Heart-Healthy Tips and Supplements for Women

There is a mistaken notion that heart attacks only happen to men. Unfortunately, cardiovascular disease which leads to heart attacks and stroke is the number one killer of women in America killing half a million women each year. Just having that awareness is a game changer. Too many women ignore their heart health just like men do and pay the price for it just the same. So what does a heart healthy life look like?

A Fun Healthy Lifestyle is Possible

A lot of people associate heart health with a “no fun” diet or excessive exercise which for some seems like “no fun” as well. The truth is we have to teach ourselves to associate healthy living with fun living. For too long we have been conditioned to think that fun equals sugar, alcohol, fried foods etc. It’s only in the last few years that there is more access to healthier diet models that also look, and taste fantastic as well as being easy to make. You just have to do a quick internet search and all the information is there. You can also find easy access to exercise programs for all interests and fitness levels. But none of that will do any good if you still think of it as “no fun” and hard work. It starts with being honest with yourself about what you are doing or not doing in your life and also looking at how you feel about that.

Your Health Matters

One thing you should look at first is do you think you are worth it? Do you think your life is important enough to make sure you stay around for a long time? Most of us don’t give that much thought but it’s a good thing to think about. How many people would be affected if your health took a nose dive? Are you married? Do you have children? Most women have a number of other people who depend on them. What would happen to them and how would they feel if you fell ill or died? Honestly looking at that question can give you the internal leverage you need to make some changes if need be. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for you loved ones. The bonus is that if you eat healthier they will too. Then you all get to enjoy the benefits.

Inch by Inch

Once you make the decision to really look at and change your lifestyle what then? Start by making small changes, like substituting unhealthy foods for healthier alternatives. It’s all about changing habits and it can feel overwhelming to think you have to chuck everything in your kitchen all at once.  Picking one or two to start, getting those to become habit and then picking a few more, is an easy way to change your lifestyle. Just make sure you keep making the changes and the progress, don’t kid yourself that one tiny thing will make all the difference. You know if you have a bunch of unhealthy eating habits. Make it your goal to change as many as you can. However, there is a thing called the 80/20 rule. If you do all the right things and make all the right choices 80% of the time you will be way ahead of the game.

Consider Supplements

Another thing to think about is supplements. There are many heart healthy supplements you can take that can make a huge difference in preventing heart disease such as CoQ10, fish oils, Niacin, Vitamin D, Hawthorn berry, gugul, and magnesium. Supplements that reduce inflammation which is a huge factor in heart disease, such as Curcumin, Quercetin, fish oils (seriously, everyone should be taking Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of fish oils!), resveratrol, and Alpha lipoic Acid. Find a natural health practitioner to help you find the right products for you. Western Medicine doctors are amazing at helping you if you are having a heart attack or serious cardiovascular issues but they aren’t educated nearly as much in how to prevent them. You can do so much more to proactively help your own health than you think and all the information is at your fingertips. So ask yourself the tough questions, be honest with where you are actually at and then make the appropriate changes. Go get lab work done to find out exactly where you are at if you need to but every single person can benefit from finding and sticking to a heart healthy lifestyle.

Here are a few key lifestyle changes to focus on for optimal heart health:

• Manage your blood sugar
• Lower your cholesterol
• Manage your blood pressure
• Get/Stay active
• Loose weight
• Eat Healthy
• Research your family history