The Truth about Heart Health

The heart is among the most important organs in the human body. Heart failure and cancer are the leading causes of death in America. Because the heart is so important, regular monitoring should be a priority if one wants to avoid the silent killer (heart disease). Regular monitoring requires tracking personal blood pressure (BP) and resting pulse rate (RPR). I use a convenient wrist BP/RPR monitor device to monitor my heart condition regularly. When using a wrist BP/RPR monitor it is extremely important to keep the wrist/device at the same level as the heart during testing/monitoring to get accurate blood pressure readings.

The heart is one of the strongest muscles in the human body. Not in terms of how much weight it can lift but in its ability to work continuously for an entire lifetime. There is significant scientific evidence that resting pulse rate (RPR) is not only a reliable indicator of longevity or life span but an excellent indicator of the physical condition of the heart. The slower the (RPR), the better the physical condition of the heart. I strongly agree with this hypothesis as I have tracked the progression of my (RPR) during a training program and my (RPR) has come down from 60-65 beats per minute (BPM) to 45-50 in a few short weeks of specific cardio training.

Assuming this is true, why wouldn't everyone want to lower their (RPR) to a minimum healthy rate by regular cardio exercise. Below is a website that calculates the expected life span based on (RPR) and a scientifically established amount of average human lifetime heart beats of 2.6 million. Check your (RPR) with this life span calculator/estimator.

http://www.csgnetwork.com/avglifeexpfromhr.html

As you can see by using the link above, the lower the (RPR) number the longer the estimated life span will be. If your (RPR) is 72, your life expectancy is 68.658 years. By contrast, if your (RPR) is 42, your life expectancy is 117.699 years. In this example a lower (RPR) adds 49.041 or close to 50 years to a lifetime.

While the human body is not designed to live forever, it is designed to live healthy. In short, it knows how to maintain health. The answer to health and longevity is understanding the requirements of health and provide them. It boils down to adopting a lifestyle, which is in harmony with the bodies health needs.

1. Proper Heart Nutritional Support
Proper nutrition means continuously providing all the necessary requirements for energy production and tissue repair and maintenance. This requirement can be managed by the quality and quantity what we consume. Our consumptive habits frequently become the foundation of rapid biological degeneration (biological damage).

The most heart damaging foods are saturated fat and excessive protein. Saturated fat clogs the arteries forcing the heart to work much harder and excessive protein is associated with consuming animal products such as meat and dairy, which produces excess acids in the blood such as homocysteine that seriously threatens heart health. This problem can be very effectively mediated or eliminated by reducing the animal based products in the dietary regimen. This includes all dairy and meat products. A varied plant based diet is proven to be vastly healthier for humans.

If one must consume meat deep water wild fish such as salmon is the best. The most damaging meats are land animal red meat such as pork and beef. If one must consume land animal red meat leaner cuts are less damaging than fattier cuts. Generally the most unhealthy land animal red meats are the most populare, tender and tastiest cuts such as prime rib.

Americans seem to be more aware of the importance of the heart and its role in general health. They also seem to be developing a better understanding in how dietary supplements can be a valuable tool in the process of restoring optimal health. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved heart health claims for several foods and supplements such as soy, fiber and olive oil. Of course, many more dietary supplements have shown to promote cardiovascular wellness but not yet approved by the FDA.

Best foods & beverage for heart health are;
1. Avocado – Avocado is an excellent source of monounsaturated fat. Avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol.
2. Berries – Most berries are full of anti-inflammatories, which reduce risk of heart disease and cancer.
3. Chlorella – Chlorella is a blue-green alga and super-food. It may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure among many other positive general health benefits.
4. Garlic – Garlic not only has positive digestive benefit properties it helps lower high blood pressure.
5. Ginseng – There is strong scientific evidence that ginseng may help with high blood pressure and improve cardiovascular function.
6. Green Tea – Reduces the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD).
7. Green leafy vegetables (spinach, chard, mustard greens etc.) – Most green leafy vegetables are rich in chlorophyll, lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber.
8. Legumes ( black, kidney beans) – Most legumes are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and soluble fiber.
9. Nuts (almonds, walnuts) – Most nuts have omega-3 fatty acids, many have mono- and polyunsaturated fat. Nuts also increase fiber in the diet.
10. Omega EFA’s – Flax seed, hemp seed and olive oil’s are excellent sources of plant based EFA’s which helps reduce the risk of (CAD). Animal source EFA’s – wild fish such as salmon are the best.
11. Oatmeal – Is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear.

Beyond foods, there are excellent food supplements that have been scientifically shown to support the heart, list below.

Best supplements for heart health;
1. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) – Science has shown ALA to be a powerful antioxidant. When used as a supplement in the form of a natural or synthetic isolate, can help prevents cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL oxidation and high blood pressure.
2. Antioxidants – Antioxidants not only reduce free radical oxidative damage all tissues in the body but inhibit the formation of arterial plaque.
3. Coenzyme Q-10 – Is perhaps the most beneficial supplement for the heart as it significantly reduced blood pressure.
4. DHA/EPA omega-3 Oils - Omega-3 supplements not only balance the omega 3-6-9 fatty acid ratio but provides many protective benefits for people at risk for developing cardiovascular disease including reducing high blood pressure and the accumulation arterial plaque.
5. Fiber – Dietary fiber (soluble & insoluble), protect against coronary heart disease (CHD) and help prevent peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Fiber supplements can help keep blood pressure within a 120/80 healthy range.
6. L-Arginine – L-arginine is a semi-essential amino acid that has been deemed an excellent dietary supplement for cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune, liver, renal, reproductive, and pulmonary functions. It improves endothelial function, which reduces incidence of congestive heart failure (CHF). L-arginine is considered the most potent Nutraceutical ever discovered, due to its enormously powerful healing properties. Dr. Louise Ignarro (1998 Nobel Prize recipient in Physiology or Medicine) for discovered a "miracle molecule" l-arginine that could make bypass surgery, angioplasty and blood pressure drugs obsolete. Dr. Ignarro found that L-arginine converts to Nitric Oxide in the body which acts as a vasodilator (relaxes the blood vessels). This Nobel Prize in medicine validated the remarkable healing properties of L-arginine.
7. L-Carnitine – A two amino acids (lysine and methionine) compound formed from, L-carnitine has shown to be a viable tool for lowering cholesterol.
8. Lycopene – Dietary lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has shown to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially in women.
9. Magnesium – Magnesium helps restore the healthy functioning of blood vessels. It also helps people exercise longer, and recover quicker.
10. Potassium – Potassium aid in the transmission of electrical impulses in the heart that regulate the heartbeat.
11. Resveratrol – Resveratrol is another powerful antioxidant may help protect heart health by limiting the effects of cardiac fibrosis (hardening of the heart tissue).
12. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) – Thiamine assists the cells with the conversion of carbohydrates into energy and ensures that the muscles and nervous systems are in balance and functioning properly. Deficiencies or biological imbalance can result in heart disease and congestive heart failure. 13. Vitamin B6 (Folic Acid) – Helps reduce inflammation and homocysteine.
14. Vitamin B-12 – Is important for brain function, formation of blood and helps reduce homocysteine.
15. Vitamin C – Is a powerful antioxidant. Its properties help reduce or block oxidative damage than can accelerate the aging process (biological damage) and increase the risk of developing heart disease.
16. Vitamin E – Vitamin E serves to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and failure.

Natural compounds that beneficial the heart;
Phytosterols – Plant sterols that chemically resemble cholesterol. They have shown to reduce blood cholesterol. All nuts and seeds, including wheat germ contain phytosterols.
Carotenoids – Powerful, heart and tissue protecting antioxidants associated with many colorful fruits and veggies. Alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene are carotenoids.
Polyphenols – Another set of powerful antioxidants that help protect blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and reduce LDL cholesterol.
Flavonoid polyphenols = catechins, flavonones, flavonols, isoflavones, reservatrol, and anthocyanins.
Non-flavonoid polyphenols = ellagic acid (present in all types of berries).
Omega-3 fatty acids – Found in fatty fish like salmon.
Alpha-linolenic fatty acids (ALA) – Is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plants. It helps boost the immune system, reduce blood clots, and protect against heart attacks. It also increase good HDL, lower triglycerides, protect arteries from plaque buildup, are anti-inflammatories, and lower blood pressure.
B-complex vitamins – Are very important for cardiovascular health.
Vitamin B-12 (folate) and vitamin B-6 – Protect against blood clots and atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Niacin (vitamin B-3) – Helps increase HDL "good" cholesterol.
Vitamins C and E – Are powerful antioxidants that protect cells from free radical damage. Magnesium, potassium, and calcium – Help lower blood pressure.
Fiber-rich foods – Helps lower cholesterol levels.

It is important to understand that as humans’ age, the body becomes increasingly less able to convert the protein consumed into muscle and tissue repair. This inability to convert protein accelerates biological damage and the aging process. L-arginine is one supplement that can help retard this age related degeneration process.

An obvious visible symptom of increased risk of heart disease and a host of other degenerative problems is the presence of visceral fat. Visceral fat is the fat that makes your belt size increase or around the abdomen. This fat is an excellent indication of the fat surrounding the vital organs just below the waistline such as the kidneys, liver, digestive organs, lungs and heart. Exercise is extremely important for not only reducing visceral fat but also a wide range of illnesses and diseases including cardiopulmonary disease.

2. Stress Mediation
Excessive stress is perhaps the fastest and most destructive force in the human body. As such, it must be properly managed to maintain health. Stress has a direct and immediate negative effect on blood pressure.

Deep breathing and meditation are very effective ways to manage stress and high blood pressure. I can rapidly lower both (BP) and (RPR) with a few deep breaths and a short meditation session. I find 1-5 deep breaths and a short 1-3 minute meditation session’s helps keep the stress levels down and keep the mind focused. Deep breathing and meditation are skills, once learned, practice until mastery produces far superior results.

3. Regular exercise (lymph system modulation)
Exercise has a wide range of positive health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, strengthening bones and all connective tissues, reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, stroke, and obesity, and reducing stress just to list a few.

Reputable scientific research has shown that there are several mechanisms involved in strengthening the heart and circulatory system relating to exercise.
1. Exercise stimulates enzyme production and release which help transport low density lipoproteins (LDL) from the blood to the liver where cholesterol is converted into bile for digestion or excretion/elimination.
2. Exercise increases blood protein size, which carry cholesterol through the blood. Protein size and cholesterol are referred to as "lipoprotein." Excessive amounts of LDLs are linked to heart disease. The small, dense proteins are more dangerous because the smaller proteins can lodge into smaller places (linings of the heart and blood vessel walls) and set up shop (heart disease). Exercise increases the size of the blood proteins which lowers the chance of vascular wall fat (plaque) accumulation (arthrosclerosis, hardening of the arteries or heart disease).
3. Exercising lowers inflammation by naturally lowering levels of a C-reactive protein (CRP) that is one of the primary culprits in the inflammation process.
4. Exercise increases oxygen uptake, reducing blood carbonic acid and toxicity while increasing internal biochemical pH.
5. Resistance (weight) training increases the load on all effected tissues increasing the need to build additional tissue to address future resistance demand. Protein is required to build and strengthen new tissue. To supply this protein demand it is prudent to drink a highly absorbable form of protein within 15 minutes after weight/resistance exercise. High quality, organic whey protein is perhaps the best source to supply the fuel to build new tissue after resistance exercise.

Exercise need not be strenuous, but to produce noticeable benefits, regular is good frequent is better. There are many different ways to exercise with equally as many varied opinions on what is best for heart health. The most commonly accepted exercise for heart health is cardio exercise. The duration should be between 20-60 minutes 3-5 times a week. I have found that intense 10-20 minute running exercise sessions 3 times a week have produced excellent results for me. I typically stretching first, do some pushups until failure, then squat thrusts to warm up my body. Then I run a mile or more that takes between 8-12 minutes. This complete training routine includes moderate impact which modulates my lymphatic system which help move biological waste out of my body and detoxifies me. Also, this exercise routine increases respiration, oxygen uptake which reduces carbonic acid in the blood. Both of these processes significantly reduces biological acid buildup and helps move internal biochemistry back into a slightly alkaline and much more healthy 7.0+ pH state.

The most common formula with no indication of standard deviation is below:
220 − age = Maximum Heart Rate
220 – 59 = 161 MHR
20-60 minutes, 3-5 times weekly

When it is inconvenient to get in a full training routine, I like to jump rope. Any kind of rebounding exercise is the best lymph system modulator. Short 2-5 minute rope jumping modulates the lymph system enough to help clean the body of biological waste and toxins.

Vary the exercise routine it keeps the body biology confused, active and vibrant. Here are a few different exercises one can employ.
1. Aerobic (cardio) – Running, jogging, jumping rope, elliptical machine, and fast walking are all excellent examples of aerobic exercise.
2. Interval & interval anaerobic training – Research demonstrates that interval training is the best way to condition the heart and burn fat is with alternate short bursts of high-intensity exercise with relatively short recovery periods. Unfortunately, the high-intensity nature of this kind of training substantially increases risk of injury, especially with older less conditioned athletes. While this training can dramatically improve your cardiovascular fitness and fat-burning capabilities, it is best to use it only after achieving excellent condition and sparingly as age advances to avoid set back injuries.
3. Strength/resistance training – Do enough repetitions to fully exhaust the muscles. The weight should be heavy enough to fully exhaust the muscle between 4-12 repetitions. Avoid exercise the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Muscles usually require 2-3 days of rest to recover, repair and rebuild between training depending on how much it was broken down during training.
4. Core Exercises – The body’s core muscles are grouped in the back, abdomen and pelvis. This group of muscles forms the foundation for movement throughout the entire body. Strengthening these muscles, helps protect and support the back, make the spine and body less vulnerable to injury and help with greater balance and stability. Pilates and yoga are examples of great core muscle strengthening programs.

Finally, as we age the muscles atrophy faster so it is even more critical to adopt a regular exercise program into our daily lifestyle. We must be more disciplined and diligent about exercise, as we age not less. If one does not find time for regular exercise as age advances, nature will demand time for illness and disease. It is increasingly more important to exercise as we age than when we are young because of biological degradation. The body needs the movement to remain healthy. It is true; if you do not use it, you will eventually loose it. Slow the aging process with regular exercise and a generally healthy lifestyle.

4. Adequate air (oxygen)
As covered in exercise #3, adequate oxygen is a critical for optimal body and heart health. I encourage people to take as many deep breathes daily as can. People can deep breath almost anywhere. The benefits of deep breathing and meditation have long been recognized as major tools to reduce stress and relax. Just recently deep breathing is becoming more recognized as a tool to reduce blood carbonic acid and increase blood oxygen as well as many more biological and internal biochemical balancing benefits.

5. Adequate hydration (water)
As humans age, the tendency is reduced activity. Reduced activity begins to retard the drinking response. Reliable sources have estimated that more than 75% of all Americans are living in a dehydrated state. I believe this is true. Not only is living dehydrated unhealthy but it can lead to rapid biological degeneration but it can put one at risk of many illnesses and diseases.

The formula for re-hydration is 1 ounce of liquid daily for each 2 pounds of body weight, formula below.

Body Weight 200
           2                = 100 ounces daily liquid consumption

The formula for hydration maintenance is more subjective in that it requires that one replace all liquids lost daily. The accepted math formula is 0.75 ounces of liquid daily for each 2 pounds of body weight, formula below.

Body Weight 200
           2                = 0.75 ounces daily liquid consumption

What is important to remember is to never allow the body to become dehydrated. If it does, re-hydrate immediately to avoid the enormous negative health ramifications.

A healthy heart is the cornerstone of a healthy body. Regularly monitor the heart vital signs and take action to keep the heart in tip top condition and it will serve you well for many long healthy years of life.

Ultimate Health Research Institute (UHRI) has excellent educational materials, and courses on mastering the secrets of ultimate health. Reference the links below for more course information.

Contact Dr. Skip directly at http://www.uhealthri.com/contact_us.asp for information on personal consulting, nutrition, fitness or behavior modification training, programs, seminars, and workshops.