If one of your priorities for 2024 is to make progress in your health, a good place to start is 14 day reset program some of you may wish to continue for 28 days! And include simple lifestyle tweaks that are a fit for you.
Book 30min consult to talk to me so we can personalize a simple reset, which can include an elimination or anti-inflammatory diet
Let’s define together your priorities for simple lifestyle tweaks - eating, moving & resting
Start with adding opti-cleanse smoothie pea/rice protein nutritional & detox powder as a smoothie or shaken into water - add more vegetables cut the crap 😊
3. May want to add targeted support e.g. for hormones, brain health, inflammation, energy....personalized natural medicine supplements can be discussed - investment additional
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make a 30min consult booking with me, such a great time to enjoy a mini reset and our hot Summer!
we will define best food plan and any simple tweaks around movement + resting for you
$250 investment includes 10 sachet box opti-cleanse (pea/rice + nutrient detox powder) easy to use in smoothie or even plain water
program focus is on food + add in detox smoothie, simple movement & rest tweaks and option for additional natural medicines depending on your health picture
What is Heart-Healthy Living?
Heart-healthy living involves understanding your risk for CVD and making conscious, healthy choices to limit your risk of disease. High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for CVD other risk factors include high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, a Western diet, aging, and obesity.
Clever priority for us all to be actively participating in a heart-healthy lifestyle. Asking your GP to order risk assessment lab-work (discussed below) and make a time for a consult with me and we can decide the foundations of cardiovascular health connected to your lab results that are not optimal - this is how you can prevent dis-ease developing.
Heart-healthy living encompasses the following lifestyle habits:
Heart-Healthy Diet
The DASH and Mediterranean diets are commonly recommended because they have been shown to lower inflammation, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol. Each of these emphasizes consuming a variety of multi-coloured fruits & vegetables = eat the rainbow, for some grains and dairy are best reduced or avoided if you have an inflamed gut - lean protein, and healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts & seeds, oily fish.
Physical Activity
Guidelines minimum 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity weekly
75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity weekly
A combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity
Moderate- to high-intensity muscle strength training at least twice weekly
Research has linked being inactive and sitting with a higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon and lung cancers, and early death. Conversely, less time spent sitting and more time being active is associated with a lower risk of disease, improved cognition, bone health, mental health, and weight management.
Stress Management
Emotional stress and unhealthy coping mechanisms contribute to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. Learning and utilizing heart-healthy mindfulness-based practices, such as talking therapy, meditation, exercise, and breathwork, yoga, tai chi, being in nature etc can improve mental and physical health.
Smoking Cessation
If you smoke, find support to quit. Avoidance of second-hand smoke is also important - smoking & exposure to smoke damage the endothelial lining of the blood vessels, contributing to CVD and heart attack risk.
Sleep
Poor sleep is associated with a higher risk of increased body weight, a suppressed immune system, feelings of stress, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Ideally adults get 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. Establishing a consistent night-time routine and sleep schedule can help you get enough good quality sleep. Small steps and changes can help, like spending time outside during the day, avoiding caffeine, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, and avoiding screens the hour before bedtime.
Top Evidence-Based Herb & Supplements For Heart Health
Maintaining a healthy heart is essential for overall health and well-being. In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, some supplements and herbs can benefit heart health. Here are a few of my favourite options to consider:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Heart Health
Omega-3’s are essential unsaturated fatty acids associated with reduced systemic inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Studies show that replacing omega-6 fatty acids with omega-3 fatty acids to establish a 4:1 ratio (or less) of omega-6:omega-3 benefits cardiovascular health.
Fatty fish, sea algae, flaxseeds, and chia seeds are naturally rich in ALA, EPA, and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 supplementation, typically through fish oil, reduces cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal heart attack, coronary heart disease, and major cardiovascular events and improves blood flow.
Magnesium for Heart Health
Low magnesium levels are associated with heart failure, arrhythmia, and high blood pressure. Research shows that high magnesium intake is associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and total cardiovascular disease.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) for Heart Health
CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant required in high amounts by cardiac muscles for energy production. Low CoQ10 levels are associated with greater tissue damage to the heart and brain during heart attack and stroke, respectively. CoQ10 supplements improve lipid profiles and heart function. Supplementation is also associated with reduced cardiovascular inflammation, statin-induced muscle pain, deaths due to heart failure, and blood pressure.
Red Yeast Rice (RYR) for Heart Health
RYR is the natural alternative to low-intensity statins for reducing serum cholesterol levels. Fermentation of RYR produces monacolin K, which inhibits the endogenous production of cholesterol. Research shows that RYR effectively lowers LDL cholesterol by 15-25%, total cholesterol, and triglycerides within 6-8 weeks, and has a lower risk of causing statin-induced muscle pain.
B Vitamins for Heart Health B vitamins are essential for energy production and red blood cell formation. Published studies have reported vitamin B1, B2, and B6 deficiencies in people with heart failure.
Additionally, homocysteine is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis because it can induce negative changes to the vascular endothelium and arterial function. High levels of homocysteine can result from nutritional deficiencies in folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Some research has concluded that high dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 are associated with reduced mortality risk from stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart failure.
Functional Medicine Labs to Order for heart hearth. Cardiovascular disease is preventable and treatable. The first step to disease prevention is clearly understanding your CVD risk.
Advanced Lipid Panel. Although the basic lipid panel (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides) is important in diagnosing high cholesterol, recent research shows that other lipid markers are more sensitive in estimating cardiovascular risk. Lipid particle fractionation, apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a) qualify and quantify the subpopulations of cholesterol-carrying particles that increase the risk for CVD.
Cardiovascular inflammation is associated with higher CVD risk, measured by markers like hs-crp and homocysteine.
Comprehensive Thyroid Panel Both under and over active thyroid function are associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. A complete thyroid panel screens for and diagnoses subclinical and overt thyroid dysfunction.
Metabolic screening. Blood sugar, electrolyte, kidney, and liver dysfunction. Abnormal results can reveal causes for high blood pressure, irregular heart rate/rhythm, insulin resistance, and diabetes and may indicate the need for additional testing.
Diabetes Panel. Measures various markers important for diagnosing and managing insulin resistance and diabetes.
Summary
The prevention, early detection, and treatment of cardiovascular disease are critical for your health outcomes and quality of life. While there are non-modifiable factors that contribute to CVD risk, like age, gender, and genetics, the majority of CVD risk stems from behavioural and lifestyle factors.
Labs measuring functional biomarkers of cardiometabolic health reflect how lifestyle habits directly impact the heart and blood vessels. A heart-healthy lifestyle, emphasizing good nutrition, plenty of exercise, quality sleep, and healthy stress reduction techniques, is foundational for everyone to support cardiovascular health. Many evidence-based natural agents are effective independently or in conjunction with pharmaceutical therapies to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.
If you’d like an integrative approach to your health management first step with me is to book a consult - so we can discuss where you are at and how I can best support you.
or you can start with my top 4 heart healthy supplement package - collect from here or couriered to you
omega 3 fish 120c or algae, magnesium 120c , Co10 60c, B vits 60c - investment for 2months supply $350
- this package can be personalised for you
order OR email any questions karen@brainbodylife.co.nz
Nutraceutical/Supplement IS IT TIME TO revise your script? - 1/4hr phone, zoom or in person investment $50
Or if you are happy with where you are at you can reorder your current supplements - place your order via email and I will courier direct to you
if you prefer collecting from me in Grey Lynn I will advise when ready to collect (contactless)
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