Cardiovascular Health

7 Steps to Improve Heart Health

I provide a checklist of critical risk factors with practical tips to mitigate them via healthy lifestyle choices.

I write about heart health as millions of people die from heart problems, and many live with high risks of heart disease, also associated with brain disorders such as stroke.

According to the WHO, around 18 million people die from cardiovascular diseases yearly. CDC ranked heart disease as #1. It also affects the economy on a large scale, like trillions of dollars.

Even though heart conditions are complicated, have a genetic predisposition for some, and cause so much grief, it is possible to lower the risks of cardiovascular disorders with healthy lifestyle choices.

The most viable approach is to improve heart health with healthy lifestyle habits. I summarize the critical points under seven headings based on my reviews and interactions with my health consultants, who helped me improve my heart health with healthy habits.

1 — Lower oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.

Stress and inflammation are two of the most significant lifestyle factors that impact our heart health and overall well-being.

Oxidative stress, in particular, can lead to various ailments. Even minor stressors can accumulate and result in a chronic state if not addressed. Stress affects our DNA and RNA at the genetic level, but we can influence our genes through lifestyle choices, especially using the power of the mind.

While stress is an essential aspect of life, how we deal with stress is critical. For example, expressing our emotions is a helpful way of managing stress. Self-compassion and self-love are critical concepts for managing emotional stress. The heart is metaphorically associated with love.

The body uses various hormones, such as cortisol and adrenalin, to manage stress, but elevated cortisol levels can disrupt other metabolic hormones like insulin, leading to visceral fat gain.

In addition to stress, chronic inflammation caused by oxidative stress can also impact heart health. While our bodies need inflammation in adequate amounts to heal from infections and injuries, excessive inflammation can promote the growth of plaques and trigger blood clots. These can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

Healthy lifestyle habits such as getting enough restorative sleep, eating nutrient-dense foods, exercising regularly, recovering fully after each workout, and having fun can help us deal with stress, decrease chronic inflammation, and improve the immune system.

However, despite good habits, some people might need anti-inflammatory medication, so getting our inflammation markers checked and obtaining a corrective plan from qualified healthcare professionals is essential.

2 — Manage glucose, make the body sensitive to insulin and leptin, and optimize other hormones.

As metabolic disorders are close to my heart, I wrote numerous articles about glucose management, sugar paradox, metabolic hormones, and addressing insulin resistance.

Scientific studies highlight the adverse effects of insulin resistance on metabolic disorders. Fixing insulin resistance and leptin resistance can rectify metabolic issues and significantly lower the rate of obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, some cancers, and neurodegenerative disorders.

As I provided practical tips on fixing insulin resistance and importing leptin sensitivity. I will not repeat those details in this story.

You may also check my insulin resistance experience. Please review these seven proactive tests for blood sugar and insulin ailments at any age.

Changing the fuel source for my body significantly impacted getting rid of insulin resistance, improving energy utilization, and making my body insulin sensitive. This protocol initiated ketosis and enabled my body to get fat adapted. A fat-adapted body becomes insulin sensitive.

I provided details of hormones. So, you may learn about hormones affecting our metabolism in this story. You may also check 6 Critical Aspects of Healthy Weight Management.

3 —Improve endothelial cells to prevent atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis refers to the process of plaque building up in the walls of the arteries. Increased plaque narrows the arteries. As a result, it makes blood flow harder, causing stroke or heart attack.

Atherosclerosis is an important term for understanding the root causes of cardiovascular diseases. It is vital to find efficient ways to prevent the formation of plaques.

A practical way is to improve the health of endothelial cells. I explained the details in an article titled 10 Steps to Improve Endothelial Cells and Lower the Risks of Cardiovascular Disorders.

One viable solution to decrease cardiovascular disease risk is to strengthen the heart by undertaking moderate exercise, eating optimal nutrition, getting restorative sleep, reducing oxidative stress, refraining from toxins, and addressing chronic inflammation and infections.

Although “many different drugs are available to slow — or even reverse — the effects of atherosclerosis,” as pointed out by Mayo Clinic, my focus is on lifestyle habits in this article.

Lifestyle choices might prevent or slow the formation of atherosclerosis. According to Mayo Clinic, five lifestyle modifications can help: stop smoking, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy foods, and manage stress.

