Himalaya Herbal Healthcare Organic Arjuna - 60 Caplets

CARDIO HEALTH

Many factors affect the health of your heart and your circulatory system, many of which are fortunately within our control - even if you have a family history...

The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, which pumps blood around the body through approximately 60 thousand miles of blood vessels. These vessels are divided by function into two types. There are the arteries, which carry blood from the heart to the body and the veins, which drain blood from the body back to the heart. Blood nourishes the cells of the body by transporting nutrients like oxygen and food to the cells.

It also removes waste products from the cells for filtering by organs like the liver, kidneys and spleen. Any interruption in blood supply causes cell and tissue death, like those caused by heart attack and stroke. Because of this, the maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular system is essential.

Any interruption in blood supply, for example a heart attack or stroke, causes tissue death so the maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular system is essential.

CAUSES OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, improper diet, stress and lack of exercise are bigger indicators of your heart disease risk than your family history. Common lifestyle contributors are: obesity, poor nutrition, medications, free radical damage, lack of exercise, poor emotional processing, and stress.

Obesity

Being overweight is detrimental to cardiovascular health for several reasons. Excess weight increases the force of gravity acting on the body. The heart is forced to respond by working harder and increasing blood pressure to ensure all of the body cells still receive nourishment. Excess intake of food causes the body to increase the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Cholesterol shuttles fat around the body and is implicated in the formation of plaque in arterial walls. 

Poor Diet

Hearth health requires a nutritious diet high in vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. The saturated fat, chemical additives, preservatives and refined carbohydrates that have come to represent the typical North American diet of processed foods are harmful to the vessels in your heart. The heart is a muscle and the best way to keep it working for you is to provide it with a varied diet high in nutrients and low in food that does not provide the heart with usable energy. Trans-fatty acids and toxic additives are harmful to heart health.

Medications

Some medications deplete heart-supporting nutrients like Coenzyme Q10, Magnesium, Potassium and Zinc. Ironically, several of these medications are those used to treat cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol lowering medications, such as statins can deplete Coenzyme Q10. Diuretics, used to treat high blood pressure, increase the excretion of minerals like Magnesium and Potassium. This can cause problems maintaining heart rhythm and can lead to muscle spasms and lightheadedness. ACE inhibitors deplete Zinc, and beta-blockers deplete coenzyme Q10. It is important to replenish these minerals and nutrients if you are on these medications to avoid deficiencies.

Free Radical Damage

We encounter free radicals through environmental exposures, such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, processed foods, and ultraviolet radiation from the sun (UV rays). Free radicals are unstable molecules with an unpaired electron that are extremely reactive, and damage surrounding cell membranes, fats, and fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients. When free radicals damage the smooth inner lining of the blood vessels, this leads to inflammation, and causes a raw region to form (like a cut) that makes the area susceptible to further damage, and clot or plaque formation.

Poor Emotional Expression

Studies have shown that certain personality types are at a greater risk for developing heart disease. An individual of type A personality is driven, focused and goal oriented. They are focused on control. Emotionally, they are inexpressive and tend to hold in volatile emotions like anger and frustration. This personality type keeps the body on constant alert, which raises blood pressure and heart rate. The cardiovascular system may weaken under this constant strain and eventually lead to heart disease and heart attack or stroke.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle are the norm in North American society. Most people find it difficult to make time in their busy schedule for exercise. Being sedentary is detrimental to the cardiovascular system because it stagnates circulation. Sitting or standing in one place allows blood to pool in the lower body making it unavailable to the internal organs and brain. Stagnation impedes the delivery of nutrients to cells and slows the clearing of waste products.