“Affairs of the Heart” Part 2
“Affairs of the Heart”
Part 2
by Darra McMullen,
Women’s Health Network
Writer/Researcher
In our first installment of
“Affairs of the Heart” we looked at the symptoms of different types of serious
cardiovascular ailments. Of course, we’d
all prefer never to get to a crisis situation, and to work toward that goal, in
this second installment of our heart health story, we’ll look at some life
factors that we can control to improve our odds of keeping a healthy
cardiovascular system. We’ll examine
some dietary cautions, as well as sleep concerns, and exercise.
Nutrition Tips and Supplement Information:
Instead of embarking on a formal
“diet”, consider how many small, daily tweaks you can make to your food intake
to improve nutrition and cardiovascular health.
A few suggestions are listed below.
• Add a side of fresh fruit or cooked (or
fresh) vegetables to your main course at a restaurant. The extra fiber and micronutrients (vitamins,
minerals, phytochemicals) will help your health in general, and in particular,
will help to clear excess fat and cholesterol from your digestive tract.
• Remember to work in several servings of
avocados, flax, olive oil, and fish into your weekly meals to get healthy fats
and anti-inflammatory benefits.
• Whenever possible, choose free-range eggs,
meats, and wild caught fish. These more
“natural” protein sources have a healthier spectrum of fats and micronutrients
and bring with them anti-inflammatory properties for the cardiovascular system.
• Many people should consider supplementing
with CoQ10, turmeric, resveratrol, and magnesium. All of these substances are excellent for
heart health and blood pressure.
Turmeric is widely regarded in a positive manner for its
anti-inflammatory properties throughout the body, including the cardiovascular
system.
• When cooking at home in a time crunch, think
of using ground meats (beef, chicken, turkey, or pork) or any meat in small
chunks or strips thrown in a pot with a variety of fresh, frozen, or even
canned vegetables and seasoned simply with a “season all” type seasoning
mixture, or alternatively, a few of your favorite herbs. Such meat/veggie one-pot combos are highly
nutritious, tasty, quick, and good for your cardiovascular system. Look for lean meat choices. If the only readily available ground meat is
high fat, you can ask the butcher to grind a higher priced, lean cut for
you. No, you’re not committing culinary
heresy to grind a lean and expensive cut of meat; you’re looking out for your
health and reducing your food preparation time.
For a
vegetarian alternative, substitute beans or peas for the meat in these
delicious one-pot combos. Beans and peas
are very “heart healthy”, inexpensive, and full of protein and fiber.
For those persons wishing to give themselves an additional edge against
cardiovascular disease through natural therapies and supplements, the following
list of suggestions could be of great value:
•Coenzyme
Q10 increases oxygenation of the heart and improves overall function.
•Garlic
extract lowers homocysteine levels, a heart disease risk factor, and thins the
blood slightly.
• Vitamins
B12, B6, and folic acid help maintain healthy homocysteine and C-reactive
protein levels. Measuring C-reactive
protein levels is a way of detecting inflammation in the cardiovascular system,
which can lead to heart attacks even when other risk factors are normal.
•Vitamin C
and bioflavonoids are very important to regulating blood pressure.
•Calcium
and magnesium are extremely important to the proper functioning of the heart
muscle. Magnesium is probably the most
overlooked key to lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels discussed by
the mainstream media. Take calcium and
magnesium in divided doses. Use chelate
forms of both minerals.
•Lycopene
is a carotenoid that lowers LDL “bad” cholesterol.
•Phosphatidyl
choline reduces fat and triglyceride levels in the blood.
•Pycnogenol
reduces buildup of plaques in the arteries.
•Acupuncture
treatments can lower blood pressure and improve circulation.
Although
the above list is not exhaustive, it is a good place to start on improved
cardiovascular health. Of course, always
consult with your physician before taking supplements to avoid any
“contraindications” with your prescription medicines or personal health
problems. Always take positive action to
reduce your chances of cardiovascular disease.
About Healthy Sleep Habits:
When we get especially busy or
stressed by life’s hassles, sleep is often the first thing to suffer. Either we skimp on the number of hours we
rest, or we try to sleep and find that our sleep quality is poor, or sometimes
non-existent, due to our restless minds working overtime and keeping us awake.
More and
more scientific studies keep showing the importance of sleep to our overall
health and to heart health as well.
Research clearly shows that sleep deprivation increases blood sugar
levels and the tendency toward obesity and diabetes, all of which are risk
factors for heart disease.
Even more
directly related to increased heart disease risk is the fact that more hours
awake equal more hours that the heart must operate at a higher level of
functioning without a rest break. Blood
pressure and heart rate tend to drop while soundly sleeping. Many hours of wakefulness without a chance to
“power down” puts unnecessary strain on the heart and cardiovascular system in
general.
Experts
recommend seven to nine hours of sleep per day for most adults. There are some people who simply don’t need
that much sleep and find it stressful to stay in bed for that long. Those individuals should follow their bodies’
cues regarding an appropriate length of rest.
Exercise for Extended Existence:
There’s
nothing quite like exercise for keeping the cardiovascular system in good
shape, and a number of activities can qualify as exercise. Simple walking is one of the best forms of
exercise for the cardiovascular system.
Recent research indicates that one of the best things for both general
health and heart health in particular is to walk five times per week. Thirty minutes per bout will suffice, but 45
minutes to an hour is even better if time permits. Other activities helpful to the heart
include: gardening, mopping floors, dancing, raking leaves, climbing stairs,
shopping, walking in place while talking on the phone, and short but frequent
exercise bouts during the commercials of T.V. shows.
Of course,
an organized, formal exercise program that incorporates elements of weight
lifting, cardiovascular exertion, stretching, balance, and coordination is the
best option, but if that “gold standard” of exercise excellence simply won’t
fit into life right now, try some of the more commonplace activities listed in
the paragraph above to improve cardiovascular fitness, and remember, some
exercise is better than no exercise.
A Quick Word About Stress:
Too much
stress is bad for the heart. Long
periods of emotional, mental, or physical stress can cause chronically elevated
blood pressure and cortisol levels.
Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by the body that increases the
tendency toward high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and obesity, all of
which are contributors to heart disease risk.
Work diligently to dial down stress, whether that means getting a different
job, asking friends or family to pitch in with solving problems, or arranging a
shorter commute to work. Do whatever
needs to be done to make your life a calmer and more peaceful journey. Your heart will thank you.
In Summary:
There is
much we can do to ease the workload of our hearts and cardiovascular
systems. Through dietary changes,
exercise, stress and sleep interventions, and repaired interpersonal
relationships, we can strengthen our hearts and our lives. Let’s spring into action!
