By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Wellness

There are a lot of things you can do to improve your overall health – and each step you take is a good move in the right direction. But there is one specific disease that merits special attention: heart disease.

One reason heart disease is on the rise is directly related to our dietary habits. Americans eat copious amounts of red meat, which is high in artery-clogging saturated fat. We also eat entirely too much junk food and fast food that is loaded with sugar, refined flour, and sodium. Eating these high-calorie, low-nutrient foods on a regular basis raises your cholesterol, boosts your blood pressure, and triggers artery-damaging inflammation.

Instead of encouraging healthy eating habits, modern medicine came up with magic little pills that artificially lower cholesterol and blood pressure – no matter what we eat. But these drugs have some serious side effects – and they do nothing to improve your overall health.

Fortunately, some doctors are beginning to see the light. They are realizing that a healthy diet low in saturated fat and sodium, that includes omega-3-rich fish, vitamin-E-rich almonds, and soluble-fiber-rich oatmeal – in conjunction with the following supplements – can be as just effective as statin drugs for lowering blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels in people with heart disease. Better yet, taking pre-emptive action now can help ward off the disease even before it takes hold.

Vital Vitamins

Scientists keep discovering new uses for vitamin D.  Now, a growing body of research suggests that the sunshine vitamin may be more strongly linked to heart health than experts previously thought. Calcitriol – which is manufactured from the form of D known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D – is a hormone considered essential for the proper functioning of heart muscle cells, as well as smooth muscle cells in blood vessels. People with low blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are at a greater risk for heart attack, congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, and death. Aim to get 1,000 to 1,500 IUs of D – the amount researchers now recommend for strong bones and cancer prevention.

Another critical nutrient for heart health is coenzyme Q-10. Studies show that people who suffer from all types of heart disease – but especially heart failure – tend to have low levels of CoQ-10.  Ironically, statins (used to lower cholesterol) and beta-blockers (used to lower blood pressure) can drastically lower the body’s CoQ-10 levels. But taking supplemental CoQ-10 can bring levels back to normal – which, in turn, can improve the symptoms of congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy.

So how much do you need? If you are over 50, taking 60 to120 mg. daily can help normalize waning levels. But if you have heart disease, opt for 120 to 300 mg. – especially if you are taking a statin or beta blocker. One trial found that supplementing with 300 mg. of CoQ-10 improved blood flow in a small group of people with heart disease.

If you have an unhealthy cholesterol profile, think niacin. In its nicotinic acid form, niacin has a long history of lowing LDL and raising HDL cholesterol. Research also suggests that niacin may help to prevent a second heart attack. And doses of 1,000 mg. of extended-release niacin can improve blood vessel function. What about the flushing common to many niacin supplements? This uncomfortable side effect can be significantly lessened by gradually increasing the dosage or by taking a natural antihistamine like stinging nettles.

Fantastic Fats

For years, fat – all fat – was thought to have a negative impact on heart health. But, now we know better. Omega-3 fatty acids – like those found in fatty fish – reduce the likelihood of blood clots, clogged arteries, irregular heartbeats, high triglycerides and death from heart disease. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are the main omega-3s in marine oil (derived from both fish and algae).

The American Heart Association recommends at least one gram daily of DHA and EPA combined – which is fine for healthy people. But if you have high cholesterol levels, elevated triglycerides, or have been diagnosed with vascular disease, it’s important to take 2 to 4 grams of fish oil daily – in addition to eating two to three servings of fatty fish like salmon, tuna, or halibut weekly.

Super Sterols

Plant sterols have made the news lately as a way to lower cholesterol levels. The reason they can do this is because they share a very similar molecular structure to your body’s own cholesterol. But, because there are very slight structural differences between these two compounds, plant sterols aren’t absorbed by the human body during digestion. Instead, they block the absorption of dietary cholesterol. Plant sterol esters also affect the absorption and excretion of bile salts and other cholesterol-related compounds. Both cholesterol and the plant sterols are then excreted out of the body.

Phytosterols were first added to margarine – and now you can find them in all sorts of foods and drinks.Phytosterols are also available in supplemental form in amounts that can lower LDL-cholesterol. This is an easy and proven measure you can take to help your heart.

In addition to blocking cholesterol absorption from foods, plant sterols may also interfere with cholesterol metabolism in liver cells. Moreover, pairing a plant sterol supplement with an omega-3 supplement may be greater than the sum of the parts. Australian researchers found that taking both together caused greater drops in triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDLs, while boosting HDLs even higher.

