We all know that
having a healthy heart is crucial to a long and healthy life.
Here are 15
steps you can take right now to help you along the path to a healthier heart.
Step 1: Stop Smoking
Ingredients in
cigarette smoke are extremely oxidizing.
High cholesterol is particularly
dangerous when it is oxidized.
Smokers have much higher need for antioxidants.
The B Complex vitamins, including 2 forms of vitamin B3 (nicotinic acid and
nicotinamide), can reduce nicotine cravings.
Step 2: Exercise,
Drink Water and Lose Weight
Everyone knows that
the keys to good cardiovascular health are exercise and maintaining your ideal
weight.
Just a few minutes of exercise per day can increase your level of
high-density lipoproteins (HDL or "good" cholesterol).
Just 10
minutes of exercise first thing in the morning can increase your metabolic rate
for the rest of the day.
Also, consumption of
water, so that you are fully hydrated, can increase your metabolic rate 24
hours per day.
Step 3: Reduce the
Amount of Saturated Fat in Your Diet
The blood levels of
cholesterol in most people is unaffected by the amount of dietary cholesterol;
the real culprit is the consumption of saturated fats.
Saturated fats stimulate
the liver to produce cholesterol.
At least two-thirds of the cholesterol in your
body is manufactured in the liver.
Your body makes its
own cholesterol because cholesterol is essential to perform certain functions
such as:
- It helps form hormones.
- It is required for functions of transport & communication systems in cell membranes.
- 90% is converted into bile acids for digestion
Bile acids contain a
lot of cholesterol.
Think of bile acids as the natural detergents which our
body makes to help us digest food, especially fat.
After bile does its
essential work in your digestive tract, it is re-absorbed into the bloodstream
UNLESS you have a diet high in soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber binds
with bile acids (containing cholesterol) in the small intestine to prevent them
from being re-absorbed.
This soluble fiber containing the absorbed cholesterol
is eliminated from the body in fecal waste unless unfriendly microflora unbind
the bile acids from the soluble fiber.
(See Step 6 below.)
Soluble fiber zeros
in on LDL (the "bad cholesterol") and leaves the HDL (the "good
cholesterol") alone.
Step 4: Increase Your
Fiber Intake to Recommended Levels
The US Food &
Drug Administration (FDA) recommends 25 grams of fiber daily for a 2,000
calorie diet.
The typical American consumes only 10 grams of fiber.
Low fiber
diets are associated with heart disease and some forms of cancer.
You should also
increase the amount of fruits and vegetables that you eat each day.
Step 5: Ensure
Adequate Essential Fatty Acids
We have been told to
cut down on fat, but the body needs some fats necessary for health
called "essential fatty acids."
Omega-3 fatty acids,
play a role in the formulation of prostaglandins.
Prostaglandins
are hormone-like substances that regulate a wide range of body functions
such as blood clotting and inflammation, and help maintain normal blood
pressure.
Lecithin is a natural
emulsifier that allows the fat-soluble cholesterol to dissolve into the water
of the bloodstream so that it may be eliminated.
Step 6: Maintain High
Levels of Intestinal Microflora
The bowel requires
approximately 100 trillion microflora at all times (that about 3 to 5 pounds).
These high levels of microflora are very involved in reducing total
cholesterol, improving the HDL/LDL ratio, and reducing triglycerides.
Harmful microflora
undo the binding of fiber to bile acids that contain cholesterol. (See Step 3)
The friendly microflora crowd out the harmful microflora ( by "competitive
inhibition").
This allows the cholesterol to continue on its path toward
elimination in fecal waste.
Step 7: Calcium
Calcium is required
for normal heart muscle functions and calcium plays a role in maintaining
normal blood pressure.
Excess dietary calcium in the digestive tract can bond
with the cholesterol-containing bile acids to form compounds that cannot be
absorbed through the intestine thereby reducing the blood level of cholesterol.
Step 8: Vitamin E,
Selenium and Grapeseed Extract
High blood
cholesterol is known to be a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease.
High cholesterol is
particularly dangerous when it is oxidized.
The first step in protecting
yourself from the dangers of high cholesterol levels is to prevent its oxidation.
(Then work on lowering it.)
Vitamin E prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol
or "bad" cholesterol, and protects arterial walls from free radical
damage.
This is a very
important factor because LDL oxidation is the first step in the process that
leads to hardening of the arteries.
Results from a recent study showed
that 400 and 800 IU of supplemental Vitamin E each day reduced the risk of
heart attack in men by 75%.
Here is more Vitamin
E can do:
- It causes dilation of blood vessels, thereby permitting a fuller flow of blood to the heart.
- It also inhibits coagulation of blood and prevents clots from forming.
