The human heart is a pump that provides nutrients and oxygen to all the tissues in the body.
Therefore, taking proper care of the heart and keeping it in good shape is necessary for a healthy and happy life.
By following these tips daily, you can keep your heart ticking.
Photo By Alexander Raths
Let’s start by considering the best diet for the heart
The heart primarily runs on fatty acid, glucose, a small number of ketones, lactic acid, and some amino acids. When your heart is damaged, it becomes challenging to access energy from glucose and fatty acids.
This explains why ketones can bypass that damage mechanism and power the heart directly, which is why a ketogenic plan may be the best option. Therefore, a ketogenic diet is helpful to the heart.
One of the symptoms of heart failure is fatigue, mainly when the body is exerted, like during exercise or climbing a flight of stairs. Doing the ketogenic diet will prove that the fatigue resolves quickly.
It is important to note that the ketogenic diet has established immense success in achieving short-term weight loss. This is because the keto diet increases energy expenditure, which enhances the burning of calories.
The keto diet also has a powerful blood sugar-lowering effect. Multiple studies have shown that the keto diet decreases blood sugar as determined by measuring hemoglobin A1c levels. It also reduces the need for diabetes medication.
What’s more, the ketogenic diet is associated with high levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). HDL is also known as good cholesterol. It is lipoprotein-associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.
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Potential problems and remedies for the heart
1. Clot
The medical treatment for a clot could be some medication like warfarin which is known for blocking vitamin K1 so that you won’t have so many clots. But on the other hand, there are natural things out there that you should investigate.
The first is nattokinase. Nato kinase is derived from nato, which is fermented soybeans. Nattokinase is an enzyme that can help dissolve clots. Nattokinase prevents thrombosis. We can say that it is anti-thrombotic.
The following remedy for a clot is garlic. Garlic has anti-clotting factors. A 2018 study published in the journal Food Science and Biotechnology reports that garlic powder exerts antithrombotic activities in rats. An antithrombotic agent reduces the formation of a blood clot.
2. Plaques
Here’s something about plaques. It begins with some damage to the vessel of the heart. The damage is usually caused by excessive oxidation or inflammation. The oxidation or inflammation triggers this chain reaction that occurs with the body forming a band-aid out of cholesterol, protein, and calcium. So the best way to handle clots is by preventing them in the first place. The answer to this is a powerful antioxidant called tocotrienols.
Tocotrienol is a type of vitamin E. I prefer it to tocopherol because tocotrienols work 50 times stronger than tocopherol, making it an excellent antioxidant for the heart. It is also helpful for people with angina because it allows the heart muscle to get more oxygen capacity. Angina is simply chest pain. When the heart cramps, you need more oxygen. In addition, studies have shown that tocotrienols help to dissolve fibrosis.
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3. Calcium buildup
Vitamin K2 can help with calcium buildup. This is because K2 directs calcium into the bone. So if calcium builds up in the wrong places, like the artery or the joint, k2 is an essential vitamin that will help resolve that. K2 usually works with vitamin d3.
Natural vitamin c is also recommended as it protects the inside of the arteries.
4. Cholesterol
Here, I’m referring to a bad lipid profile with high triglycerides. It may indicate high levels of the wrong type of LDL and maybe terrible ratios. Niacin is a good remedy for cholesterol problems. Niacin is a b3 vitamin that can help you balance cholesterol ratios and give you HDL to LDL. It is also important to note that niacin converts cholesterol to bile salts. A remedy known as tuka is a bile salt that helps transport cholesterol out of the body.
5. Angina
Tocotrienols and coenzyme Q10 are recommended for angina. Angina is chest pain that could originate from a clogged artery or maybe from problems with the heart muscle.
Other ways to improve your heart health naturally
1. Eat healthier
Lower your sodium intake
Excess sodium causes water retainment, according to a 2017 study. When water is retained in your body, your heart will be forced to work harder to pump the additional fluid through your body’s tissues. So, limit your daily sodium servings to less than 400 milligrams per serving, and stay below 1500 milligrams per day.
Choose foods that contain heart-healthy fats
Unsaturated fats lower inflammation in the body. Inflammation can cause heart disease. Heart-healthy fats include low-fat mayonnaise, vegetable oil, and oil-based salad dressings.
Increase your intake of dietary fiber
Fiber keeps you full and can lower your cholesterol levels. And according to the Department of Health and Human Services, high-fiber foods are healthier. They include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.
Eat lots of vegetables & fruits
Veggies and fruits are packed with nutrients and do not contain plenty of calories. The low-calorie count helps to reduce inflammation and maintain a moderate weight.
2. Exercise and lead an active lifestyle
Get enough exercise every week
You can opt for vigorous or moderate activity. According to the American Heart Association, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. Of course, you can combine both if you like.
Resistance training is important
Engage in muscle-building exercises, such as using resistance bands or lifting weights. Resistance exercises can boost your metabolism. This can help you to maintain moderate blood pressure and weight.
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3. Manage stress
Even if it is only for a few minutes, take time to relax. Relaxation is beneficial to your overall health. Stressing yourself daily will increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure.
Of course, as humans, we will have to deal with stressful events from time to time. Therefore, you should create a strategy to help you maintain calm when facing stressful events. Stress management strategies include deep breathing, prioritizing the main tasks, or meditating.
4. Maintain healthy living habits
Don’t smoke
Smoking is injurious to heart health. If you’re already a smoker, then it is time to quit.
Avoid excess alcohol
Taking a lot of alcohol can increase your risk of heart disease. The key is moderation. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, adults should take no more than two daily drinks.
Maintain a moderate weight
When you maintain moderate weight, you are lessening the stress on your heart. Talk with your healthcare provider about your average weight based on your frame, height, and age.
Manage chronic health conditions
Consulting a healthcare provider annually (the timing depends on your health) can help you to adopt a preventive approach to heart care. If you have conditions that can put your heart health at risk, like diabetes or chronic kidney disease, try as much as possible to manage these conditions to improve your health. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve your outlook drastically.
Takeaway
Most heart health efforts focus on your overall wellness. These include eating a healthy diet, exercising, and lowering stress.
However, if you don’t know the best way to begin, consult your healthcare provider about ways you can improve your heart health safely.
Disclaimer: Dr. Berner does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical diseases or conditions; instead, he analyzes and corrects the structure of his patients with Foundational Correction to improve their overall quality of life. He works with their physicians, who regulate their medications. This blog post is not designed to provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services to you or any other individual. The information provided in this post or through linkages to other sites is not a substitute for medical or professional care. You should not use the information in place of a visit, consultation, or the advice of your physician or another healthcare provider. Foundation Chiropractic and Dr. Brett Berner are not liable or responsible for any advice, the course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this article or others.
