February is National Heart Health Month and with Valentine’s Day around the corner and hearts being at the top of everyone’s mind, it’s always a great time to show your heart a little extra TLC, too.
Did you know the average adult heart beats 72 times a minute? This translates to 100,000 times a day, 3.6 million times a year, and 2.5 billion times during a lifetime. That’s pretty incredible!
What’s not incredible is that cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death of men and women in the United States, killing one person every minute from its affects.
While some heart health issues are genetic, many are very, very preventable. Here are 5 essential nutrients you need to support your heart so that it can continue beating for many many years to come.
Top 5 Nutrients for Heart Health:
- Magnesium: Every organ in our body needs magnesium to function properly, especially our hearts. Magnesium helps to keep your heart beating at a steady pace, and promote healthy blood pressure levels. In fact, a magnesium deficiency can cause atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, heart attack or worse, sudden cardiac death. I recommend at least 400-800mg of magnesium daily.
- Vitamin C: While most commonly known for immune and skin health, vitamin C is necessary for collagen production in your heart, which is the adhesive that holds coronary cells together. In doing this, collagen strengthens and protects your blood vessels walls, protecting them from collapsing. I recommend at least 4,000-6,000mg of vitamin C daily.
- Vitamin D: A lack of vitamin D can cause inflammation throughout your body, high blood pressure and even diabetes, all which are contributing factors to heart disease. Lower your risk of developing all of these chronic health issues with daily or weekly vitamin D supplementation. I recommend 50,000 iu of vitamin D weekly to all of my patients who have had their blood levels tested. If you’re unsure of your vitamin D levels, be sure to ask your provider to check your levels.
- Fish Oil: The essentially omegas are also known to reduce inflammation throughout the body, and additionally, may help lower triglycerides and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. A pure, medical-grade fish oil with a combination of EPA and DHA is necessary for total heart health. I recommend at least 1,000-2,000 mg daily of omega 3’s, if not more if you are predisposed to elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, or worse, heart disease.
- CoQ10: Your heart contains the most amount of CoQ10, which is a powerful and natural antioxidant. Studies have shown that CoQ10 helps to reduce blood pressure levels. Additionally, cholesterol medication (statin drugs) deplete your body and heart of CoQ10. Therefore, if you are on statin drugs, CoQ10 is essential for your health.
While supplementation is always key to ensuring your body is fueled with the right nutrients in the right forms and correct amounts, I always encourage you to eat foods that are rich in these nutrients as well.
Below are some of the top foods that contain each of these heart-health nutrients in them:
- Magnesium: Walnuts, spinach, dark chocolate, avocados
- Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, kale
- Vitamin D: eggs, cheese, salmon, cod liver oil, mushrooms
- Fish Oil: Salmon, sardines, chia seeds, flaxseeds
- CoQ10: Beef, organ meats, sardines, mackerel, spinach, cruciferous vegetables
Whether heart health is a huge concern of yours or you just want to be proactive in your health, I strongly encourage you to incorporate all of these nutrients into your daily vitamin regimen to ensure your heart is in tip-top shape.
Shop all heart health nutrients on my website or call us today to have all of your vitamins and supplements shipped directly to your doorstep! 281-313-7435
