According to the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov), heart disease is the leading killer of adults in the United States, accounting for 1/3 of all deaths. The good thing is however, most of the causes of heart disease are preventable.
All you have to do is make some simple changes in your nutrition, add a few nutritional supplements, exercise regularly (as outlined in the “Cellulite Circuits” system) and participate in nurturing social activities, then you can maximize your chances at living a long and healthy life.
To keep your cardiovascular system healthy, try to include the following 10 things Daily:
(1) Get some exercise—enough to breathe deeply for 20 to 30 minutes: for example, skip the elevator and take the stairs; get in a “Quick Anywhere” circuit workout before work; take a walk during lunch; ride your bike to work; go for a passeggiata (walk in Italian) after dinner. And don't worry about slotting a big 30 minute block of exercise in at a time either, because there's recent research that supports the health benefits of small chunks (10-15 min. bouts) of exercise. So no excuses ok….You can fit something in. Just make your health a priority.
(2) Replace greasy, fried fast foods and refined carbohydrates (sugar, flour, the white stuff) with a couple of servings of whole natural colorful fresh foods (fruits and veggies etc.)
(3) Add a tablespoon of fiber to your diet daily from oat bran, psyllium seed husks or freshly ground flax seeds.
(4) Add a freshly minced garlic clove to your dinner, OR take two garlic tablets (if you’re concerned about “the breath”) containing a total of 6000 mcg of allicin.
(5) Eat a serving of wild deep sea/cold water fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna or sardines, OR take a supplement of fish oil providing 1000 mg EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 500 mg DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
(6) Drink a glass or two of fresh citrus juice OR if you’re concerned about the natural sugar in the juice, take a supplement of 1000 mg Vitamin C.
(7) Drink a small glass of red wine, a large glass of unsweetened purple grape juice (usually high in natural sugar), OR a supplement of 100 mg pine bark (Pynogenol™) or grapeseed (proanthocyanidin) extract. These all are very high in heart protective anti-oxidants.
(8) Take 400 IU of natural Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) with 50mg Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone). More anti-oxidants.
(9) Take a supplement of vitamin B complex containing at least 800 mcg folic acid, 25 mg B6 and 50 mcg B12. Sublingual B12 is usually best absorbed.
(10) Share your feelings: take some quality time to connect with a friend or loved one. Positive emotional support does wonders for your mood which in turn will have a positive effect on your health.
*(Additional photos can be found in the " Heart Disease Slide Show" at http://www.medicinenet.com/heart_disease_pictures_slideshow/article.htm)