Imagine that you’re sitting on your couch relaxing, watching television when, all of a sudden, you feel a sharp, piercing pain in your chest and your left arm goes numb or tingles. You begin to feel nauseous and lightheaded and you can’t seem to catch your breath. These are all symptoms of a heart attack, a deadly disease that can occur at any time without any prior warning or symptoms. In fact, a recent government survey reveals that over 60% of heart attack deaths were unexpected or sudden.

As you can see, heart disease is a serious condition – the number one killer of men and women in the United States. More than 60 million Americans are living with some form of heart disease right now and approximately one million of them will die of the condition this year. The toll that cardiovascular disease takes in both emotional and financial terms is staggering; in 2002, caring for heart disease patients is expected to cost the nation almost $330 billion. Rates of cardiovascular disease and its cost are only expected to skyrocket even higher as the population ages.

While these statistics are grim, there is a great deal you can do to prevent and control cardiovascular diseases. In this special report, I will review how, through exercise, diet and taking the correct nutritional supplements, you can keep your cardiovascular system operating in peak condition for 100 years or longer. Take action now to ensure a healthy heart far into the future!

Understanding How Your Heart Works

In its daily mission of supplying your organs and tissues with the oxygen and nutrition they need and removing the body’s waste products, your heart beats 100,000 times and pumps approximately 2,000 gallons of blood through more than 60,000 miles of veins. This complex and vital operation is performed each time your heart beats. Even the slightest alteration to this intricate procedure can cause life-threatening consequences.

However, before you can understand what can go wrong, you must first appreciate how the cardiovascular system works. Your heart is the engine that drives the circulatory system, a complex series of blood vessels that send nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. The heart is a fist-sized muscle comprised of four chambers: the two right chambers receive blue-colored blood from veins in your upper and lower body. (At this stage, the blood is blue because it has been depleted of oxygen.) This fluid is sent through the lungs where it is purified and oxygenated. The oxygen-rich red blood is then returned to the left two chambers of the heart, where it is sent out through a large artery called the aorta to be distributed by smaller blood vessels to all of your other body parts.

A Delicate Balance

A number of factors can disrupt the heart’s work, many of them preventable. The American Heart Association has identified five independent risk factors that you can control. They are: smoking, not getting enough exercise, having high cholesterol levels and/or high blood pressure and being overweight. Two risk factors that you have no control over are aging and a family history of heart disease.

Once the heart’s delicate balance is disrupted, a number of cardiovascular diseases can occur. Fortunately, such diseases are easily preventable and can be treated with good nutrition, exercise and dietary supplements. Adding supplements can give you an extra advantage in avoiding problems such as heart attack, stroke, poor circulation, angina – a discomfort in the chest that arises from poor blood supply to the heart – atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries), intermittent claudication, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Deadly Cardiovascular Diseases: An Overview

A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart is cut off by a blockage in the coronary arteries. This blockage is most often caused by blood clots. Without oxygen-rich blood to keep them alive, cells in the heart begin to “suffocate” and die. The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the greater damage to the heart.

When blood flow to the brain is interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, a stroke occurs. Just as in a heart attack, when the brain cells do not get enough oxygen they begin to die. Some cells die immediately, while others remain at risk for death. With timely treatment these cells can be saved.

One particularly devastating form of heart disease is atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries. Most heart attacks and strokes are due to atherosclerosis. Current theories suggest that atherosclerosis begins with an injury to the lining of an artery. Once damaged, an artery wall is vulnerable to the formation of bumpy deposits called plaques. Accumulation of plaques narrows the arteries, making them less pliable and eventually causing blockages.

A common side effect of atherosclerosis is angina pectoris – a recurring pain or discomfort in the chest that happens when some part of the heart does not receive enough blood. Angina feels like pressing or squeezing pain, usually in the chest under the breastbone, but sometimes in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaws or back. Angina is most often brought on by exercise and is usually relieved within a few minutes by resting.

Intermittent claudication causes leg pain with cramps in the calves caused by poor circulation. It occurs only at certain times, often after prolonged walking, and is relieved by rest. However, the condition is often linked to atherosclerosis. The incidence of intermittent claudication increases sharply with age, and it is estimated that over 1.5 million Americans over the age of 65 suffer from this disorder.

Development of atherosclerosis has been linked with high cholesterol levels. Too much cholesterol in the blood can build up on artery walls and cause them to become inflexible and narrow. Eventually, the amount of blood that can pass through these arteries is diminished, resulting in chest pain and eventually, heart attack. There are two types of cholesterol: low density lipoprotein (LDL) is the “bad” cholesterol that is the main source of damaging buildup; high density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, is responsible for ridding the body of LDL buildups.

Recent research has also uncovered another atherosclerosis-promoting culprit: homocysteine. High levels of this substance have been shown to damage the artery lining.

Finally, high blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common cardiovascular disease – it affects approximately one in four Americans. Its negative impact on the body is far-reaching; it can harm nearly every one of your vital organs including eyes, kidneys, brain and heart. Untreated, high blood pressure may lead to heart attack, stroke or kidney failure.

Eat Your Way to A Healthy Heart

The government is so sure that nutrition can be used to help prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved nine health claims regarding promotion and maintenance of heart health. These claims show a relationship between a nutrient or other substances in food and a disease or health-related condition. They differ from the more common claims that highlight a food’s nutritional content, such as “low fat,” “high fiber,” or “low calorie.”

To date, the FDA has approved the following cardiovascular health claims:

·         Dietary saturated fat and cholesterol and risk of coronary heart disease. Diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol increase total and LDL cholesterol levels and, thus, the risk of cardiovascular disease. Diets low in these substances decrease the risk.

·         Fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and risk of coronary heart disease. Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and rich in fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

·         Dietary soluble fiber, such as that found in whole oats and psyllium seed husk, and coronary heart disease. When included in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, soluble fiber may affect blood lipid levels, such as cholesterol, and lower the risk of heart disease.

·         Soy protein and risk of coronary heart disease. Including soy protein in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may also help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Recent clinical trials have shown that consumption of soy protein compared to other proteins such as those from milk or meat, can lower total and LDL-cholesterol levels.

·         Plant sterol/stanol esters and risk of coronary heart disease. Plant sterol esters and plant stanol esters may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels. Plant sterols and stanols are present in small quantities in many fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, legumes and other plant sources.

·         Whole grain foods and risk of heart disease. A soluble fiber found in whole oats, beta-glucan, is the primary component responsible for the total and LDL blood cholesterol-lowering effects of diets that contain these foods at appropriate levels.

• Sodium and high blood pressure. The scientific evidence establishes that diets high in sodium are associated with a high prevalence of hypertension or high blood pressure and with increases in blood pressure with age, and that diets low in sodium are associated with a low prevalence of hypertension or high blood pressure and with a low or no increase of blood pressure with age.
• Omega-3 fatty acids and coronary heart disease. This qualified claim states that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in fish, may decrease the risk of developing heart disease.
• Folic acid and homocysteine. Increased intake of folic acid has been shown to reduce levels of homocysteine, a substance that has been linked with a greater risk for cardiovascular disease.

Natural Heart Helpers

Besides the recommended nutrition and lifestyle changes, researchers have identified a number of dietary supplements that can help to prevent heart disease and even reverse debilitating conditions such as atherosclerosis. These all-natural solutions are gentler on your heart than many harsh pharmaceutical drugs. Anyone concerned about their cardiovascular health should consider adding these heart-smart supplements to their daily regimen.

B Kind To Your Heart

The B vitamins, but especially vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂ and folic acid, are especially important for fighting high homocysteine levels. Homocysteine has moved to center stage as a major independent risk factor for heart disease, on par with smoking and high cholesterol. It is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is normally produced in the body in small amounts from the amino acid methionine. Its normal role is to control growth and support bone and tissue formation. However, researchers believe high levels of the substance may damage the inner artery lining, contribute to atherosclerosis and promote blood clot formation. Elevations in homocysteine levels are found in about 20 to 40 percent of patients with heart disease.

Homocysteine levels in the blood begin to rise due to a deficiency of the three B vitamins listed above. Other factors also play a role including aging, menopause, heredity and cigarette smoking.

Conversion of homocysteine into a useful amino acid is the only reaction in the human body that requires both folic acid and vitamin B12. Without adequate amounts of these two vitamins, homocysteine cannot be converted and soon builds up in the blood. Although homocysteine poses as much cardiac risk as cholesterol, the good news is that homocysteine levels react much more swiftly to dietary treatment.

