Strategies for Lifelong Heart Health

Are we collectively experiencing a broken heart?

When it comes to cardiovascular health, the answer may be yes. Today’s lifestyles increasingly challenge our ability to focus on heart health. These challenges impact both men and women of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. This means it’s more important than ever to be intentional in our efforts to protect our hearts.2

We can certainly take proactive steps to protect our heart health daily. These steps not only help your cardiovascular system but improve your overall wellbeing and quality of life.

Keep reading to find out more about how you can best support your heart health and quality of life.

The Key to Supporting Heart Health: Reduce Inflammation

Heart disease commonly appears as a result of chronic inflammation in the body. 3 Inflammation could be caused by several factors, such as poor diet, stress, food allergies, or an autoimmune condition.

Whatever the cause, inflammation can trigger atherosclerosis and heightens the risk of heart disease. Let’s take a look at the many ways to reduce inflammation daily. 

1 – Eat a heart-healthy diet 

The food that you eat affects many of the important risk factors associated with heart disease:

• Your blood cholesterol
• Your blood pressure
• Your glucose levels 

Diets rich in highly processed foods and added sugar have been strongly linked with obesity and heart disease. Avoiding sugary sodas, fried foods, and ultra processed snacks are key. 

Instead, opt for foods that will work to boost your heart health. A few examples include: 

• Berries are full of anti-inflammatory properties that support cellular health. 4
• Grass-fed meat, pasture raised poultry and eggs, wild caught fish. Meat, fish and poultry that are sourced from farms with regenerative farming practices are more nutrient dense. Studies show that factory farmed meats contain higher levels of inflammation-promoting omega-6 fatty acids.5 
• Vegetables, particularly leafy greens, contribute to lower rates of corollary heart disease.
• Garlic, when it is chopped or crushed, creates a compound called allicin, which is known to support normal blood clotting and help maintain normal cholesterol levels.6 

The Mediterranean diet is a good guideline to follow for optimum heart health. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Mediterranean-style diets rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, and healthy fats like olive oil and nuts can be protective against heart disease.7

2 – Support gut health 

The health of our gut and its balance of good and bad bacteria impact our wellbeing in a number of ways. And scientists are finding that imbalances in what’s called your gut microbiome-the group of microbes in your GI tract-may also affect your heart.8  

Here are some ways you can support your gut health so that it doesn’t end up impacting your heart: 

• Proceed with caution with antibiotics. While needed at times, antibiotics that treat infections can also kill off healthy bacteria in our guts. Use only when necessary and as directed.9  Be sure to work with a healthcare practitioner for strategies to replenish your good gut bacteria post-antibiotics as well.
• Fiber is your friend. It plays a major role in digestive health and will help keep your gut microbiome happy. Plant sources are especially important, and many Americans are deficient. Try eating more fruits, vegetables, and legumes—like the Mediterranean diet. 
• Probiotics Fermented foods like yogurt, miso, and sauerkraut contain high doses of good bacteria that your microbiome needs. Probiotic supplements can also help the microbiome thrive. As always, consult with your practitioner before introducing a new probiotic supplement. 

3 – Get moving 

Regular physical activity keeps your heart muscle strong and your weight under control. It has been shown to prevent certain cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, depression, and inflammation.10

There are three major types of exercise that will help benefit your heart health. While it is a good idea to incorporate all three in some fashion, finding forms of exercise that you enjoy and will actually stick with is most important. 

• Aerobic exercise helps to improve circulation, which in turn lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Think running, brisk walking, cycling, dancing, or playing tennis. 
• Resistance training can help reduce fat and build muscle mass—a major key in reducing obesity-related heart disease. Combined with aerobic exercise, resistance training also helps lower cholesterol. Once or twice a week, lift free weights or use resistance machines in the gym. You can also do bodyweight training, such as pushups & sit ups, from home. 11
• Stretching, flexibility, mobility and balance exercises help improve your musculoskeletal health, which enables you to stay flexible and free from joint pain, cramping and other muscular issues. In order to do aerobic and resistance training, good mobility is crucial. Tai chi, Qi Gong and yoga classes are great ways to improve these skills, and there are also an amazing variety of videos online you can try from home. 

4 – Lower stress  

Stress creates an inflammatory state within the body which takes a toll on your heart health. It has been significantly linked with greater risk for heart disease. 

