Collection: Heart Health
Condition Supplements - Heart Health
The heart is responsible for distributing blood to every part of the body so we can keep functioning as normal. Over an average lifetime it will, amazingly, beat around 2.5 billion times and pump millions of gallons of blood.
Despite the vital role our hearts play and the constant work we expect them to do, we often don’t give much thought to our heart health. Until we have a problem, that is.
Our hearts can be affected by factors outside our control such as infections and genetic conditions. However, lifestyle choices with regards to diet, exercise, and smoking will also impact the condition of our hearts.
Cardiovascular disease becomes more common with age, but it is by no means inevitable. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle from a younger age can help keep your heart healthy as you get older.
Even if you develop a condition such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, these can be brought under control with lifestyle changes and medications. Additionally, there are certain medicines and surgical procedures that can prolong the life of a damaged heart.
If you want to protect the health of your heart and reduce your chances of heart problems later in life, here are some things you can do:
Get moving
Even if you exercise regularly, your heart can be harmed by you sitting in one place for long periods of time. You’ll probably gain more fat around your middle and experience higher triglyceride levels and insulin resistance, as well as being at greater risk of heart disease.
If you’re confined to a desk all day, at least make an effort to get up once an hour and walk around – even if it’s just to get a coffee or use the bathroom. Standing desks can help keep you more active at work, while exercise bikes or balls will keep you moving while you watch your favorite TV show.
Don’t skimp on sleep
Don’t underestimate the importance of getting enough sleep if you want your heart to stay healthy. A study of 3,000 adults aged 45 and over revealed that those who slept for six to eight hours per night were about half as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those who slept for under six hours per night.
The exact connection between sleep and cardiovascular disease is unknown, but researchers believe that not sleeping enough disrupts the biological processes in your body. That’s regardless of how much exercise you get and how healthy your diet is.
Eat well
You might think it’s healthy to eat as little fat as possible, but we actually need saturated, polyunsaturated, and unsaturated fats in our diet. The big one to avoid is trans fat, which has been linked to increased risk of stroke and heart disease. It affects the balance of cholesterol levels in your body, which leads to your arteries becoming blocked. So by cutting out trans fats, you can improve the flow of blood through your body.
Trans fats are usually found in mass-produced packaged baked goods, margarine, fast foods, and snack foods – even some which claim to be healthy! They might taste good, but remember what they are doing inside your body.
Fish oil and flaxseed oil, on the other hand, are good sources of omega-3 – a proven anti-inflammatory which can improve heart health in many ways.
You can purchase supplements for heart health, including omega-3 tablets, at our online store. Click through to browse our full range of products to help keep your heart healthy.
