At the Heart of Your Health

The health of your heart - and actually of your entire body - depends upon a strong network of blood vessels. From the womb through old age, healthy arteries, capillaries and veins are essential for optimal functioning of all organs, muscles and nerves. They fuel and cleanse your body in two ways: efficient nutrient delivery (fuel) and removal of toxins (cleanse/detox). Their main job is to deliver more blood flow where needed, or constrict to reduce blood flow when necessary.

If your blood vessels don't open or narrow as required, then blood, oxygen and nutrients can't get to where they're needed, whether it's the brain, the gut, the muscles, or back to the heart. Poor condition of your blood vessels can lead to major illness of the heart, including atherosclerosis (clogged or blocked arteries), as well as varicose veins, aneurysm, and other diseases of veins and arteries in the periphery of the body.  

Cardiovascular diseases can have an affect to every cell in the body leading to vision loss, memory loss, breathing difficulties, kidney damage, erectile dysfunction, and loss of mobility.  The progressive march towards heart disease takes a toll on the whole body.

Tips for Maintaining Healthy Blood Vessels

Many of the things you do for the health of your heart are also important for the blood vessels. The entire circulatory system benefits from exercising aerobically every day, reducing stress and negativity, getting sufficient hours of restful sleep, eating a variety of whole foods, and not smoking. Specifically, here are ways to maintain healthy blood vessels:

Eat Smart

Eating a variety of colorful fruits and dark green veggies daily provides ample amounts of fiber and Vitamin C, both important to blood vessel resilience. When cooking, use plant based oils such as coconut, olive, and sunflower. Limit your intake of refined sugars. Opt for wild caught fish, organic or free-range poultry, and leaner cuts of grass fed beef. Increase intake of healthy fats such as avocado, nuts and seeds.

Stay Calm

We hear about stress a lot these days, which may can have the affect that we tune out the message.  Make sure you really get this:  Chronic negativity and day to day stress take a HUGE toll on your mind and body, particularly the cardiovascular system. Learn how to achieve inner calm through healthy coping strategies, deep breathing, yoga, meditation, journaling, aerobic exercise, and whatever brings you joy.  

Break a Sweat

The most important type of exercise for your circulatory system is aerobic, where you're moving your body rhythmically to increase heart rate, breathing rate, and circulation. You also break a good sweat. When you're in the zone for 30 minutes a day, you've done your heart, mind and body a world of good.

Supplement Your Diet

Support blood vessel health with key nutrition supplements, which include turmeric, bioflavonoids, anthocyanidins (colored plant pigments), and trace minerals. Turmeric contains curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and supports the elasticity of the blood vessels. anthocyanidins contribute to the robust color of many fruits and veggies, and have heart-protective properties. Bioflavonoids support cell growth and can help reduce inflammation. Trace minerals such as zinc and copper, support healthy development of the vessels and other tissues in the body. 

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of people in the world, but the factors that lead to it also lead to Diabetes, Dementias, Kidney Disease, and Cancers.  Taking holistic steps to preserve your heart will preserve your body and your mind.  If you are concerned about your heart, your mind, your longevity, and your quality of life contact Modica Wellness Solutions.  Initial consults are always free.

Resources: VisibleBody.com  "Blood Vessel Structure and Function: how the Circulatory Network helps Fuels the Entire Body"  Accessed 21 Aug 2017:  https://www.visiblebody.com/learn/circulatory/circulatory-blood-vessels

Konczak, Izabela, and Wei Zhang. "Anthocyanins-More Than Nature's Colours." Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2004.5 (2004): 239–240. PMC. Web. 21 Aug. 2017.

Health.harvard.com "Standing Guard over Blood Vessel Health." Accessed on 21Aug 2017: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/standing-guard-over-blood-vessel-health

ScienceDaily.com "Blood Vessels Control Brain Growth"      Accessed 21 Aug 2017: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161108111759.htm

Williams, M. "Women's Blood vessels stay health with turmeric extract."  Accessed online at NutritionExpress.com, 21 Aug 2017: https://www.nutritionexpress.com/showarticle.aspx?articleid=1785   Print Publication: Nutr Res (2012) 32:795–9 

Nature.com. "NatureReviews: Cardiology: Nutraceutical therapies for atherosclerosis"  Accessed online: 21 Aug 2017: http://www.nature.com/nrcardio/journal/v13/n9/full/nrcardio.2016.103.html

Lila, Mary Ann. "Anthocyanins and Human Health: An In Vitro Investigative Approach." Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2004.5 (2004): 306–313. PMC. Web. 21 Aug. 2017: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082894/ Lpi.OregonState.edu.

Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/about