When I talk about heart disease, I like to mention up front something that many people do not realize: heart disease is mostly preventable. I say “mostly” because there is a small number of risk factors that increase your chances of getting heart disease that cannot be changed: race, sex, age, genetics and family history. But there is a much larger list of factors associated with heart disease can be changed. For example:
- Quit smoking
- Limit alcohol intake
- Manage stress
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise routinely
- Cut back on foods high in saturated and trans fats
- Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fiber and fish
It’s this last item on the list that’s the focus of this week’s blog. Because so many of us refuse to eat our veggies (and a heap of other healthy stuff), our bodies lack key nutrients that empower and strengthen our ability to fight disease. Over time, this can have a detrimental effect. So, what can you do to get in your daily dose of health, despite a limited diet? Answer: supplement your diet with essential vitamins and minerals that are designed specifically for heart heath. Without further ado, here are the top five:
1. EPA and DHA: The Omega-3 Fatty Acids
No other vitamin or mineral has ever been determined to do more for your heart than omega-3s. The molecules EPA and DHA have been vastly studied. As published by Medscape: “To date, the strongest evidence showing a cardiovascular benefit from omega-3 fatty acid intake derives from three large controlled trials in which a total of 32,000 participants were randomized to a control group or to receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing DHA and EPA. In these trials, the supplemented group had a 19% to 45% reduction in cardiovascular events versus the control group.”1 Omega-3s work. And because many of us do not add enough fish to our diets it is essential that we supplement.
2. Antioxidants
Antioxidants are, according to Medterms, “any substance (such as vitamin E, vitamin C, or beta carotene) that reduces oxidative damage (damage due to oxygen) such as that caused by free radicals.” Sound too technical? How’s this: eat more blueberries, pomegranate, kale, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, artichoke, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lemon, walnuts, ginger and red beets. And if you can’t get all those in your daily diet, look into these antioxidants that come in supplement form:
- Coenzyme Q10 is a great antioxidant that has been shown in clinical studies to reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
- Selenium, a trace mineral, provides antioxidant action by creating an enzyme that converts peroxide into water. 2
- Acai Berry is Brazilian fruit from the acai palm. Its rise in popularity may be due to studies that reveal that the acai berry is the most potent and effective antioxidant for neutralizing specific types of free radicals having “exceptional activity against superoxide,” and the “highest of any food reported to date” for having the most antioxidants.3
- Pomegranate is a potent antioxidant and may be more effective than apple juice, black-cherry juice, blueberry juice, cranberry juice, Concord grape juice, orange juice and red wine. Pomegranate juice was tested against other fruit juices and found to be more potent, about “20% greater than any of the other beverages tested.”4
- Green Tea is a great antioxidant and detoxifier. The detoxification properties of green tea include inhibiting formation of free radicals, such as radical oxygen species from metals such as iron. Also, due to the structure of green tea, it is able to bind and neutralize free radicals effectively. The hydroxyl groups of green tea can bind with free radicals, thereby neutralizing them.5
3. Plant Sterols
Plant sterols are those substances resembling cholesterol that “occur naturally in small amounts” in plant-based foods such as grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds. According to Medicine Net, “On a molecular level, sterols and stanols look a lot like cholesterol. So when they travel through your digestive tract, they get in the way and can prevent real cholesterol from being absorbed into your bloodstream. Instead of clogging up your arteries, the cholesterol just goes out with the waste.”6
Adding approximately ½ gram per day of plant sterol esters to your diet can reduce total cholesterol by 10% within 12 weeks. Plant sterols promote cholesterol health by inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol.7 All veggies contain anywhere from five to 40 milligrams of plant sterols. But if you’re on a fast food diet, or again, don’t like to eat anything green, you need to supplement.
4. Magnesium
According to Dr. Frederic Vagnini, Res-Q’s chief medical advisor, “magnesium is good for heart-pumping functions and heart energy… it is effective for rhythm, blood pressure and heart pumping… one of the key nutrients that I use to prevent irregular heart rate, arrhythmia and rapid heart rate. ”8 Magnesium is also extremely helpful in lowering high blood pressure. Where does magnesium come from and how can you add it to your diet? Spinach, halibut, pumpkin seeds and black beans are all rich sources of magnesium. But how often do any of us snack on pumpkin seeds? Supplementing with magnesium is probably more doable.
5. A Multivitamin with Plenty of Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid
According to the British Medical Journal, “a daily dose of at least 0.5mg of folic acid, along with a similar amount of vitamin B-12, would produce a proportional reduction in blood homocysteine,”9 which means a lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. And according to the American Heart Association, “The dietary components with the greatest effects [for lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease] are folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12.”10
A good multivitamin is as important to overall health as water is to a fish. We need these nutrients not only to survive, but to thrive.
Coming up next week: The Top-Ten Best Health Tips Ever for Preventing Diabetes
1. http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/571594
2. Prevention’s Guide to Reversing the Aging Process
3. Scientific Abstract, J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Nov 1;54(22):8604-10
4. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 27;56(4):1415-22. Epub 2008 Jan 26.
5. Green Tea Summary Report: Includes Alternative Medicine Review.
6. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56305
7. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2003;12(3):282-91
8. Interview with Dr. Vagnini
9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC28491/?tool=pubmed
10. What is Homocysteine? AHA
Tags: cholesterol and heart supplements, heart, heart disease, Heart Health, magnesium, Plant Sterols, res-q antioxidants, res-q heart supplements, res-q supplements, res-q vitamin for heart, supplements for cholesterol and heart, supplements for heart health, Top Five