A functional molecule to address plague building is nitric oxide. The role of nitric oxide in cardiovascular diseases is specific and robust. This simple gas can keep the circulatory system healthy and lower the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

Furthermore, nitric oxide can regulate blood pressure, maintain communication in brain cells, and support the defense system to combat pathogens.

So nitric oxide’s main contribution is maintaining healthy blood flow and providing needed oxygen in various body parts, including the heart and brain. I introduced it in an article titled Three Tips to Boost Nitric Oxide and Lower Heart Disease/Stroke Risks.

I provided information on a natural supplement to contribute to nitric oxide production titled L-Citrulline Malate: Six Health Benefits Based on Science and Two Decades of Experience.

Besides, as recommended by a cardiologist friend, I started using CoQ10 after 55 years of age as a preventative measure for cardiovascular diseases.

4 — Lower homocysteine levels.

Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that circulates in our bloodstream. It is a byproduct of methionine metabolism, another amino acid. High levels of homocysteine in the blood, known as hyperhomocysteinemia, can damage the body.

Under normal circumstances, the body processes homocysteine using folate, vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 to produce other essential biochemicals in the bloodstream. Mitochondrial energy production also plays a role in homocysteine metabolism.

Healthy people typically have homocysteine levels between five to fifteen micromoles per liter (mcmol/L). However, sustained elevations of homocysteine levels above 50 mcmol/L can damage the lining of arteries, promote blood clots, cause blood vessel blockages, and impair cellular oxygenation.

Contributing factors to elevated homocysteine levels include vitamin deficiencies in folate, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12, pre-existing heart conditions, and genetics. In rare cases, a genetic condition called homocystinuria can impair the body’s ability to process methionine properly, leading to high homocysteine levels.

Elevated homocysteine levels increase the risk of developing several health conditions, including blood clots, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, and dementia. Fortunately, homocysteine levels can be managed through various lifestyle interventions and supplementation.

For example, trimethylglycine (TMG), also known as betaine, is a well-documented supplement that can optimize homocysteine levels.

To learn more about the importance of homocysteine levels and how to optimize them, check out my article Why High Homocysteine Levels Matter and How to Optimize Them.

Additionally, you can find more information on TMG supplementation in my article Here’s How TMG Supplementation Might Improve Four Health Conditions.

5— Manage lipids like triglycerides and cholesterol.

Triglycerides are fat molecules that primarily come from our food. They are energy sources for the body, like sugar. The body needs triglycerides, like glucose, to energize cells.

As soon as the body digests foods from macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, triglycerides from the calories of these foods circulate in the bloodstream. Then they are used as energy by our cells.

Even though the body can immediately use them when energy is needed by our cells, especially muscles, they are also stored as fat molecules when we have excessive calories.

Hypertriglyceridemia is a critical cardiovascular health risk. It refers to elevated triglycerides in the bloodstream for a prolonged time. High LDL and elevated triglycerides are known as high hyperlipidemia.

People often confuse triglycerides with cholesterol. They are two different lipids and play different roles in our metabolism. One fuels the body, and the other serves as a building block.

For example, the body uses triglycerides as an energy source. However, the body uses cholesterol to build/maintain cells and hormones.

I documented my research and perspectives on this critical risk factor in an article titled Why High Triglyceride Levels Matter and How to Optimize Them.

Cholesterol is essential for the body. Every cell needs it for various purposes. Fortunately, the old cholesterol hypothesis, misinforming the public, was debunked thanks to diligent scientists.

While investigating the topic, cholesterol seemed to be only one of many risk factors for heart disease. More important factors are smoking, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, physical inactivity, diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

I summarized my research, experience, and perspectives on cholesterol in an article titled Here’s the Cholesterol Paradox and How It Impacted My Health Positively. I also documented the sugar paradox that has an impact on cardiovascular health. Both paradoxes have hormonal implications.

We shouldn’t underestimate LDL cholesterol’s effects on people with cardiovascular disorders. It is a risk for those with the condition, and we must be careful.

6 — Manage blood pressure and cardiac output.

Optimized blood pressure is important for heart health. Too high or too low blood pressure can also be a problem. Therefore, we must monitor blood pressure regularly and seek help when needed.

Monitoring our blood pressure at home and getting advice when we notice consistent high blood pressure readings will be helpful.

Lifestyle factors might lower it. However, some people might need medication prescribed by qualified healthcare professionals.

Cardiac Output (CO) refers to the amount of blood the heart pumps in one minute. It is calculated by multiplying the amount of blood pumped with heartbeats) and the heart rate.

