As a tribute to the month of love and American Heart Month, we are going to dedicate the month of February to focusing on getting your heart healthy by educating you on the high points of obtaining and maintaining good heart health as well as helping you get your sexy back! Yes, that’s right. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we want to make sure you’re ready for it, so stay tuned next week for how you can – Get Your Sexy Back!
Here are some heart healthy hot topics we’ll cover this month: cholesterol, high blood pressure, healthy ways to deal with stress, and how to avoid a heart attack in your future, the best vitamins for a healthy heart.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.; however, the underlying cause is not what you think. Stay tuned this month is you like what you hear, or if you want to avoid the risks associated with heart disease.
To begin, most people are aware of the lifestyle factors that can have a positive effect on cardiovascular disease such as regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking. That’s why this particular list online at the Huffington Post caught our eye: 10 Foods with Cardiovascular Benefits.
Salmon: Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids a couple times a week is a great idea. Omega-3s can reduce the risk of arrthymias, slow plaque build up in the arteries, lower cholesterol and slightly lower blood pressure.
Olive Oil: A healthy alternative to butter is olive oil, which is a “healthy” monounsaturated fat. Another good alternative is canola oil; both can lower cholesterol levels.
Nuts: The unsaturated fat in nuts can help reduce cholesterol, but emember portion control while consuming because they are still high in fat and calories. A 2011 study found that swapping nuts for red meat as a leaner source of protein resulted in a 17 percent lower risk of stroke.
Berries: Berries are rich in a type of antioxidant called polyphenols, which can lower blood pressure and boost "good" HDL cholesterol.
Oatmeal: The soluble fiber in oatmeal reduces the absorption of "bad" LDL cholesterol into the bloodstream, helping to keep arteries clear. This is also true of other whole-grain foods as well as fruits and vegetables.
Dark Chocolate: Good news for chocolate lovers! Satisfying your sweet tooth has been found to lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and prevent blood clots. This is due to flavonoids that act like antioxidants.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are the biggest source of lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant. Preliminary experiments suggest that lycopene could play a role in preventing cardiovascular problems due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Seaweed: Seaweeds contain significant benefits for the heart, including antioxidants and even some good fats.
Coffee: Coffee has been shown to be one of the biggest sources of antioxidants in the average person’s diet. In addition, caffeine seems to contain heart-healthy effects. While experts suggest more research is still needed, caffeine seems to fight heart disease by counteracting free radicals in the body.
Alcohol: Warning – you may want to consume this one with caution. To get reap the full benefits of resveratrol (found in red wine), you may have to drink more than the hangover is worth. We suggest supplementing with this powerful antioxidant – resveratrol.
In addition, Dr. Hotze has long been a big advocate for Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease, known for reversing blockages to the heart without drugs or surgery. According to Dr. Ornish’s philosophy, a combination of exercise and diet, including eating a high-fiber, low-fat vegetarian diet, may halt or reverse even severe coronary artery disease.