5 Ingredients to Help Prevent Heart Disease

We all know that the best way to prevent heart disease is by having a healthy diet, exercising regularly and managing stress. But there are also some foods that can help protect against hypertension, high cholesterol and other factors that cause cardiovascular problems. In fact, recent studies have shown that these five ingredients may reduce your risk of heart disease:

CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like compound that's naturally present in every cell of the human body. CoQ10 is also found in some foods, such as organ meats and sardines.

The main role of CoQ10 is to act as an antioxidant; antioxidants help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Although it's available over-the-counter as a dietary supplement or prescription medication outside of the U.S., where it may be used to treat certain conditions including: heart disease, high cholesterol levels linked with heart disease, symptoms associated with cancer treatment and Parkinson's disease (PD). Be sure to take a CoQ10 with a 90%purity level or above (96% is the highest I've found on market).

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is an antioxidant that's abundant in red wine, but it’s also found in other foods such as berries, grapes and certain nuts. It has been studied for its ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as its potential role in diabetes prevention. Resveratrol may also help prevent cancer cells from forming by slowing cell growth (which can lead to tumor growth).

Tumeric

Tumeric is a spice made from the roots of the Curcuma longa plant. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, and it’s currently being studied as a potential treatment for several different health conditions. This root contains chemicals called curcuminoids, which have been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent heart disease.

One study found that curcumin found in tumeric can help lower cholesterol levels by up to 27 percent without having any negative side effects on blood sugar levels or kidney function. Another study found that taking 2 grams of tumeric/curcumin daily (about one teaspoon) decreased inflammation in people with metabolic syndrome—a condition marked by excess body fat around your waistline and high blood pressure—over an eight-month period.

Garlic

Garlic is a spice and herb known for its powerful sulfur compounds, which can help reduce cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, inflammation and pain.

Garlic contains allicin (allicin sulfoxide) that helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme that makes it stick to the artery walls. It also lowers total cholesterol by reducing triglycerides and boosting HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Garlic extract has been shown to reduce high blood pressure in people with mild hypertension with no side effects when used long term. Garlic supplements can lower systolic blood pressures by 6 mm Hg and diastolic pressures by 4 mm Hg in those with mild or moderate hypertension after eight weeks of use on average.

Studies show garlic is effective at lowering fasting blood sugar levels by 10-20%. It also reduces insulin resistance—a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes—by up to 20%.

Grape Seed Extract

Grape seed extract is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It has been shown to help the body lower cholesterol, improve blood flow and circulation, and protect against damage from free radicals.

Grape seed extract can be found in health food stores or online. It's not recommended that you take more than 100 mg per day without first consulting your doctor since grape seed extract might have some side effects when taken in high doses.

These are 5 ingredients that may help reduce risk of heart disease.

• CoQ10
• Resveratrol
• Tumeric
• Garlic
• Grape seed extract

Conclusion

If you're looking to reduce your risk of heart disease, these are some great ingredients to help you do that. Many people take a pill of each each day. I have found that Kardia has all five plus black pepper for better absorption. As always, consult your physician before taking any supplements or making any changes to your diet. I am always happy to share information that can help to keep us healthy