- It decreases the oxygen requirement of a muscle by at least 43% thereby enabling the body to do the same job on less oxygen. (Remember: The heart is a muscle.)
The combined effect
of Vitamin E and Selenium is a greater level of antioxidant protection than
each of these nutrients would have separately.
Grapeseed extract contains
proanthocyanidins, which are compounds shown in recent studies to have
extremely potent antioxidant properties.
Step 9: Maintain
Optimal Levels of B Complex Daily
Studies show that the
B vitamins folic acid, B6 and B12 help promote a healthy cardiovascular system
by helping to maintain low homocysteine levels in the blood.
During normal
metabolism, these B vitamins convert the natural biochemical homocysteine to an
amino acid.
Without this conversion, homocysteine levels accumulate.
Research
suggest too much homocysteine in the blood can cause damage to blood vessel
walls.
Supplementary B6, B12
and folic acid have been shown to lower elevated homocysteine levels.
High
homocysteine levels can significantly increase the risk of the following severe
health problems:
- Stroke in the large blood vessels
- Small strokes in the brain that result in mental problems
- Direct damage to the lining of vessels, causing inefficient blood flow to critical areas of the brain
- Blockage in the deep veins (thrombosis)
- Blockages in the arteries of the arms, hands, legs, and feet
- A 50% increase in the risk of a heart attack.
Daily intake of
B-vitamins is important because these water-soluble vitamins are not stored
at significant levels in your body.
It is best to consume B complex
throughout the day to maintain high blood levels of these nutrients (for
example, one or more tablet each meal).
Step 10: Garlic
Studies show that
garlic promotes cardiovascular health by helping to retain normal blood
pressure and cholesterol levels when used daily as part of a low-fat,
low-cholesterol diet.
Garlic is reported to
dissolve plaque and lower plaque-forming blood lipids.
These lipids can clog
arteries and can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Research has shown
how garlic can lower the blood pressure through the actions of one of its
components, methyl allyl trisulfide, which dilates vessel walls.
Two components in
garlic, adenosine and allicin, are involved in inhibiting blood platelet
aggression, plaque building and clotting.
Allicin has also been found to
maintain healthy levels of microorganisms.
Step 11: Alfalfa
Alfalfa tablets, made
from the leaves of mature alfalfa plants, contain the fibers called
“saponins" which soak up cholesterol like a sponge. The minerals in
alfalfa are also important for nourishing the heart muscle.
Step 12: Soy Protein
Soy protein has many
heart healthy benefits including lowering cholesterol. In 38 studies involving
730 participants adding soy to the diet had phenomenal results:
- Total cholesterol dropped on average 9%.
- LDL (bad cholesterol) dropped on average 13%
- Triglycerides dropped on average 11%
- HDL (good cholesterol) rose on average 2%
The soy isoflavones
(rather than the protein itself) are responsible for the cholesterol-lowering
effect.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says, "25 grams of soy
protein a day as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may
reduce the risk of heart disease."
Step 13: Milk Thistle
Milk thistle seed
extract, in addition to schizandra, reishi mushroom, dandelion, artichoke
and turmeric have all been shown to build a healthy liver.
Studies on this
product show both detoxification and regeneration of liver cells.
- The liver is involved in the regulation of cholesterol.
- A sluggish liver leads to high cholesterol.
- The Reishi mushrooms and the Schizandra Chinensis have antioxidant properties.
Step 14: Ginkgo
Biloba and Hawthorn
Ginkgo biloba
improves circulation to every cell in the body, including the heart. Ginkgo
biloba reduces homocysteine in the blood Hawthorn improves the ability of the
heart to pump efficiently in FOUR ways:
- It allows more oxygen & nutrients to reach the heart
- It causes blood to flow more smoothly
- It increases the power of the heart
- It dilates blood vessels (especially coronary)
Step 15:
"CoQ10"
Coenzyme Q-10 is
vital for heart health.
It helps produce energy in every one of your cells.
That is especially important to your major organs. Coenzyme Q-10 also helps
prevent LDL cholesterol oxidation.
Resveratrol is
believed to be one of the most beneficial compounds found in red wine.
Resveratrol has strong antioxidant properties and complements CoQ10 in the
prevention of LDL cholesterol oxidation.
Resveratrol might help facilitate
blood flow.
Information from:
Nutrition Handout from HEALTHQUEST
We can provide you
with all the nutrients mentioned here and in the most optimal amounts.
Shaklee’s science has done all the research for you.
Need more
information? Not sure what’s safe to take if on medication? We can help with
that, too.
Check out our Shaklee
website – ToBeHealthy.MyShaklee.com For more information or click the “Contact
Us” tab up top to get in touch with us and we will be happy to assist you
personally.
*The above is NOT a prescription, and should not be treated as
such. Please consult with your doctor if you have medical questions.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or
prevent any disease.
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