Heart Health

//Heart Health
Heart Health2020-04-16T12:02:01-07:00

High Blood Cholesterol is NOT the Cause of Heart Disease

Both men and women are equally succeptible to experiencing cardiovascular disease.  Although genetics play a role in many diseases, it doesn’t determine your risk of developing any particular ailment.  You do, by the lifestyle you choose to live and the food you choose to eat.  Eating low-fat foods is better than eating no-fat foods as our bodies require healthy fats like saturated fats from plant sources.

It is a misconception that high blood cholesterol is the cause of heart disease and prominent cardiac surgeons are starting to admit this fact. You can reverse heart disease through proper diet.

Although obesity is a risk factor for heart disease, other risks include arterial stress, excessive consumption of sugar, free radical damage, high insulin levels, inflammation, emotional stress, smoking and lack of exercise, regardless of weight.

Some helpful tips for those experiencing heart issues:

  • consume 50g of almonds daily to improve flow-mediated dilation and reduce systolic blood pressure
  • Antioxidants such as Coenzyme Q10, pycnogenol & Vitamins A, C & E are all beneficial
  • bathing in warm water helps improve cardiac function
  • Curry can improve cardiovascular health
  • Green Tea Extract is very beneficial for obese men
  • Rosehips herbal tea
  • Turmeric (a spice found in curry) contains curcumin which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects
  • Marine oils for their Omega 3 fatty acids
  • Cocoa or 70% Dark Chocolate
  • Consume 500mg of strawberries or 50g of freeze-dried strawberry powder daily
  • reduce or eliminate trans-fats as they raise bad (LDL) cholesterol and reduce good (HDL) cholesterol
  • reduce sugar
  • increase Poly & Monounsaturated fats that help with heart health
  • increase your intake of soluble fibre, fish, antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies
  • exercise is better than drugs for preventing first and second heart attacks, strokes and diabetes
  • long-term use of aspirin (which thins the blood to prevent blood clots) increases the risk of serious gastrointestinal bleeding.  Do not use it to prevent first-time heart attacks as a replacement for improving lifestyle and diet
  • for those who have already had a heart attack and choose not to make necessary lifestyle changes, a daily, low dose aspirin may be helpful if recommended by a doctor
  • AGE (aged garlic extract) is a food-based, natural blood thinner without harmful side-effects, but check with your doctor if you are already taking other blood thinners.  AGE can help reverse heart disease by reducing cholesterol and blood pressure
  • L-Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid found in tree nuts, red meat, poultry, dairy or fish and when combined with oxygen, an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase converts it to nitric oxide & citrulline: when nitric oxide is released in the cardiovascular system, it dilates blood vessels and allows for less-compromised blood flow
  • learn techniques to manage stress