American Heart Month

The most important factors in avoiding heart disease are all related to lifestyle issues. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, eating a healthy diet rich in vegetables, omega-3 fats and low in harmful saturated and trans-fats, make up a big part of that lifestyle. So does ensuring you get enough of the proper nutrients, and there are likely no more important nutrients for the heart than CoEnzyme Q10 and a balanced B-Vitamin Complex. The research showing potential benefits from these nutrients is quite impressive.

Of course, smoking is also a huge risk factor; if you smoke, quit. If you are exposed to secondhand smoke, remove yourself from that situation. Smokers are 2-3 times as likely to die from heart disease than nonsmokers.

Diet and regular exercise are of equal importance when talking about healthy lifestyles. The American Heart Association and American College of Sports Medicine recommend adults between the ages of 18 and 65 get a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise 5 days per week. (If you are over 65, the AHA recommends discussing your exercise program with your physician.) Recent research indicates that even a daily walk can have benefits. The key is to elevate the heart rate for about 30 minutes or more. You may find that this also helps reduce stress levels, and may help improve the quality of sleep you receive each night.

If you exercise, but eat an unhealthy diet, your exercise might not be providing you with much benefit. As the saying goes, "you are what you eat." Research continues to find more and more heart benefits from vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber found in fruits and vegetables. Conversely, research continually connects diets high in meat (particularly red meat) to negative health outcomes. Studies have found that the risk of heart attack, stroke, atherosclerosis and certain cancers are all increased by a diet containing high amounts of meat and animal fat.

Refined or high glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates, such as white bread and pasta should also be avoided. The spike in blood glucose levels can be damaging to the heart and arteries, and can lead to weight gain. Add low GI carbohydrates, whole grains, nuts and seeds, which are high in fiber and fatty acids as a replacement for their less healthy cousins. It's also a good idea to eat a wide variety of foods to ensure a balance of nutrients.

Many doctors and researchers consider CoEnzyme Q10 to be one of the most beneficial supplements for the heart. While CoEnzyme Q10 preforms many functions in the body, it is unique in its ability to protect the heart during periods of ischemia, or oxygen deprivation. It is also critical to the optimum performance of the mitochondria, intracellular organelles that generate the energy that feeds the heart and other tissues in the body.

Additionally, researchers believe that CoEnzyme Q10 prevents the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL; i.e., the "bad" cholesterol), making it an important supplement for anyone with high cholesterol. On that topic, CoEnzyme Q10 and cholesterol are produced in the body through the same metabolic pathways; statin drugs block this pathway. Therefore statin drugs not only reduce cholesterol levels, they reduce CoEnzyme Q10 levels. The solution, of course, is not to stop taking the statin drugs, but to supplement CoEnzyme Q10. (More and more doctors are aware of this link, and recommend CoQ10 to their patients taking statin drugs; you should discuss this with your doctor, if you have not already.)

As stated above, the B vitamins are vital to the health of the heart. A large portion of that is due to a potentially harmful build-up of an amino acid called "homocysteine." Homocysteine is used by the body to repair tissue; however, when there is a deficiency of vitamins B₆, B₁₂, and folic acid, the body is unable to remethylate the homocysteine into other amino acids. Elevated homocysteine is sign of chronic inflammation, and it is now used as a marker for heart disease risk. Many doctors now have their patients' homocysteine levels checked at the same time as cholesterol levels.

As scary as cardiovascular disease seems, it is important to remember that the risk factors are almost all entirely controllable. This does not mean that you can guarantee a healthy outcome; what it means is that you can control these risks. A long-term focus on a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and healthy diet, will significantly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.