The Cardiovascular System...Love Your Heart!

 
                                     From library.rehabmart.com

Cardiovascular disease is the leading health problem in the Western world.  It is the number one cause of death in the United States, taking more than one million lives every year, with another estimated 50 million Americans suffering with various heart and blood vessel disorders.  According to the American Heart Association, since 1963, Congress has required the President to proclaim February as "American Heart Month", a proclamation that the American Heart Association helped initiate to get more Americans involved in the fight against heart disease and strokes, and to help raise awareness and research funds for these deadly diseases.  And since we celebrate Valentine's Day in February, what better month to honor the heart?

Cardiovascular disease is a term that covers a wide range of circulatory disorders including aneurysms, angina, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, blood clots (thrombus), cardiac arrest, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, hypertension, myocardial infarction (heart attack), pulmonary stenosis and stroke, just to name a few.  Unfortunately, despite wonderful new technology for both diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions, the first sign of cardiovascular disease may be a life-threatening situation.  Cardiovascular system disorders are often extremely advanced before they become symptomatic.  An estimated 25 percent of people who have heart attacks have no previous symptoms of heart trouble.  Hypertension (high blood pressure) and high LDL ('bad') cholesterol and triglycerides are generally regarded as two of the most important precursors to developing cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease is NOT an inevitable result of aging, and many preventative measures can be taken to keep your heart and circulatory system healthy and happy.  Dietary choices, as always, are extremely important, such as avoiding unhealthy fats (saturated, animal, trans-fats) and adding in more healthy ones, such as flax seed and fish oils, reducing sodium intake and making sure to ingest plenty of good quality fiber. Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption and smoking, treating high blood pressure and high cholesterol, getting regular aerobic exercise, losing weight when obese and managing stress are all very important factors in loving your heart and developing a healthy and happy cardiovascular system.

Fortunately, there are many different natural supplements that can help promote healthy cardiovascular function.  Here is a brief summary of a few of the most important and helpful:

Coenzyme Q10 is one of THE best all around healthy heart promoting and immune building supplements on the market today.  It is a vitamin-like substance that already exists in the mitochondria of ALL the cells in the body and has been found to be deficient in many people, especially those over 50 years of age.  It is used for a wide variety of health issues affecting every body system and has been used successfully for many years in the treatment of various cardiovascular disorders as it strengthens the heart muscle, reduces high blood pressure, and increases adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an immediate source of cellular energy that the heart needs to circulate blood effectively.

Vitamin E and Selenium work synergistically when combined together to enhance each other's positive effects on the body.  Vitamin E is probably one of the most researched natural supplements and has demonstrated efficacy time and again for numerous and varied health issues, especially when used as a preventative.  Studies have shown that people who take at least 400 IU to 1,000 IU daily have significantly less coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis), myocardial infarction and any other cardiovascular disease issues than people who do not take vitamin E.  Selenium is a trace mineral that works as an antioxidant when combined with vitamin E, and low levels of this mineral in the body have been linked with heart disease.  Do NOT take more than 400 IU of Vitamin E per day if you are taking any anticoagulant medications.

Garlic is one of the top-selling supplements on the market today and it is no wonder; it helps so many different health issues and has been proven repeatedly in numerous trials and studies through the years.  Garlic inhibits platelet aggregation and encourages the breakdown and production of fibrin, a clotting protein implicated in heart disease and strokes.  It has been shown to reduce 'bad' cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing HDL ('good') cholesterol, and is also used to reduce high blood pressure.  Garlic helps to prevent blood clots, too.

Hawthorn Berries are one of the most traditional herbal remedies for the heart and cardiovascular system.  They have a high bioflavonoid content, mostly rutin and quercetin that help to relax and dilate the arteries, thus enhancing blood circulation to the heart muscle and reducing symptoms of angina.  They also help to increase intracellular vitamin C levels (Vitamin C and bioflavonoids are also extremely important for proper cardiovascular function).  Hawthorn berries have been shown to enhance myocardial metabolism, which enables the heart to operate using less oxygen and can help normalize blood pressure, high or low.  They also help reduce high cholesterol levels.

Don't become another statistic!  Start loving your heart today by taking care of your cardiovascular system and it will in turn take care of you for many more years to come.
 
To view some natural supplements and vitamins, go to the Vitamins, Supplements, Minerals, Herbs, Nutrition, Phytonutrients, Energy Supplements, Natural Sleep Aids page.

DISCLAIMER:  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are for educational purposes only.  These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease 


Carol Koenigsknecht, Medical Consumer Writer
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO