoid eating fried foods as well, choosing grilled, broiled and baked foods as a healthy alternative. 

So the question of what is a cholesterol free diet and is it good for me is answered. A cholesterol free diet may not be the right decision if you want to keep your heart and body strong.  By simply choosing a balanced diet will help you to weed out the bad cholesterol and keep the good cholesterol.

Getting A Handle On Your Blood Pressure

normal range blood pressure

For controlling your normal range blood pressure, there are two effective yoga exercises that helps lower the blood pressure:

Inverted Yoga

The gravity on the body is reversed with Inverted yoga. The biggest changes when performing Inverted Yoga is due to the circulation. The abdomen and legs are raised higher than the heart with Inverted poses.

Lengthening up through the legs and keep them very active so your spine opens and the entire body actively involved in the pose.

The cause is simply due to the force of gravity when reversed and venous return is much greater.

Normally, the muscles of the calf and other skeletal muscles in the lower extremities must contract in order to pump unoxygenated blood and waste back to the heart through the veins.

In inverted poses, gravity causes the blood to flow easily back through the veins and this brings the low heart rate high blood pressure in the feet to a minimum. This in effect gives skeletal muscles a chance to rest.

In Inverted poses, drainage of blood and waste from the lower body back to the heart is increased and disorders such as varicose veins and swollen ankles are relieved.

Rhythmic Breathing

It's time to learn about breathing, because inhaling and exhaling has the power to nourish the body and calm the mind.

Not just any old breathing will do. If you're like most people, you take shallow breaths, pull in your stomach when you inhale and never empty your lungs of carbon dioxide when you exhale.

Here's the physiological explanation: Long, slow breaths are more efficient than short, fast ones.

To take in a good breath, your lungs must first be basically empty. Thus the key to efficient breathing lies in exhaling completely. The upper chest begins with a full exhale, then goes to the mid chest area, and leaves off with tightening of the abs.

After exhaling expect to draw in a deep breath of rich oxygen to nourish your cells.

Do You Recognize The Signs of a Heart Attack?

women heart attack symptoms

Once you know the signs of a heart attack, you may be able to save a life because of your quick recognition and resulting action in the emergency.  The signs of a heart attack may be different for men and women although the types of heart attacks for both genders are the same.

Heart Attack Symptoms That Are Typical

You may feel a squeezing or gripping pain in your chest or you could feel a pressure or sense of fullness in your chest that is extremely uncomfortable or painful for you.A pain or discomfort may return after it has stopped for a while.

Shortness of breath may occur before a heart attack or it can happen during the heart attack.  Nausea, sweating, dizziness and vomiting are symptoms that are suffered during a heart attack event that are considered atypical symptoms. 

Heart Attack Symptoms That Are Atypical

Many times, female heart attack symptoms do not feel the pain that men typically suffer during a heart attack.  Women will experience the atypical symptoms of a heart attack that are subtler and may not be recognized as heart attack symptoms. 

Atypical symptoms include weakness, nausea, feeling tired, and faint.  Other symptoms that women may experience include in their back, jaw or neck and light-headedness.

A heart attack should be treated in the first hour after the attack has occurred because this can reduce further damage to the heart.  The faster the time in which a person can receive medical help, the higher their chances will be of surviving the heart attack and preventing further damage to their heart.The first hour is critical when noticing a heart attack as it can kill a person within that same hour if medical help is not sought. 

Dial 911 or emergency at the very first signs of a possible heart attack.  Do not wait longer than five minutes before making the emergency call for help.  If you go in your own car, you may not be seen right away so use an emergency vehicle for your arrival at the hospital although it may not always be possible to receive a ride in an ambulance to the hospital. 

Even if the symptoms have stopped after a few minutes, you must notify your doctor.  Take whatever type of medication that your doctor has prescribed for you in the case of a heart attack.In the event of a blood clot, you can insert an aspirin underneath your tongue as a recourse for thinning your blood. 

Time is valuable and it should not be wasted after the signs of a heart attack are recognized.  Seeking medical help quickly and arriving at the hospital through the services of an ambulance will be your best bet at receiving medical attention in a timely way.

Three Simple Steps Which Can Help To Lower Bad Cholesterol Naturally

High cholesterol levels, and additional when it refers to bad cholesterol is a grave health concern that unfortunately is affecting a larger amount of people today than before. Part of the cause for this is that people nowadays are eating too many foods that contain excess of bad cholesterol. Thus, if you find that your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels are higher than suggested, you would need to look to lower bad cholesterol naturally before taking the drug based options.

 

A Good and Regular Diet

 

The first thing you need to do  in order to lower bad cholesterol naturally is to maintain a regular diet in which you will need to eliminate or even totally avoid those foods that are loaded with too much of bad cholesterol. In fact, you need to start eating more of vegetables and fruits as well as more of whole grains that help reduce bad cholesterol levels than eat foods with high fat content or even fast foods.

 

Your diet should also contain more of soluble fiber which is generally found in beans, whole grains and even fruits and vegetables. In addition, to lower bad cholesterol naturally through your diet you also need to avoid eating animal foods because animal tissues are also loaded with cholesterol.

 

The second step you need to take with regard to lowering cholesterol naturally is to make sure that your lifestyle is such that it does not contribute to raising your bad cholesterol levels. A simple act such as exercising regularly can have a profound and positive impact on lowering bad cholesterol levels, and it also helps you to maintain better body weight.

