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Natural Ways to Boost Heart Health for Men

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Eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables including exercising for 150 minutes or more each week are two of the best things you can do to ensure that your ticker operates at its optimum. These are recommendations that as an Elizabeth City NC Chiropractor I share as good health practices for anyone…..they just so happen to be super beneficial for heart health.  But did you know that there are other major contributors to heart health? For example, having untreated high LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” can significantly increase your risk of coronary disease and from a preventative standpoint, it should preferably be below 160 – even though this has been the “gold standard” for years it is becoming more controversial as to its efficacy. 

Other risk factors for heart disease include:

  • Your personal and family health history
  • Your blood sugar levels over the past 3-months – should be less than 5.7 and fasting glucose levels at less than 100
  • Your current weight and body mass index (BMI) – ideally you should aim for a BMI of 25 or less
  • Your age and level of physical activity
  • Your blood pressure, which should be 120 and diastolic level less than 80
  • Increased CRP – C-Reactive Protein (an inflammatory marker on your bloodwork)

Even if you can’t hit these numbers your goal should be to focus on a healthy lifestyle and modifying risk factors and if your current numbers are tipping the scale in the wrong direction, your first step is to have a sit-down with your GP because taking decisive preventative action can significantly mitigate your likelihood of developing heart problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), half of the adult men, including 20% of adult women in the US have a heart that is five years older than their chronological age. The genes you inherit from your parents may play a role, but the risk factors for heart disease as a result of premature aging puts you at a higher risk for heart attack, stroke, stiff calcified arteries, thickened muscle tissue, etc.

While some of these conditions cannot be improved, the majority are under your control, and you are never too old to reduce your risk factors.

So, here is what you can do:

  • Increase your daily physical activities because having a modified exercise program will keep your weight and blood pressure under control, deliver oxygen throughout your body, even reduces undue stress on your heart. Combine 30-minutes of moderate-intensity aerobics, 2-3 times per week of full-body resistance training and strength-training workouts and stretching to enhance exercise performance and overall flexibility
  • Avoid trans fats, too much table salt, sugars, swap red meat periodically for omega3-rich fish and chicken, and increase your daily intake of fiber with 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables.
  • Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in the normal range and have regular checkups to mitigate diseases that can weaken your heart
  • It is absolutely necessary to stop smoking and minimize drinking alcohol if you do
  • Listen to your body for unusual symptoms like chest pains, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, unexplained fatigue, heart palpitations, dizziness, exercise intolerance, etc. Contact your doctor immediately if any of these symptoms develop and persist.
  • Get enough sleep and always keep hydrated

Dr. Jason B. Jones

Dr. Jason B. Jones promotes healing from the inside out. With cutting edge and practical information via the Health Made Easy Blog and Podcast!

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