Heart Health Supplements

The medical field is continuing to embrace the use of natural remedies in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders. Many doctors recommend a program of heart health supplements to patients who have had a heart attack, are at risk for heart issues, or even those, especially men, who have reached their thirties in age. And while lifestyle changes are the first line of prevention and treatment of heart related disorders, supplements designed to improve heart health are critical to shore up the typical diet.

Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol

An individual's cholesterol profile is made up of two primary factors. HDL is the "good" type of cholesterol that acts to clean the arteries and wash away existing plaque buildup. HDL levels are dictated primarily by genetics. Families with a history of heart disease usually include individuals who are found to have low HDL levels from birth. HDL is produced in the liver, and if levels are low, more plaque is left to build in the arteries. This buildup increases the chance for a cardiac event, or heart attack.

HDL levels be raised through exercise, the use of heart health supplements, and changes in lifestyle, i.e. quitting smoking.

High levels of LDL, or the bad cholesterol, will cause buildups of plaque and mucous in the arteries. Eventually these buildups will potentially result in blockages that can lead to cardiac failure. High levels of LDL are typically associated with a sedentary lifestyle and a diet rich in saturated fats. LDL levels can be lowered through aggressive diet modification (cut out fried food and other cholesterol-rich dishes), exercise, and the use of heart health supplements to provide nutrients capable of reducing LDL levels.

Heart Healthy Diet

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid (LNA) is critical in the control of LDL levels. Unless you are eating 3-4 servings of fatty fish (mackerel, trout, albacore tuna, salmon) and flax seed oil every week (or more depending on LDL levels), you're probably not getting enough. Heart health supplements, especially fish oil and flaxseed oil, can shore up our dietary shortfalls and help in the prevention of LDL buildup in the body.

So to summarize:

All these contribute to a lifestyle that promotes higher levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and the lower levels of bad cholesterol (HDL).

If we follow these habits from our twenties or so on, we substantially reduce our chances of ever developing unhealthy cholesterol levels. Remember, it is the buildup of cholesterol that leads to cardio system blockages and eventual cardiac events. But most of us have not followed such a strict healthy lifestyle over the years. Most of us do have some level of plaque buildup in our arteries that has accumulated over the years. Adopting the healthy habits outlined above will certainly reduce the risk of further plaque buildup, but won't necessarily eliminate the plaque that's already there and represents a risk to our cardio system.

Fortunately, there are heart health supplements that can assist the body in the removal of existing plaque. When evaluating the use of a heart health supplement to not only reduce the chances that heart disease will ever develop, but to also treat existing circulatory issues such as plaque buildup, you want to look for a product that can provide the following benefits:

• Gradually break down and dispose the plaque found in the arteries
• Balance LDL and triglyceride levels
• Reduce the aggregation of platelets in the blood
• Reduce calcium build up
• Cleanse the interior walls of the arteries to improve blood flow
• Maintain a stabilized blood pressure
• Provide antioxidant protection (to inhibit the damage of free radicals)
• Decrease homocysteine toxicity levels
• Increase circulatory system strength and improve heart muscle function

It is a combination of a healthy lifestyle with a program of selected heart health supplements that can help in the prevention and treatment of heart related issues.  There are many supplements on the market.  Do your homework and check with your doctor before deciding on which formula is best for you.

The highest quality heart health supplement we have found is Cardio-Klenz by XtendLife.