CO is an essential metric for assessing heart function. An average cardiac output value can vary based on different factors such as age, body size, and overall health.

Cardiologists use standard ranges to diagnose and monitor heart and circulatory conditions and create treatment plans. They can use CO measurement to assess the heart’s ability to pump blood and monitor treatments’ effectiveness.

If a patient experiences heart failure, a low cardiac output may indicate that the heart does not function properly. A high cardiac output may indicate that the patient’s heart is overactive. Therefore, the patient might need treatment or medication to improve heart function.

A low cardiac output indicates that the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands. It can lead to decreased oxygenation of tissues and organs, causing fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, and diminished exercise tolerance.

A high cardiac output might indicate an overactive heart. This condition happens when the heart beats too fast for too long. It leads to reduced efficiency of the heart muscles. Usually, anemia, fever, or thyrotoxicosis can cause a high cardiac output.

Known causes of cardiac output syndrome are heart disease, heart failure, heart valve problems, and arrhythmias. Usually, the underlying culprits, apart from genetics, are atherosclerosis, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation.

Here’s how solving anemia and chronic inflammation improved my cardiac output.

7 — Improve heart rate variability.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is biofeedback indicating the amount of time and variation between heartbeats. The time between the beats constantly changes depending on biological and psychological reactions in the body and mind.

Low HRV scores indicate the formation of disorders in the body and mind. Therefore, HRV biofeedback enables us to adjust our physiology to improve our cardiovascular and cognitive functioning.

Heart rate changes based on what we do at a specific time. For example, when we’re sitting or lying down heart rate slows. When we move or get excited, it beats faster. Heart rate variability shows a pattern for the biological needs of the body.

Since the fluctuations between heartbeats are in milliseconds, it is impossible to detect them with our senses. However, technology made this capability available to us.

Heart rate variability can decrease as we get older. But, we can improve it with various approaches. I explained HRV in an article titled Here’s Why I Envision the Key to Good Health Resides Between the Spaces of Our Heartbeats.

Summary and Conclusions

These seven items in the story are all about lifestyle choices. Even though genetics plays a role, our lifestyle habits can make a real difference in reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

From my literature reviews, apart from genetic defects, the most significant risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are inflammation, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, and type II diabetes, weakening heart and brain arteries.

While blocked arteries of the heart cause heart diseases blocked arteries of the brain cause stroke. So heart and brain health are closely related. In addition to genetics, heart disease, and stroke also are connected to our sex.

Focusing on fundamentals like restorative sleep, nutritious food, adequate calories, performing regular exercises, recovering after exercising by resting, protecting from toxins, and reducing stress and inflammation can significantly lower the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

Interestingly some cardiologists also recommend time-restricted eating to reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases. The reason behind this approach is fasting can make the body more insulin sensitive and initiate autophagy. With this inspiration, I made one meal a day eating regimen a lifestyle choice.

Using some supplements might improve cardiovascular health. I specifically mentioned nitric oxide-producing amino acids like arginine and citrulline malate. I also use CoQ10. There are other supplements too. So please discuss this with your family doctor or cardiologist.

Before starting supplements, it is necessary to obtain advice and support from qualified healthcare professionals, as some supplements might have side effects and interfere with some medications.

Improving our heart health can also enhance brain health. Furthermore, our brain health can contribute to mental health by preventing neurodegenerative diseases. Thus I believe that metabolic and mental health are closely interrelated.

Understanding HRV and improving it can help. More importantly, seeking timely support from qualified healthcare professionals is crucial.

Takeaways

Here are key points for your consideration.

1 — Lower oxidative stress and address chronic inflammation.

2 — Manage glucose, and optimize hormones like insulin and leptin.

3 — Improve endothelial cells to prevent atherosclerosis.

4 — Lower homocysteine levels.

5 — Optimize triglycerides and cholesterol.

6 — Manage blood pressure and improve cardiac output.

7 — Improve heart rate variability with lifestyle choices.

The key takeaway of this article is to pay attention to our lifestyle choices and choose them wisely to lower the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

As a practical tip, asking these four powerful questions daily and acting mindfully might improve our health and overall well-being.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

As a new reader, you might check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of sensible experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.

Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and major disorders.

I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:

Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients.

Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experience, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.

I publish my lifestyle, health, and well-being stories on EUPHORIA. My focus is on cellular, mitochondrial, metabolic, and mental health. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.

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