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Heart Healthy
Author: Anne Arsenault
Your heart is so very important, so the health of your heart should be a priority. This hard working organ, must pump blood continuously, never taking a break, never having a rest. What sort of things should we do to help the health of our heart?
A diet full of fruits, vegetables, fish, fibers, with a low sugar and low caffeine intake, is a good place to start. Foods containing Vitamin C such as: peppers, kiwis, berries and citrus fruits are heart healthy. Essential Fatty Acids are also needed for the heart; fish, flax, extra virgin olive oil, raw nuts and seeds are the best choices. Stay away from sugars, white flour products, hydrogenated and fried fats. Reduce caffeine, especially if your heart speeds up or skips a beat.
There are some great supplements to take for heart health: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, CoQ10, Calcium-Magnesium, B6, B12, Folic Acid and Hawthorne Berries are the main choices. If you are on Blood Thinners, talk to your Doctor before taking Vitamin E and always tell your Doctor what supplements you are taking. The three B Vitamins, B6, B12 and Folic Acid, are needed to reduce the Homocysteine levels in the blood. High Homocysteine has been linked with heart problems. CoQ10 is needed in the heart muscle and is depleted with some prescription medication. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant; it also relaxes the heart muscle. Magnesium should be taken with Calcium, make sure you get an absorbable form like Citrate or a Chelate.
Hawthorne Berries have been used for heart health before vitamin supplements were even around. Hawthorne does many beneficial things for the whole heart system; it works similarly to Calcium-Channel Blockers. Hawthorne lowers blood pressure, lowers serum cholesterol levels, improves oxygen to the heart, relaxes the heart muscle while improving energy production. Hawthorne is so very valuable to the health of the heart. Make sure you consult with your Doctor before taking any supplement.
In Chinese Medicine, the heart is known as the "Energy Center"; it is the emotional center of the body. It is important to find peace in your heart, to get rid of anger, stress, and other negative emotions that can harm this energy center. If you cannot get rid of the stress, then you must find ways to deal with it and to de-stress yourself; exercise, meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, hiking, hobbies, counseling or whatever makes you happy are some activities to try. Emotions, diet, exercise, supplements, they all play a role in heart health. If you want a healthy heart you must look at the whole picture, but remember to take it one step at a time. Just as it takes time to get unhealthy, so it will take time to get healthy again.
About the Author: Anne is the creator of http://www.healthbrights.com; she has been helping people get healthy for over twelve years. Health for your children and your pets are also important on Healthbrights.