New Age Organic

The health of your cardiovascular system is crucial to living a long, vigorous life, and its overall condition will affect the way you look and feel, and of course how long you live. Looking after your heart, blood, and the blood vessels that supply it is absolutely essential for anyone wanting to live a long and healthy life. This means getting plenty of exercise, eating a healthy diet, reducing stress, and taking heart-boosting supplements to treat and prevent cardiovascular conditions.

Cardiovascular conditions such as angina, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and heart attack, are all preventable and treatable by making healthy nutrition choices and lifestyle changes.

We have already discussed the nutritious foods you should be eating, but what about the vitamins and supplements you should be taking to boost your health and wellness?

Which Supplements

Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
CoQ10 is a vitamin-like substance used by the heart muscle for energy. CoQ10 has been shown to strengthen the heart muscle, relieve angina, and regulate blood pressure. Taking Co-Q10 as a supplement can boost stores of CoQ10 lost due to aging, stress, and prescribed drugs. CoQ10 is primarily found in fish, lean meat, eggs, spinach, broccoli, peanuts, wheatgerm, and whole grains.

While our bodies typically produce the CoQ10 we need, this is diminished as we age and it’s worth noting that cholesterol lowering prescription drugs (statins) and drugs that lower blood sugar counteract and reduce the CoQ10 in our bodies, making the need for this important nutrient even greater.

Recommended dosage is 30mg to 100mg per day. Here is an excellent doctor recommended C0Q10 supplement.

Policosanol
Greatly reducing blood levels of unhealthy cholesterol (LDL) is well established as an effective strategy for preventing cardiovascular disease. The typically prescribed statin drugs used to lower cholesterol have a number of negative side effects, including a high risk of Parkinson’s disease. Policosanol is a newly discovered, all-natural supplement that has been shown in studies to significantly lower cholesterol levels. It is also a powerful antioxidant.

Recommended dosage is 20mg twice a day.

Hawthorn
This herb has been dubbed “the four corners of the heart tonic” because of its influence on all aspects of heart health. Clinical trials have shown the effectiveness and safety of Hawthorn extracts in early congestive heart failure, mild angina, arrhythmia, and high blood pressure, as well as use in recovering from heart attacks. Hawthorn works by improving blood flow through the coronary arteries and stimulating the efficiency of the hearts pumping activity.

Additionally, it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, is anti-arrythmic and promotes antioxidant activity by increasing blood flow in the peripheral blood vessels. In this way Hawthorn’s flavonoids help protect small capillaries from free radical damage.

Check with your doctor before taking if you are already using an already prescribed medication.

Recommended dosage is 100mg to 250mg per day

Pycnogenol
Pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) is a natural blood thinner (reduces blood clotting) and can reduce high blood pressure.  Dr. Watson at the University of Arizona states: “Our research shows that Pycnogenol is a safe and natural option, especially for those who cannot tolerate the adverse aspects of aspirin. Here is a completely natural substance with remarkable activity. It may well have enormous health implications for an aging population”

Recommended dosage is 50mg to 100mg per day.

Vitamin E
This vitamin can help prevent excessive blood clotting, damage to the arteries and the build-up of bad cholesterol (LDL). Researchers have found that the risk of heart disease is reduced up to 40% in those who use Vitamin E supplements and that sufferers of heart disease can reduce the risk of heart attacks by up to 75%. Vitamin E is found naturally in many foods, but Vitamin E supplements are a good addition to any healthy lifestyle. 

Flax Seed Oil
Flax seed Oil is rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids. These help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides (unhealthy fats) and appear to block the action of cancer promoting prostaglandins (PGs).

As a natural blood thinner omega-3 may prevent dangerous blood clots which can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Eating plenty of flax seeds in breads and cereals as well as using flax seed oil in salad dressing or as a condiment is a good way to boost your intake, supplements are also available to help you maintain healthy levels of omega-3.

Recommended dosage is 500mg twice a day or 3 tsp of oil.