Vitamin B₆, along with folic acid, was recently found to lower homocysteine levels in people with diseased arteries. The two-year study followed 78 siblings who were given 5 mg of folic acid and 250 mg of vitamin B₆ daily. A control group of 80 patients received an inactive placebo. At the end of the study period, the authors found the siblings who received vitamins were less likely to have irregular readings on an electrocardiogram taken after exercise – an indirect measure of the health of coronary arteries.

New Irish research has found that the role of vitamin B₁₂ in the reduction of blood homocysteine levels may be more important than previously believed. While the vitamin must be present for folate to exert its homocysteine-lowering effects, B12’s role has always been considered to be far less important. Now, however, researchers have found that supplementing with both folic acid and vitamin B12 “is likely to be much more effective in lowering homocysteine concentrations, with potential benefits for reduction of the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Folic acid’s role in lowering homocysteine has been well-researched, but new evidence reveals that the vitamin may benefit the heart in other ways, too. One study has shown that supplementing with 5 mg of folic acid helped to improve the function of the endothelium (the lining of the arteries) independently of lowering homocysteine levels. Another study found that people who consumed at least 300 micrograms (mcg) of folate per day had a 20% lower risk of stroke and a 13% lower risk of cardiovascular disease than their peers who consumed less than 136 mcg of folate per day. The findings accounted for other heart disease risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking and obesity.

Policosanol: Nature’s Own Cholesterol-Buster

Dozens of studies have documented the heart-smart benefits of policosanol, a naturally occurring substance found in plants. Not only does policosanol lower cholesterol, it has also been found to halt the progress of atherosclerosis, lower blood pressure, decrease the painful symptoms of intermittent claudication and help to fight free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage the body.

Researchers believe that policosanol keeps cardiovascular disease in check several ways:

·         It prevents the liver from manufacturing too much cholesterol;

·         Helps the body to eliminate more of the “bad” LDL cholesterol from the blood stream;

·         Reduces plaque build up on artery walls and decreases the amount of plaque that may have already formed there;

·         Possesses antioxidant properties, helping your body to fight off dangerous free radicals and

·         Reduces blood pressure.

Policosanol’s cardiovascular benefits have been proven in men and women of all ages. In one recent study, researchers discovered that giving elderly subjects a daily supplement containing 10 mg of policosanol decreased cholesterol levels in more than 86% of the participants.

While policosanol is probably best known for its cholesterol-lowering benefits, supplementing with the nutrient can prove beneficial for other conditions as well. Intermittent claudication, a crippling affliction caused by poor blood circulation, is one such disease that can be positively affected by policosanol supplementation. A recent Cuban study found that when subjects who had been diagnosed with intermittent claudication were given 10 mg daily of policosanol, they were able to more than double their pain-free walking distances.

In addition, policosanol does not prevent your body from manufacturing and absorbing coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), as many statin drugs do. A deficiency of CoQ10 is highly detrimental to the cardiovascular system as this important nutrient is responsible for providing energy to the heart to help it function more effectively. Studies show that as CoQ10 levels decrease, symptoms of cardiovascular disease increase.

Coenzyme Q10: A Potent Heart Helper

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as ubiquinone, is a powerful antioxidant discovered by researchers at the University of Wisconsin in 1957. Shortly thereafter CoQ10’s other life-sustaining functions were revealed. The name of this supplement comes from the word ubiquitous, which means “found everywhere.” That’s because CoQ10 is found in every cell in the body. It plays a fundamental role in the mitochondria, the parts of the cell that produce energy from food.

Japanese scientists first discovered the therapeutic properties of CoQ10 in the 1960s. Today, it is widely prescribed for heart conditions in Europe and Israel as well as Japan. CoQ10 appears to assist the heart during times of stress on the heart muscle, perhaps by helping it use energy more efficiently. CoQ10 is most often used to treat cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and angina. It is also prescribed for diabetes, periodontal disease, immune deficiency, cancer, as a weight-loss aid, muscular dystrophy and as a performance-enhancing agent in athletes.

An important yet frequently overlooked component in the overall treatment of cardiovascular disease is the promotion of a better functioning heart. Very good evidence tells us that CoQ10 can help people with congestive heart failure. In this serious condition, the heart muscles become weakened, resulting in poor circulation and shortness of breath. Research shows that people with congestive heart failure have significantly lower levels of CoQ10 than healthy people. This fact alone doesn’t prove that CoQ10 supplements will help congestive heart failure. However, it prompted medical researchers to try using CoQ10 as a treatment for heart failure. Results have been positive. At least nine double-blind studies have found that CoQ10 supplements can markedly improve symptoms and objective measurements of heart function when they are taken along with conventional medication.

