National Heart Health Month Series

What are Your Next Steps for a Healthy Heart?

1. Move Together

Being active independently, with friends or neighbours can be fun! Did you know that you can reduce your risk of developing heart and circulatory disease by as much as 35 % by being more active? This is such an exciting finding especially when we know that 37% of adults in the UK, are far from meeting this requirement. It is recommended to do about 30 minutes daily or a total of 150 minutes of physical activity per week (BHF, 2020). It can be a simple and inexpensive activity such as gardening, hoovering, kicking a ball in the local park, walking to take the train instead of driving, and sharing all these healthy habits with our children so they enjoy it from a very young age. (BHF, 2020)

2. Nourish Yourselves Wisely

There is significant evidence which shows that adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle dramatically reduces CVD-related complications and deaths.

• Aim for a nutrient-dense diet packed with colourful vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, nuts and seeds, and healthy sources of fat. The ‘Mediterranean diet’ is a well-researched one known to have heart promoting benefits and is worth reading about. (Veronese et al.2019)
• Colourful produce naturally contain plant compounds, namely antioxidants and phytochemicals in addition to their general vitamins, minerals and fibre content. These help protect the heart from oxidative and free radical damage associated with CVD. (Murray And Pizzorno, 2012)
• Examples of antioxidants include Lycopene, Lutein, Selenium, Vitamin E and Vitamin C.
• Soluble fibre found in legumes, fruit, and vegetables has shown to effectively lower cholesterol levels. According to the EU Nutrition and Health Claims (2015), a daily consumption of 3 grams of beta-glucans from barley, oats and their derivatives help to maintain normal blood cholesterol. Beta-glucans are naturally occurring compounds in cereals’ cell walls.

Be adventurous and include oats for breakfast, bakes and snacks. Besides their high fibre content, oats also have the highest content of Iron, Zinc and Manganese than any grain. When consumed as part of a meal, beta-glucans also help to reduce the rise in blood sugar levels experienced after certain meals. Fibre in general also supports the growth of healthy bacteria in our gut which has a positive impact on overall health.

• Eliminate highly processed meals which provide unwanted sugars, salt and processed fats that in turn contribute to inflammation.
  
  

3. Be in Control of Inflammation Levels

• Besides the traditional check-ups at the Dr’s and that is if you do make the time to head there, there are other markers you ought to know of. The C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is a blood marker that reflects the different degrees of inflammation and has been identified as an independent risk factor for CVD. Thought to be a stronger predictor that simply looking at LDL levels. So get yourselves checked and don’t leave it too long. (Murray and Pizzorno,2012)
• Elevations in CRP is also linked to Insulin Resistance, a condition where cells in the body become unresponsive to the hormone insulin and is more common that you would have thought, especially in women. Insulin Resistance is a key underlying factor in not only Type 2 Diabetes but also in ‘Metabolic Syndrome’, a term used to described at least three metabolic risk factors such as for instance a Waist to Hip ratio greater than 1 in men and greater than 0.8 in women; Elevated CRP levels or High Blood Pressure.
• Cut down on alcohol, sources of sugar and excessive refined carbohydrates as these impact on our insulin levels. They cause spikes in our blood sugar causing the pancreas to release insulin, a hormone that prompts cells to absorb blood sugar for energy and storage. This can cause weight gain, inflammation and disruption of hormones amongst other negative effects on the body. Carrying additional weight, as we know is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Other markers worth getting tested for are Homocysteine levels as well as Fibrinogen. You can better discuss those when followed by a healthcare professional or a registered nutritionist or nutritional therapist. 

4. Be in Charge and Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

Aiming for the right work life balance is important while perfectly knowing that there is so much to take into account. It could be making time for your friendships, family, career and personal aspirations and yet it feels like there is never enough time.

Simply breathe, take a moment, reflect on what you have achieved and recognise that not all needs your attention today and that it can wait tomorrow. We live in a world where expectations are high and so much pressure is put on us. Stress is a huge determinant of inflammatory mediators in the body and affects so many of our organs including our immune system, gut, mental health and of course heart health.

5. Support Yourself with Natural Ailments

• Essential Fatty Acids

Oily fish provide essential fatty acids, also known as DHA and EPA which contribute to a healthy heart. Their lowering effect on blood triglyceride levels are linked to improved cholesterol levels and the maintenance of normal blood pressure. Nature’s answer Liquid Omega 3 Deep Sea Fish Oil provides over 1 gram of Omega3 fatty acids per serve to complement a healthy heart diet.

• Probiotics

Interestingly research has been looking at particular strains of bacteria such as Lactobacillus Plantarum, in reducing the risk of LDL cholesterol and therefore CVD. (Wu Y, et al. 2017). Our Microbiome Formulas by Garden of Life contain a highly diverse range of live bacteria worth looking at. (insert link)

• Antioxidants

i)        Vitamin E and Co-enzyme Q10 has shown to exert protective effects on the heart and may also help those suffering from particular side effects of statins. (Flowers, N et al.2014) 

ii)       Turmeric has been revered to contain wonderful compounds, including curcumin, shown to exert an anti-inflammatory effect by blocking pro-inflammatory enzymes. Turmeric also ameliorates oxidative damage. Other antioxidant-rich foods include berries, artichokes, dark leafy greens, green tea, figs, apples and oily fish as mentioned before. Nature’s Answer holistically balanced liquid Turmeric extract and Turmeric capsules

• Magnesium

CVD sufferers were found to be deficient in the mineral Magnesium. Magnesium has shown to support a healthy blood pressure, hence adding more magnesium foods and a magnesium supplement would be very beneficial. Magnesium foods include, leafy greens such as spinach and kale, pumpkin seeds, almonds, avocado, kefir, dark chocolate (at least 85% cacao). 

There are far more natural ailments, herbs and other suggestions about nutrition and lifestyle to help support your healthy heart, so keep abreast of our blogs and evidence based information available in the media.

Be in charge of your health and make a difference for a healthier heart.

References

• British Heart Foundation (BHF). British Heart Foundation UK Factsheet (2020) Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health
• EU Register on Nutrition and Health Claims (2015)
• Flowers, N et al. (2014). Cochrane: Co-enzyme Q10 supplementation for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Available at https://www.cochrane.org/CD010405/VASC_co-enzyme-q10-supplementation-for-the-primary-prevention-of-cardiovascular-disease
• Murray and Pizzorno (2012) The Encyclopaedia of Natural Medicine. 3rd edition, New York: Atria Paperback.
• Public Health England, PHE (2019 ) Health Matters: Preventing Cardiovascular Disease https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-preventing-cardiovascular-disease/health-matters-preventing-cardiovascular-disease.
• Veronese, N. Cisternino, AM and Shivappa, N. et al. (2019). Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics: Dietary inflammatory index and mortality: a cohort longitudinal study in a Mediterranean area. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31829488
• Wu Y, Zhang Q, Ren Y, Ruan Z.et al. (2017). Effect of probiotic Lactobacillus on lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5464580/