With February revolving around Valentine’s Day, it also happens to coincide with National Heart Health Month endorsed by British Heart Foundation, so there’s no better time than now, to focus on treating your heart right and looking at ways to helping it it stay healthy.
New research has found that nearly half of us in the UK fear our loved ones could be struck down by a heart attack or stroke due to their lifestyle. With Cardiovascular Disease – the umbrella term for all diseases of the heart and circulation, still the UK’s biggest killer, responsible for one death every seven minutes, it’s crucial to make sure we do everything possible, to prevent development of a heart condition.
The best way to ensure that our hearts keep on pumping for a long time — so we can each enjoy many future Valentine’s Days, is to eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, avoid smoking and excessive drinking and make sure the body gets all the necessary nutrients that help maintain healthy cardiovascular system and ensure that the blood pressure and cholesterol stay correct level.
Essential fatty acids no heart can live without
One of the most popular supplements that have been proven to aid cardiovascular health are the Omega 3 essential fatty acids – EPA & DHA. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are two converted types of omega 3 essential fats found in fatty, cold-water fish. Salmon and other high omega 3 fish obtain dietary ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) from marine phytoplankton and seaweed and convert it into more useful for human body forms of Omega 3 such as EPA and DHA. While Fish Oil supplements remain most popular source of these highly unsaturated fats and vital nutrients, other products that supply good amounts of EPA/DHA include: Omega 3,6,9 , Krill Oil and Algae Oil .
Hundreds of studies suggest that omega-3s may provide some benefits to dealing with a wide range of diseases: cancer, asthma, depression, Alzheimer, ADHD and even autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Nevertheless, they remain most popular due to their positive influence on the cardiovascular system, which is why EU has approved label claims referring to EPA and DHA contributing to the normal function of the heart, maintaining normal blood triglyceride levels as well as correct blood pressure, providing the correct dosage information is displayed.
Due to the content of linoleic acid in products such as Flaxseed Oil, Borage Oil and Evening Primrose Oil , they are all popular with people seeking to regulate their cholesterol levels. The seeds of the blue flowering flax plant are considered to be one of nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, of which 50-60% come in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Once eaten, the human body converts ALA to EPA and DHA, essential fatty acids which are more readily used by the body. Flaxseed oil is perhaps one of the best vegan and vegetarian-friendly sources of these important EFAs. Evidence suggests that people who eat an ALA rich diet are less likely to suffer a fatal heart attack. ALA may reduce heart disease risks through a variety of ways, including regulating cholesterol levels.
Vitamins for the heart
The B vitamins are an important part of maintaining good cardiovascular health. Certain B vitamins can cause heart and circulatory dysfunction if the body gets too much or too little of certain B vitamins. More than 100 enzyme processes throughout the body require vitamin B-6. It is needed to make hemoglobin, helps prevent anemia and sustains blood glucose levels. Vitamin B-12, also called methylcobalamin, is used throughout the body to make DNA and red blood cells. Vitamin B-9, also called folate is a water-soluble vitamin important for cell division, making red blood cells and maintaining cell metabolism. All of these vitamins from group B fight cardiovascular disease by lowering levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood, which elevated levels cause damage to the inner linings of arteries, promoting blood clots.
Other vitamins can also be helpful with prevention of heart diseases. Vitamin C is often included in this selection, due to its powerful antioxidant properties, but also Vitamin D, which recently is getting really popular with treatments for a vast array of conditions. A growing number of studies point to vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for heart attacks, congestive heart failure, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), strokes, and the conditions associated with cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Abundant evidence now points to the numerous cardioprotective functions of vitamin D. Restoring vitamin D to normal levels has been found to help reduce inflammation, normalize blood pressure, reduce artery plaque buildup and improve insulin sensitivity — all factors that reduce heart disease risk.
Antioxidants to the rescue
In addition to that, products often recommended for maintenance of healthy heart are those which are regarded good anti-oxidants sources – Vitamin E or CoEnzyme Q10. Antioxidants are natural substances that exist as vitamins, minerals and other compounds in foods. They are believed to help prevent disease by fighting free radicals, substances formed by normal bodily processes such as breathing, and by environmental contaminants like cigarette smoke, that harm the body when left unchecked. Without adequate amounts of antioxidants, these free radicals travel throughout the body, damaging cells. Part of this cellular damage leads to one of the major known factors in the development of heart disease, oxidation of cholesterol. Oxidation, meaning the addition of oxygen to low-density lipoproteins (LDL or “bad” cholesterol), contributes to the build up of fatty plaque on artery walls (atherosclerosis), which can eventually slow or block blood flow to the heart.
CoEnzyme Q10 , also known as ubiquinone, makes the heart’s muscle cells more efficient at producing and using energy. It also benefits the heart as an antioxidant because it prevents muscle weakening due to oxidative damage. Supplementation with CoQ10 can have a beneficial effect on energy levels and is known to cleanse the body of the types of free radicals, which are known to damage cellular walls, causing many of the bodily malfunctions that come with getting older.
All heart health supplements at HTC come from BRC & GMP certified manufacturers. For more information on any of the product or for a free instant quote, contact our sales team now on +44 1923 652529 or email sales@htc.co.uk.
Heart Health Market Report
To help you take full advantage of the opportunity that lies within Heart Health market we have created an extensive report, which will tell you all there is to know about the best products within that category and about the label claims you can make for them.
Click on the pages below to browse the Report online or Click here to download pdf.