Unexpected Ways to Improve Heart Health

How to best support your heart!

February is the month of love and chocolate. Well, I guess there is more to it than that…

While Valentine’s Day is seen as the highlight of this month, we see it as a great time to talk about heart health. There are a lot of activities you can do and things you can eat that keep your heart ticking, but do you know about the vitamins and supplements you can take to also support this critical organ work effectively and efficiently in your body?

In this blog post we are going to dive into the various supplements that you can take in order to help the function of your heart.  

Heart Healthy Solutions for Improving Wellness

Vitamins and Supplements

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like substance that your body produces naturally. Your cells use CoQ10 to produce energy, grow and maintain cells, and functions like an antioxidant. This substance protects your heart and your muscles.

CoQ10 is naturally present in small amounts in a wide variety of foods, but levels are particularly high in organ meats such as heart, liver, and kidney, as well as beef, sardines, mackerel, and peanuts. Natural production of CoQ10 slows down as we age, so it’s a good idea to add foods high in CoQ10 or supplements to one’s diet.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids are essential for heart health and are found in some types of fish, and vegetables. Your body doesn’t naturally produce omega 3’s so including foods containing them in your diet is essential. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids work by lowering the body’s production of triglycerides. High levels of triglycerides can lead to coronary artery disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Fish oil soft gels are a fantastic way to supplement the omega 3’s that your body needs. We also carry this high potency fish oil in a delicious smoothie form from Barlean’s, which I love to eat straight of the bottle for dessert. There is extensive science that supports the use of omega-3 fatty acids to maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol, and it is very accessible. If you are allergic to fish, vegetarian, or vegan, look for algae oil. Algae is well-regarded as a high quality, vegan source of EPA and DHA.

Garlic not only adds great flavor to foods, but it also helps treat high blood pressure, prevent coronary artery disease, and helps immune function. Garlic contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, making it a powerful food. Garlic helps to prevents cell damage, helps to regulate cholesterol, and has the power to lower your blood pressure. Research has shown that taking garlic supplements may also reduce plaque buildup in the arteries.

Physical Exercise

Being physically active is a major step toward good heart health. It’s one of your most effective tools for strengthening the heart muscle, keeping your weight under control, and warding off the artery damage from high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack or stroke. 

It’s also true that different types of exercise are needed to provide complete fitness which is why aerobic exercise and resistance training are the among the best ways to improve heart health.

Aerobic Activities

Aerobic exercise improves circulation, which results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate. This type of exercise also reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and, if you already live with diabetes, helps you control your blood glucose.

Best case, you can get at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week or more. Keep it fun and try brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis, and jumping rope. Heart-pumping aerobic exercise is the kind that doctors have in mind when they recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity.

Resistance and Strength Training

Resistance training has also been shown to provide a more specific effect on body composition. For people who are carrying a lot of body fat (including a big belly, which is a risk factor for heart disease), it can help reduce fat and create leaner muscle mass. If you are unsure about your body mass composition stop on by to try out our new In Body Analysis!

Try to consistently get at least two nonconsecutive days per week of resistance training such as working out with free weights (such as hand weights, dumbbells, or barbells), on weight machines, with resistance bands or through body-resistance exercises, such as push-ups, squats, and chin-ups.

Stretching, Flexibility, and Balance

Flexibility workouts, such as stretching, don’t directly contribute to heart health. What they do is benefit musculoskeletal health, which enables you to stay flexible and free from joint pain, cramping, and other muscular issues which can be a critical part of being able to maintain aerobic exercise and resistance training.

Experts recommend that you do these workouts every day before and after other exercises. All you need to do is basic stretches at home and/or the gym etc. You can find many videos on you tube, DVD’s, or others like Peloton. Tai chi and yoga also improve these skills, and classes are available in many communities.

We hope you gained some valuable insights into helping support your heart in a variety of ways.

There are many things you can do, every day to get a bit more natural health and wellness into your daily routines and support your heart health. It’s our passion to share as much of this as we can to help you live a fuller and more energetic life…

As always, if you feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to make changes. Start small and choose one simple suggestion and get comfortable with it for at least 14 days. Then try another and see where your health journey takes you.

If there are any questions left unanswered, or you need anything else, please reach out to us!

p.s. Just in case you are looking for a specific supplement solution, or any other wellness need, reach out to us here at 916-253-9276 and we would be happy to help you find exactly what you are looking for.

We are deeply committed to sharing our knowledge of health and therefore have carefully chosen the products we offer in our store. You’ll find only the highest quality brands and a large selection to choose from so you’re sure to find exactly what you need. 

If you can’t make it into the store, we’re always happy to deliver it to you because your health and happiness are our #1 priority! 

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