Cardiomyopathy is the general name given to conditions in which the heart muscle gradually becomes diseased. Several small studies suggest that CoQ10 supplements are helpful for some forms of cardiomyopathy. In addition, an open study of 109 people with high blood pressure found significant improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure during treatment with an average dosage of 225 mg daily of CoQ10. In fact, over four months, 51 percent of treated individuals were able to stop taking one to three blood pressure medications. These marked benefits persisted for the full length of the study (one year). Similar benefits have been seen in other open studies.

Every cell in the body needs CoQ10 but no U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance has been established for this important substance because the body can manufacture CoQ10 from scratch. However, numerous drugs impair the body’s ability to synthesize CoQ10 including oral diabetes drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, phenothiazines, beta-blockers and cholesterol-reducing medications in the statin family. CoQ10 levels also decline during the aging process. Therefore, topping off your natural production can have many life-enhancing benefits.

Because CoQ10 is found in all animal and plant cells, we obtain small amounts of this nutrient from our diet. However, it is very difficult to get a therapeutic dosage from food. The typical recommended dosage of CoQ10 is 30 to 300 mg a day, often divided into two or more doses. CoQ10 is fat-soluble and is better absorbed when taken in an oil-based soft gel form rather than in a dry form such as tablets and capsules.

Magnesium: The Heart-Smart Mineral

Magnesium is a mineral needed by every cell of your body. About half of your body's magnesium stores are found inside cells of body tissues and organs, and half are combined with calcium and phosphorus in bone. Only 1 percent of the magnesium in your body is found in blood. Your body works very hard to keep blood levels of magnesium constant.

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, and bones strong. It is also involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

Evidence suggests that magnesium may play an important role in regulating blood pressure. Diets that provide plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of potassium and magnesium, are consistently associated with lower blood pressure. The DASH study (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) suggested that high blood pressure could be significantly lowered by a diet high in magnesium, potassium, and calcium, and low in sodium and fat. In another study, the effect of various nutritional factors on incidence of high blood pressure was examined in over 30,000 U.S. male health professionals. After four years of follow-up, it was found that a greater magnesium intake was significantly associated with a lower risk of hypertension. The evidence is strong enough that the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure recommends maintaining an adequate magnesium intake as a positive lifestyle modification for preventing and managing high blood pressure.

Other studies suggest that magnesium may play a broader role in cardiovascular health. Besides lowering blood pressure levels, magnesium has also been shown to thin the blood, making it less likely to clot and cause heart attacks and strokes; it also helps to relax blood vessels. Finally, magnesium supplementation may offer life-enhancing benefits to people already afflicted with congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart is not functioning as well as it should due to high blood pressure or clogged arteries. A 1990 study found that patients who had normal levels of blood magnesium had a greater prognosis for survival than their peer who had low levels of the mineral. Only 45% of patients with low magnesium were expected to live a year, as compared to more than 70% of people who had adequate magnesium levels.

Plant Sterols: Slash Cholesterol Levels Naturally

Sterols are fatty substances found naturally in plants, seeds and nuts. There are three main types of sterols – beta-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol. Sterols have a chemical makeup that is almost identical to that of cholesterol.

Numerous studies have shown that sterols may be effective in controlling cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption and preventing the liver from manufacturing it. Two recent studies have revealed that foods enriched with sterols can help to reduce elevated cholesterol levels by as much as 13 percent. In the first study, performed in Helsinki, Finland, researchers gave study participants with total cholesterol readings between 232 and 310 bread, meat and jam enhanced with plant sterols. After 15 weeks of eating the sterol-enriched foods, study participants were found to have greatly reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels.

In a study performed this year at the University of Munich in Germany, 63 healthy volunteers with moderately elevated LDL cholesterol levels were asked to use a margarine product containing 20 grams of phtyosterols for three weeks. Participants were then “crossed-over” to receive a margarine product that contained no sterols for an additional three weeks. Researchers found that after three weeks on the sterol-fortified margarine, subjects had drastically reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels and had improved HDL readings. Surprisingly, researchers found that sterols seemed to have the most benefits for subjects who ate a diet high in fat, especially saturated fat, and calories. This group was able to slash LDL levels by more than 11%!

