Eat well. Exercise. Get enough omega-3s. Chances are, you’ve heard tips on making heart-healthy choices before. But how do your good decisions affect heart function?
When it comes to making informed decisions, many people don’t understand how it can affect heart health and overall bodily wellness and for good decisions to have staying power, it’s important to understand the impact they’re having. When you lose weight, you can see the difference. But the results of a healthier heart are more difficult to measure. Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board Member, Dr Louis Ignarro takes a look at five healthy choices and how they impact your heart.
Heart healthy choice: Exercise
Impacts: Blood flow
We all know activities like running, cycling and swimming are good for you, but why are they heart-healthy choices? Along with improving overall bodily health, exercise helps blood vessels relax and widen or dilate. Relaxed blood vessels allow blood to flow efficiently and nourish the heart, which stimulates Nitric Oxide (NO) production in the body. Since Nitric Oxide controls, regulates and protects the cardiovascular system, the result is clear: more exercise equals more Nitric Oxide, which results in a healthier heart.
Heart healthy choice: Eating a balanced diet – especially omega-3s
Impacts: Cholesterol and overall health
A healthy diet is as good for your heart as it is for your taste buds. Fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins and whole grains give your body the energy and nutrients it needs to maintain overall health. Foods like fatty fish (salmon, mackerel and tuna), flaxseeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and soybeans are jam-packed with omega-3 fatty acids, and consumption of EPA (eicosapantaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of heart disease. Not only is fish a great substitute for foods like beef, which is high in saturated fats, but the omega-3s help to support a healthy cardiovascular system by maintaining cholesterol and triglyceride levels already within the normal range.
Heart healthy choice: Lowering stress
Impacts: Blood pressure and cholesterol levels
If you think activities like yoga, meditation and deep breathing aren’t for you, think again. Doing stress-relieving activities can do more for your body than you might think. A recent study found that chronic stress is linked to coronary heart disease and that stress management is an important part of heart health.
While there are a lot of theories on how lowering stress can help keep the heart healthy, many researchers believe that increased stress levels can worsen other states in the body. For example, if you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, stress can cause these levels to rise even further. Stress may also impact the way blood clots, which may increase the risk of a heart attack. People with lower stress levels may be more likely to exercise and eat well, both of which are important for a healthy heart. So, lowering stress not only helps you feel better, it also keeps your body balanced and supports healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Heart healthy choice: Losing weight
Impacts: Blood circulation and overall heart health
Did you know that even moderate weight loss can have a huge impact on the health of your heart? A healthy weight lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes not to mention positively impacts overall physical health. But how does it do this?
While there are lots of benefits of weight loss, it especially impacts blood circulation. One study found that when body weight—especially belly fat—is within a healthy range, arteries are better able to expand, which results in better blood flow. Since optimal blood flow is one of the keys to a healthy cardiovascular system, weight loss (or maintenance, if you’re at a healthy weight), can be one of the most important steps toward supporting a healthy heart.
Heart healthy choice: Supporting the endothelium
Impacts: Nitric Oxide production, blood flow and blood pressure
Many people are taking steps to support the endothelium but don’t even realise it. In fact, you may have never even heard of this important organ before. Our bodies contain 6 trillion endothelial cells, which line 60,000 miles of blood vessels in a single layer; together, those 6 trillion cells make up an organ known as the endothelium.
Nitric Oxide is one of the most important molecules in the cardiovascular system and increased Nitric Oxide results in increased blood flow to the organs, which supports healthy blood pressure and a healthy cardiovascular system. But for all this to happen, the ‘production house’ of Nitric Oxide – the endothelium – needs to be supported.
Doing the things we’ve already discussed – exercising, eating a healthy diet, lowering stress and losing weight – all contribute to endothelial health. Supplementing with targeted nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, krill, garlic and green tea also help keep your endothelium healthy by providing the nutrients it needs to function at its best. A healthy endothelium results in healthy Nitric Oxide levels, which impacts blood flow and blood pressure – not to mention the functioning of the entire body.
Keep Up the Heart-Smart Lifestyle
You can’t always see the results of your hard work, but now you know the impact your heart-smart decisions are having on your cardiovascular system. So, keep making healthy choices, and remember that each good decision you make does take you one step closer to a healthier heart.
Dr Louis Ignarro
Nutrition Advisory Board Member
