Did you know that every 7 minutes a Canadian dies of heart disease? Did you also know that 90% of Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease (smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes)? Considering that heart disease is the second leading cause in Canada (only to be surpassed by cancer) it’s a wonder why more people aren’t taking better care of their cardiovascular health. In this article, we will review some foundations for how to keep your heart as healthy as possible (as well as how to decrease your blood pressure naturally) so that you don’t become another statistic.
One of the ways to optimize your cardiovascular health is to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing known risk factors – such as avoiding smoking, minimizing alcohol intake, achieving optimal weight, being physically active, decreasing stress, decreasing your chance of diabetes and keeping your blood pressure within normal levels (around 120/80 mmHg) as well as your cholesterol levels (although the importance of this has become increasingly controversial – a topic for a later date).
Many of these risk factors are self-explanatory and don’t need further discussion. However, managing/preventing high blood pressure can be a little less self-explanatory and fairly common, thus we’ll be putting some focus on how to decrease blood pressure naturally as well as how to overall increase your cardiovascular health. First and foremost, as I’m sure you are well aware, a healthy whole foods diet is imperative for optimal health in all cases (choosing lean organic protein, plenty of vegetables, moderate amounts of fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and healthy fats).
Increase:
– Fiber – 20-35 grams per day has been shown to decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels (make sure you increase your water intake too to avoid constipation)
– Onions and garlic (decrease blood pressure)
– Whole oats (decrease blood pressure) – choose steel cut oats for a healthier option
– Pomegranate juice – 6-8 ounces daily was also found to decrease blood pressure (careful with drinking juice daily if you have diabetes)
– Flavonoid rich foods like blueberries help correct capillary fragility often seen in individuals with poor cardiovascular health
– Green leafy vegetables – due to the high levels of B vitamins which have been shown to decrease levels of homocysteine (another known risk factor for cardiovascular disease)
Decrease:
– Caffeine (can increase blood pressure)
– Sodium chloride intake – just moderate your amount, so avoid processed foods and don’t add any extra, but don’t completely avoid salt since that can also cause health issues
– Avoid grain fed meat – the type of food that the animals are consuming will change the composition of the type of fats it contains and thus the type of fats you consume. Grain fed meat contains more inflammatory omega-6 fats than the grass fed variety.
– Avoid food allergies/sensitivities – can increase blood pressure and overall inflammation
There are also some environmental factors to consider when optimizing cardiovascular health such as the levels of toxic metals in our bodies (specifically lead and cadmium have shown to be damaging to the cardiovascular system). Sources of lead can come from canned foods, water (from sitting in lead pipes for too long), and occupational exposure (plumbers, glass manufacturers, printers, plastics or battery manufacturers, and construction workers). Sources of cadmium can come from cigarette smoke, water pipes (metal and plastic), fertilizers, and occupational exposure (manufacturing of plastics, batteries, paints, textiles, and fertilizers). If you are chronically exposed to toxic metals and are concerned with cardiovascular health (especially if also suffering from high blood pressure) it would be prudent to test the levels of toxic metals in your body to determine whether they need to be removed to prevent any further cardiovascular issues.
This is far from an exhaustive list of ways to improve your cardiovascular health; however, aside from writing a book it does give a place to start. Note that if you are on any medications, make sure that you discuss with your health care professional before making any major changes in your regime. If you need more information or are interested in a more extensive program to optimize your cardiovascular health please call Dr. V to make an appointment.