Polyphenols: Drink Up for a Healthy Heart

Polyphenols, substances found in abundance in grape skin and present in red wine, may help to decrease production of a protein that causes blood vessels to constrict, reducing the flow of oxygen to the heart. The protein, endothelin-1, is believed to play a key role in the development of heart disease, according to researchers at Queen Mary University in London. Their findings support results of earlier studies showing that a moderate intake of red wine may lower the risk of heart disease. But while these earlier studies focused on the antioxidant properties of polyphenols – that is their ability to neutralize disease-causing free radicals in the body – results of this study suggest a new mechanism by which red wine might bring benefits.

According to the study, red wine polyphenols inhibit a group of enzymes that play a key role in cell regulation. Compounds that inhibit these enzymes have been shown to suppress endothelin production.

Green tea, another good source of polyphenols, may also help keep your cardiovascular system healthy. Green tea has been shown to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a leading cause of artery damage. Japanese researchers found that after ingesting 300 mg of green tea polyphenol extract twice a day, participants had a significant lag time of 13.7 minutes before LDL cholesterol was oxidized. The researchers speculated that drinking green tea or supplementing with green tea extract might also inhibit the absorption of cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

Build A Healthy Heart with Antioxidants

One of the most important steps you can take to build a healthy heart is to limit the formation of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable compounds that the body produces during necessary metabolic functions such as breathing and burning food for energy; they may also come from environmental factors such as chemicals or cigarette smoke. Because free radicals are unstable they may react with and damage certain molecules in the body, interfering with their ability to function normally. This damage is known as oxidation. Free radical oxidation has been linked to about sixty different diseases, including heart disease.

Fortunately, it’s not difficult to limit free radical damage. Nutrients known as antioxidants are powerful defenders against free radical oxidation. A number of antioxidants have been shown in clinical trials to be especially helpful for heart health. They include:

·         Grapeseed extract: A rich source of one of the most beneficial groups of plant flavonoids – proanthocyanidins (PCOs). PCOs are potent antioxidants and free radical scavengers. Grapeseed extract also helps to limit the production of certain enzymes that damage blood vessels. In addition, animal studies have shown that PCOs have a number of cardio-protective effects including lowering cholesterol levels and reversing the progress of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

·         Lycopene: Rich, red tomatoes that are eaten raw in salads and cooked in tomato sauce are packed with a powerful antioxidant called lycopene. Recent studies show that patients who have high levels of lycopene in their blood plasma have a lower incidence of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis risk gradually decreases as lycopene levels increase.

·         Selenium: This mineral is a component of one of the body’s major antioxidants, glutathione peroxidase. As such, selenium plays an important role in protecting the body from the free radical oxidation that can lead to cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that rates for heart disease are highest where selenium levels are lowest.

·         Vitamin C: Clinical studies have shown that vitamin C provides numerous benefits to the cardiovascular system. This multi-tasking vitamin may lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as strengthen artery walls. Now, British researchers have also found that people with the highest vitamin C intakes had the lowest death rates from heart disease.

·         Vitamin E: Of all the antioxidants, vitamin E is the best documented for the prevention of heart disease. Vitamin E is especially important to inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol – a leading cause of heart disease. A recent Italian study found that elderly people who had high levels of vitamin E in their blood were ten times less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than their peers with low levels of the vitamin. In fact, an inadequate supply of vitamin E in the bloodstream may be the single most important factor in the development of heart disease – even more relevant than high cholesterol or blood pressure.

Other Natural Healthy Heart Choices

The list of natural solutions to cardiovascular disease continues to grow as researchers uncover more and more heart-healthy nutrients. The following supplements have been proven in clinical research studies to have cardiovascular system-strengthening benefits.

·         Arginine: This amino acid is involved in a number of metabolic actions within the body, including the promotion of circulatory system health. Researchers from London have found that arginine may help the blood vessels to dilate, or become larger, thereby reducing blood pressure by allowing blood to pass more easily through the vessels.

·         Carnitine: Carnitine is primarily used for heart-related conditions. Good evidence suggests it can be used along with conventional treatment for angina (chest pain) to improve symptoms and reduce medication needs. One study, comprised of two hundred 40 to 65 year old patients, found that carnitine not only reduced the symptoms of angina, but also helped the heart to work more effectively. When combined with conventional therapy, carnitine may also reduce mortality after a heart attack. Other evidence suggests carnitine may be helpful for intermittent claudication (pain in the legs after walking due to narrowing of the arteries) as well as congestive heart failure.

·         Garlic: Used medicinally for over 5,000 years, numerous studies have shown garlic’s effectiveness in lowering cholesterol levels. Allicin and another chemical in garlic, ajoene, act in many ways to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Studies show that garlic lowers both total cholesterol and LDL levels and prevents LDL oxidation. In fact, findings from a recent meta-analysis suggest that eating half a clove of garlic daily may reduce cholesterol levels by approximately nine percent. Other benefits of eating garlic or taking garlic supplements include, a reduction in platelet aggregation, or blood “stickiness” and a decrease in the time it takes for blood to coagulate. Garlic also helps regulate blood pressure; taken together, the seven best garlic studies suggest that the powdered form of the herb may lower systolic pressure about 7.7 mm and diastolic pressure about 5 mm more than an inactive placebo. A more recent study indicated that garlic’s blood pressure-lowering effect might escalate over time.

·         Ginkgo biloba: This herb may help to make blood less “sticky,” thereby allowing it to pass through the arteries more easily. Researchers believe it functions by reducing the amount of platelet activating factor, a chemical that causes blood molecules to stick together, in the blood stream.

·         Hawthorne: In Europe, hawthorn is widely regarded as a safe and effective treatment for the early stages of congestive heart failure. Significant, solid research surrounds the herb as a treatment for congestive heart failure. Between 1981 and 1994, thirteen controlled clinical studies of hawthorn were performed, most of them double blind. In all, 808 people participated in these trials. Cumulative results strongly suggest that hawthorn is an effective treatment for this condition. Comparative studies suggest that hawthorn is about as effective as a low dose of the conventional drug captopril.

·         Potassium: The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends potassium to help prevent and control blood pressure. A meta-analysis of 33 studies, comprising more than 2,600 participants, found that potassium had a significant blood pressure lowering effect. Its effect seems to be greatest in people who consume a great deal of sodium, which suggests that potassium can balance out sodium’s tendency to raise blood pressure.

·         Niacin: In the 1950s, high doses of niacin were found to lower elevated cholesterol levels. Ever since, niacin (vitamin B3) has been part of most lipid-lowering treatments and is a good example of the melding of convention and natural therapies. Solid evidence shows niacin works in both people with and without heart disease. New research confirms the addition of niacin significantly enhances the effects of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. Another study shows that niacin may significantly raise levels of “good” HDL cholesterol – performing even more effectively than some prescription medications.

·         Omega-3 fatty acids: Recent research has shown that high blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids may help to protect against sudden death from cardiac arrest. Additionally, researchers have found that a diet rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids may protect the heart and blood vessels by reducing inflammation. They found that individuals with the highest cell levels of DHA had lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood. C-reactive protein, a marker of blood vessel inflammation, is associated with heart disease risk. Omega-3 fatty acids may protect against inflammation, which is thought to contribute to the build-up of plaque inside arteries, by inhibiting the formation of inflammation-promoting proteins, the investigators noted.

·         Psyllium fiber: A review of eight studies involving more than 650 people has determined that psyllium, combined with a low-fat diet, can substantially cut total and LDL cholesterol levels. The FDA has approved a health claim for psyllium – an herb that is primarily cultivated in India – stating that an adequate intake lowers the risk of developing heart disease.

·         Red yeast rice: Originating in China, red yeast rice is a type of yeast that, when fermented on rice, results in the production of natural statin-type chemicals, similar to the drug Lovastatin. Several clinical studies conducted in China report that taking as little as 1,200 mg of the herb significantly lowered blood cholesterol levels within eight weeks, with no side effects. A recent clinical study conducted in the United States using 2,400 mg of red yeast rice confirmed these results. The herb’s statin-like substances block the formation of cholesterol in the liver.

Wrap-Up

Protecting your cardiovascular health is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your overall well-being. There are so many steps you can take to slash your risk of developing heart diseases. I recommend a dietary supplement regimen as well as a daily program of exercise and a well-balanced diet to keep your heart functioning at its best every day. Heart disease incidence is increasing at a frightening pace – don’t become a statistic, take good care of your heart today!

[box] Ten Important Heart Health Supplements

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