For instance, studies have found that the stress from divorce produced the same heart attack risk seen in smokers or diabetics.12

We may experience stress in an emotional way, but it has profound physical effects. Chronic stress can impact our sleep, exercise, and appetite, all of which can put your heart at risk. 

Some steps you can take to manage stress and protect your health include: 

• Take time for yourself. Be sure to rest, find time for relaxation or give meditation a try. These activities help calm and put our nervous systems in a parasympathetic “rest and digest” state. 
• Talk to somebody.  If you feel particularly stressed, talk to a healthcare practitioner. They can suggest lifestyle changes that are specific to your needs. It also helps to connect with friends and family during times of stress, rather than isolating yourself. Socializing can offer support or can simply be a distraction from your worries. 
• Get Active. In addition to its other benefits, exercise is highly effective at relieving stress. Just 30 minutes of moderate activity per day causes your body to release endorphins and other feel-good chemicals that help melt away worries.13

5 – Get good sleep 

The quality of our sleep can be a powerful indicator of our overall health. 

For instance, adults who consistently sleep for less than 7 hours have a greater risk of developing health conditions that raise the risk of heart disease. These include but are not limited to, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. 14 

Over time, sleep deprivation takes a toll on your health and may eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke. To prevent this and ensure quality rest, we recommend: 

• Create a regular sleep schedule, going to bed and waking around the same time every day. 
• Expose yourself to natural light in the mornings. Due to your body’s circadian rhythms, this will help you feel more alert upon waking and sleepier when it gets dark. 15
• Avoid eating and drinking before bed, especially alcohol or highly-processed foods which can disturb your quality of sleep. 
• Sleep in an environment that is dark, cool, and quiet. 

References: 

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Heart Disease Facts” https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
2. American College of Cardiology, “Latest Statistics Say Nearly Half of Americans Have Some Form of Heart Disease”  https://www.cardiosmart.org/news/2019/2/latest-statistics-say-nearly-half-of-americans-have-some-form-of-heart-disease
3. Institute for Natural Medicine, “How do Naturopathic Doctors Prevent and Treat Heart Disease” https://naturemed.org/how-do-naturopathic-doctors-prevent-and-treat-heart-disease-2/
4. Najjar RS, Turner CG, Wong BJ, Feresin RG. Berry-Derived Polyphenols in Cardiovascular Pathologies: Mechanisms of Disease and the Role of Diet and Sex. Nutrients. 2021 Jan 27;13(2):387. doi: 10.3390/nu13020387. PMID: 33513742; PMCID: PMC7911141.
5. Daley CA, Abbott A, Doyle PS, Nader GA, Larson S. A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutr J. 2010 Mar 10;9:10. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-9-10. PMID: 20219103; PMCID: PMC2846864.
6. Banerjee SK, Maulik SK. Effect of garlic on cardiovascular disorders: a review. Nutr J. 2002 Nov 19;1:4. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-1-4. PMID: 12537594; PMCID: PMC139960.
7. Martínez-González MA, Gea A, Ruiz-Canela M. The Mediterranean Diet and Cardiovascular Health. Circ Res. 2019 Mar;124(5):779-798. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313348. PMID: 30817261.
8. Johns Hopkins Medicine, “Can Your Gut Health Affect Your Heart? https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/can-your-gut-health-affect-your-heart
9. Ramirez J, Guarner F, Bustos Fernandez L, Maruy A, Sdepanian VL, Cohen H. Antibiotics as Major Disruptors of Gut Microbiota. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020 Nov 24;10:572912. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.572912. PMID: 33330122; PMCID: PMC7732679.
10. Johns Hopkins Medicine, “3 Kinds of Exercise that Boost Heart Health” “https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/3-kinds-of-exercise-that-boost-heart-health
11. Ho SS, Dhaliwal SS, Hills AP, Pal S. The effect of 12 weeks of aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in the overweight and obese in a randomized trial. BMC Public Health. 2012 Aug 28;12:704. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-704. PMID: 23006411; PMCID: PMC3487794.
12. Dupre ME, George LK, Liu G, Peterson ED. Association between divorce and risks for acute myocardial infarction. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2015 May;8(3):244-51. doi: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.114.001291. Epub 2015 Apr 14. PMID: 25872508; PMCID: PMC4439317.
13. Mayo Clinic, “Healthy LIfestyle: Stress Management: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relievers/art-20047257
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “How Does Sleep Affect Your Health?,” https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm
15. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,”Effects of Light on Circadian Rhythms”“https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/longhourstraining/light.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Heart Disease Facts” https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm