health brief
Tips for Heart Health
The Key to Good Heart Health is Prevention
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The key to good heart health is prevention. Family history, oral health and endocrine health such as low thyroid, adrenal function and diabetes all play a part. There are tests one can use to help identify early signs of heart trouble in each of these areas. Here are a few tips.
If men in your family historically experience heart attack when young, have your homocysteine levels checked. The liver is supposed to clear this protein from your blood, but if it builds up, high homocysteine levels may cause heart attack. This is an easy test that can be done with a blood draw and, if high, supplementing with folate may help.
The heart muscle has a need for magnesium, potassium and calcium in the right ratios. These important minerals need to be in balance. If they are not, the heart can react with an irregular heart beat.
The adrenal glands also play an important part in the pulse and heart rhythm. They send a hormonal message to the veins to tighten up, which raises blood pressure. Therefore, if your blood pressure is high, or low, have your adrenal glands checked.
Oral health is important too. Bleeding gums may be an indication of the need for Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Unresolved cavities in abscessed teeth can send bacteria into the blood stream and cause sepsis.
The arteries and veins are susceptible to inflammation. When unchecked, inflammation can create plaque buildup in veins and reduce blood flow to the heart. There is a test called "calcium scoring" to see if you have buildup of plaque in your veins. This sometimes happens with those who are type 1 or type 2 diabetics.
Good quality and the right form of supplements such as CoQ10, magnesium, calcium and potassium can make a big difference your long term heart health.
These days you need to be your own best health advocate. Learn how to read your blood work and seek out a health care professional who can help and advise.
Contributed by Lee Rossano, Certified Nutritional Counselor with Advanced Nutritional Solutions in Lake Orion, MI. For more information, call 248-652-4130 or visit WhySuffer.net.