As Valentine's Day approaches, let's take a moment to shift our focus from Cupid's arrows to a different aspect of the heart. Beyond the romantic celebrations, February is also recognized as American Heart Month, emphasizing the importance of cardiovascular wellness. Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., affecting 1 in every 5 Americans? Join us at our Annapolis MD chiropractic clinic as we explore the facts surrounding this vital organ and delve into the key aspects of heart health.

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Unraveling The Distinctions

People often use the terms cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and coronary heart disease interchangeably. But there are differences. Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term that encompasses all diseases affecting not just the heart, but also the blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease.

Heart disease is a type of cardiovascular disease and is used as a catch-all phrase to describe any condition affecting the heart. Those most common type is coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease (CAD), affecting 1 in 20 Americans. CAD occurs when the arteries cannot deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart due to plaque build-up, or atherosclerosis. This plaque can lead to blood clots which can block blood flow and trigger a heart attack, or myocardial infarction. Unfortunately, 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent, meaning the person is unaware that they’ve had a heart attack.

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Heart Disease Risk Factors

You may already know the risk factors for heart disease: hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, overweight/obesity, sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, excess alcohol intake, smoking, stress, and aging. What you may not know is that people with chronic inflammatory conditions, even in the absence of traditional risk factors, may also be at increased risk for developing heart disease. In addition, the risk for women increases after menopause, suggesting the influence of hormonal factors.

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How To Prevent Heart Disease In Annapolis MD

How can you protect yourself from heart disease? There are lots of actions you can take, including maintaining healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels by following a nutrient-dense diet and physical activity routine. While it’s important to reduce sodium, you do need some salt in your diet for regulating blood pressure, nerve function, muscle function, and electrolyte balance. Focus on getting your salt from mineral-rich sea salt, such as Himalayan pink sea salt, and avoid packaged foods like canned soups that are high in sodium. Other ways you can prevent heart disease include stress management, limiting or avoiding alcohol, and if you smoke, start taking steps to quit.

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Supplements For A Healthy Heart

Enhancing heart health involves more than just lifestyle adjustments; incorporating targeted supplements can also boost your cardiovascular fitness. Explore the curated selection of heart-supporting supplements available at Living Health Integrative Medicine, specifically our Heart Health Bundle. This bundle includes Omegemulse, Ubiquinol, Bio-C, Active Multi, and DK-Emulse. The heart-supportive benefits are as follows:

• Omegemulse: Omega-3 fatty acids are known to have anti-inflammatory properties, benefiting heart and brain health. These fatty acids are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Unlike most supplemental fish oils, Omegemulse also contains an anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid, GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), which research has shown may reduce risk of heart attacks (Hooper et al.). This formulation is specifically emulsified and enriched with essential vitamin and mineral cofactors, along with the amino acid taurine to enhance absorption and boost fatty acid metabolism.In liquid form, Omegemulse comes in a tasty orange flavor, yielding 500 mg of EPA, 350 mg of DHA, and 100 mg of GLA per one-tablespoon serving.
• Ubiquinol: Ubiquinol is the reduced, or active form, of CoQ10, or Coenzyme Q10, a naturally occurring compound found in the cells of the body. It plays a crucial role in generating ATP (energy) in cells, particularly in the mitochondria, the energy-producing centers of cells. CoQ10 also functions as an antioxidant, helping to neutralize harmful free radicals in the body. As we get older, the need for CoQ10 increases due to aging and other factors that deplete levels including medications, health conditions (diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases), poor diet, stress, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Many studies have shown that CoQ10 - especially the more bioavailable form, ubiquinol - can help improve symptoms of heart failure, reduce blood pressure, and support overall cardiovascular function (Cirilli et al., 2021).
• Bio-C: Bio-C is a bioavailable, or better absorbed, form of vitamin C, not commonly found in most vitamin C supplements on the market. Studies show that vitamin C can provide benefit in subjects with heart failure, atherosclerosis, and diabetes mellitus, by reducing endothelial dysfunction. The endothelium is a thin layer of cells that lines the interior surface of blood vessels, including arteries, veins, and capillaries, throughout the body. The endothelium plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes, including inflammation control, blood clotting, the formation of new blood vessels, and the production of nitric oxide to help dilate blood vessels. Check out our blog post: Why You Need More Vitamin C to learn more about vitamin C’s myriad of benefits.
• Active Multi: A diet high in antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits has been linked to improved health outcomes, including cardiovascular health. Most people do not obtain all the essential nutrients from diet alone. Aging, health conditions, environmental factors, food preferences, dietary restrictions, and stress create increased demands for nutrients. Our Active Multi helps replenish your body with heart-healthy nutrients, including B vitamins for enhanced endothelial function, electrolytes for blood pressure regulation, and other beneficial ingredients not commonly found in multivitamins. These include inositol for lipid metabolism, blood pressure regulation, and circulation, as well as choline for cell membrane integrity and homocysteine production. Homocysteine is an amino acid produced in the body, and elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Active Multi does not contain iron, which can be toxic for anyone who is not iron deficient. Active Multi serves as a highly effective safeguarding blend for promoting holistic wellness.
• DK-Emulse: Vitamin D and vitamin K maintain cardiovascular health through their effects on blood pressure regulation, inflammation, endothelial function, and the prevention of arterial calcification. While vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, vitamin K ensures that the calcium is properly utilized in the bones. This prevents the body from accumulating too much calcium in the blood, which can lead to high blood pressure, arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, and a multitude of other health issues. Most Americans are vitamin D-deficient due to inadequate sun exposure, with sunlight exposure being the primary source of vitamin D. Vitamin D also plays a key role in regulating blood pressure, and its deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin K plays a role in blood clotting, which is important for preventing excessive bleeding but can also impact cardiovascular health if clotting factors are imbalanced.

In conclusion, prioritizing heart health through proactive measures and lifestyle choices is paramount in preventing heart disease and ensuring a vibrant, fulfilling life. Start taking steps today to make lifestyle changes so that you can safeguard your heart and embrace a future of lasting wellness.

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References

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023, May 15). Heart disease facts. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
• Cirilli, I., Damiani, E., Dludla, P. V., Hargreaves, I., Marcheggiani, F., Millichap, L. E., Orlando, P., Silvestri, S., & Tiano, L. (2021). Role of coenzyme Q10 in health and disease: An update on the last 10 years (2010-2020). Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 10(8), 1325. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10081325
• Hooper, L., Al-Khudairy, L., Abdelhamid, A. S., Rees, K., Brainard, J. S., Brown, T. J., Ajabnoor, S. M., O'Brien, A. T., Winstanley, L. E., Donaldson, D. H., Song, F., & Deane, K. H. (2018). Omega-6 fats for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 11(11), CD011094. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011094.pub4
• Isakov, V. A., Bogdanova, A. A., Bessonov, V. V., Sentsova, T. B., Tutelyan, V. A., Lin, Y., Kazlova, V., Hong, J., & Velliquette, R. A. (2018). Effects of multivitamin, multimineral and phytonutrient supplementation on nutrient status and biomarkers of heart health risk in a Russian population: A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study. Nutrients, 10(2), 120. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10020120
• Jain, A. P., Aggarwal, K. K., & Zhang, P. Y. (2015). Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences, 19(3), 441–445.
• Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. (2024). Vitamin C. Micronutrient Information Center. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C. This link leads to a website provided by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Living Health Integrative Medicine is not affiliated or endorsed by the Linus Pauling Institute or Oregon State University.
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2021, October). Know the difference fact sheet. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/know-differences-cardiovascular-disease-heart-disease-coronary-heart-disease