Consuming at least 1.3 grams of plant sterols divided up between two meals can put a significant dent in your total and LDL cholesterol levels. But, if you take plant sterols, be aware that you should also take supplemental beta-carotene and vitamin E, since sterols can interfere with their absorption, resulting in lower blood levels of these nutrients.

Seeing Red

The Chinese have known how to lower cholesterol for decades – long before statin drugs were even conceived. Red yeast rice – a type of yeast that is grown and fermented on rice – has a long history of use in China, both as a seasoning for dishes like Peking duck and medicinally. One of its primary active ingredients, monocolin A, blocks a key enzyme that controls the body’s production of cholesterol. In fact, monocolin A is the active ingredient in lovastatin (Mevacor), a statin drug that lowers LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides while raising HDL-cholesterol.

A recent study that combined red yeast rice and fish-oil supplements with lifestyle changes matched the cholesterol and triglyceride lowering achieved with prescribed statin drugs. Researchers gave 74 people with high cholesterol a daily dose of either 40 mg. of a popular statin drug or a combination of fish oil, red yeast rice, and a number of positive lifestyle changes. The fish oil contained 2,106 mg. of EPA and 1,680 mg. of DHA, while the red yeast rice contained 5.3 mg. of monacolin, including 2.53 milligrams of monacolin K.

After 12 weeks, LDL cholesterol levels decreased significantly in both groups. There was no significant difference between the groups, indicating that the yeast and fish oil combination was just as effective as the pharmaceutical drugs. In addition, the fish oil and red yeast rice decreased triglyceride levels by 29 percent, while the statin did not lead to any significant decrease.

One Last Thing …

Taking the right supplements and adopting a healthy diet and exercise program can make a huge difference in the health of your heart. But if you are a smoker, it’s all for naught unless you quit – now!

Kicking the cigarette habit is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself against heart disease. Consider this: Cigarette smoking is the biggest risk factor for sudden cardiac death – especially for people under the age of 50. Inhaling tobacco smoke causes several immediate responses within the heart and its blood vessels. When you smoke, your heart rate can increase by as much as 30 percent.  Nicotine raises blood pressure as blood vessels constrict, which forces the heart to work harder to deliver oxygen to the rest of the body.  Meanwhile, the carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke exerts a negative effect on the heart by reducing the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. Smoking also raises LDL levels, reduces good HDL, and increases fibrinogen (a protein which causes blood to clot). It also damages blood vessel walls.

Yes I know, quitting is hard to do – in fact it may be the hardest thing you’ll ever do – but it is well worth it. Researchers from the World Health Organization say that a smoker’s risk of having a heart attack is slashed by 50 percent after only of year of quitting. Talk with your doctor about the many ways you can get help quitting. I guarantee that if you really want to quit, one of these smoke cessation aids will work.

Research Brief …

When it comes to boosting heart health, there’s one other thing you can do – go nuts! Eating one ounce of pistachio nuts every day significantly lowers LDL cholesterol, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University fed 28 men and women three heart-healthy diets for four weeks each – and two of the diets included pistachios. They found that, as part of a heart-healthy diet, adding just one daily serving of pistachios (about 45 nuts) lowered LDLs by nine percent – seven times more than expected based on the nuts’ fatty acid content. Other compounds in pistachios, such as fiber and phytosterols, may contribute to this tasty snack’s health benefits. Just don’t go nuts over nuts. Remember, they are high in fat, so limit yourself to no more than a handful (about one ounce) daily.

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References:

Becker DJ, Gordon RY, Morris PB, et al. “Simvastatin vs therapeutic lifestyle changes and supplements: randomized primary prevention trial.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2008;83:758-764.

Devaraj S, Jialal I. “The role of dietary supplementation with plant sterols and stanols in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.” Nutrition Review. 2006;64:348-354.

Gebauer SK, West SG, Kay CD, et al. “Effects of pistachios on cardiovascular disease risk factors and potential mechanisms of action: a dose-response study.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;88:651-659.

Lee JH, O’Keefe JH, Bell D, et al. “Vitamin D Deficiency An Important, Common, and Easily Treatable Cardiovascular Risk Factor?” Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2008;52:1949-1956.

Littarru GP, Langsjoen P. “Coenzyme Q10 and statins: biochemical and clinical implications.” Mitochondrion. 2007;7 Suppl:S168-174.

van der Hoorn JW, de Haan W, Berbée JF, et al. “Niacin increases HDL by reducing hepatic expression and plasma levels of cholesteryl ester transfer protein in APOE*3Leiden.CETP mice.” Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. 2008;28:2016-2022.