 

The third simple step that you should consider taking when it concerns lowering cholesterol naturally is to eat Chinese herbs which are known to provide excellent results when it comes to lowering bad cholesterol levels. Used properly, Chinese herbs can produce the required low bad cholesterol levels in a mild and safe as well as effective manner. However, results are only noticeable after a few months and so you need to be patient when using this option.

 

These simple steps can go a long way in helping you to lower bad cholesterol naturally and you will generally notice that they will make your liver work normally though in order to determine how much improvement has been achieved, you will need to take a cholesterol blood test. Of course, before taking these steps, you need to, in case you are taking other medications, check with your medical health practitioner, who will recommend the proper plan of action which may be different from the steps mentioned here.

Eat Your Way To Normal Blood Pressure

High blood pressure has reached epidemic proportions in the United States today with more than 65 million people having high blood pressure and another 45 million having a condition known as pre-hypertension. High blood pressure is a symptomless disease which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke and you could quite easily be suffering from it without any knowledge of it until it is too late.

Of course there are medicines on the market which can help in lowering blood pressure, but several of these have side effects and, even though some people may have to take medicine at least in the short term to lower their blood pressure, a far better solution is to seek out some natural remedies for high blood pressure if you can.

For most of us high blood pressure is linked to weight and diet and this is a big problem today when nearly seventy percent of Americans are overweight or obese. In addition, the majority of Americans get far too much salt in their diet and not enough of the large number of other beneficial things which can actually reduce blood pressure. In short, it is possible to eat your way to a normal blood pressure, if you know what you are doing.

If truth be told, it may be possible to reduce your blood pressure fairly fast if you change your diet and start taking exercise. Having said this, if you've not been exercising for a long time you shouldn't suddenly begin a vigorous exercise program and it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

First of all though let's talk about some things which you should avoid and top of the list comes salt. Salt is one of the main culprits in today's epidemic of high blood pressure. Excessive dietary fat is also a culprit because it encourages arteriosclerosis, weight gain, and other problems that lead to high blood pressure. So, two things to avoid in your diet are salt and excess fat, particularly saturated or trans fats.

So, what sorts of food should you have in your diet to help you to reduce your blood pressure? Potassium is one of the main substances which is missing in today's American diet and that is extremely beneficial to blood pressure. Potassium help to reduce blood pressure just as sodium assists in raising your blood pressure and thus including sufficient potassium in your diet can help to even out blood pressure.

It's easy to get enough potassium into your diet by merely adding plenty of frozen or fresh vegetable and fruits, providing of course that they have no added salt or sugar. Even though this may seem tasteless to many people, it is one of the best ways to ensure that you normalize your blood pressure. Naturally of course, at the same time you also want to cut down on the salt to no more than the daily sodium intake recommended of roughly 2400 mg each day. A great way to do this is not to add any salt to your diet at all because natural and unprocessed foods contain enough salt and, if you wish to flavor your food then simply try using spices and herbs.

Magnesium and calcium are two further minerals that can help lower blood pressure. Both calcium and magnesium are considered to be calming minerals and the majority of Americans do not get enough of them in their diets. Low-fat dairy products are an excellent source of calcium as are legumes, nuts, and dark leafy green vegetables. You should try to get a balance of approximately two parts of magnesium to three parts of calcium. Foods like sesame seeds, soybeans and white beans not only have a lot of magnesium and calcium but they are also excellent sources of potassium.

Finally, make sure that you drink enough water and get enough fiber in your diet. Fiber helps to clear toxins and unhealthy substances from your body and it also helps you feel full so that you are not tempted to eat too much.

Cholesterol Blood Test - What You Need To Know

Cholesterol is an essential substance to maintain your body working. This might come as a surprise, as all the literature out there seems to indicate that cholesterol is bad. There are two types of cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol, which are better known as bad cholesterol. To ensure that you do not have bad cholesterol you need to have a test and to have the test you need to know how to prepare for a cholesterol blood test. 

Cholesterol testing can help conclude whether you have an sufficient level of good cholesterol, too much bad cholesterol, the total amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream, and the presence of triglyceride levels that can cause blockages in the arteries. Cholesterol testing is a simple blood test and will help you get a better picture of your state of health, and what you can do to be healthier.  

Who Should Have A Cholesterol Test? 

Cholesterol testing should be carried out every five years. You don’t have to be middle aged to take a cholesterol test. In fact it’s advisable to take one as soon as you reach the age of twenty. Waiting until your forties may be too late. The sooner you have a clear idea about your risks for heart disease the better. 

How To Prepare For A Cholesterol Blood Test  

To prepare for cholesterol blood test you should fast for fourteen hours before the test. This means no food or drink, with the exception of water, before you take the test. You should not drink alcohol for forty-eight hours before the test as well. Although the test can be carried out without a fast you can only use the results for total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels. It’s advisable that you do abstain from food so that you get a more accurate picture. 

The Procedure 

The next step on preparing for a cholesterol blood test is going to a hospital or to your doctors surgery where the  required  blood sample will be drawn the same way any other blood test is carried out. The actual procedure only takes a few minutes and doesn’t hurt much. You may feel minor discomfort when the needle used to draw blood is inserted into your vein.  

After the blood test you can start eating again as you would normally do. If you were asked to stop taking any medications then your doctor will advice you when you can resume taking said medication. After the test your doctor will send the blood sample for analysis and determine the likelihood that you might develop heart disease.  

Other factors such as family history, age, lifestyle and prior heart attacks will be taken into account when determining your risk of developing heart disease. If you do have less than desirable cholesterol levels then your doctor can advise you on the next step.