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Manage Cardiovascular Disease w/ Diet, Supplementation
Can I manage my cardiovascular disease with diet and supplementation? I do. Full disclosure. I am not any sort of medical professional. I am a long-term myeloma survivor who was diagnosed with chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy in early 2011. CVD including:
A difficult few days taking metoprolol convinced me to research evidence-based, non-conventional heart therapies. In particular:
- Heart-healthy nutrition-
- Heart-healthy supplementation and
- Heart-healthy lifestyle therapies.
How can I manage my cardiovascular disease with nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle therapies?
Nutrition
- Heart-Healthy Diet: Focus on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
- Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for a variety of colors and types.
- Whole Grains: Choose whole grains like oats, brown rice, and whole-wheat products.
- Lean Proteins: Include fish, especially fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, as well as legumes, nuts, and seeds.
- Healthy Fats: Opt for unsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds. Limit saturated fats found in red meat and dairy products. Avoid trans fats found in many processed foods.
- Reduce Sodium Intake: High sodium intake can increase blood pressure. Aim for less than 2,300 mg per day, and ideally closer to 1,500 mg for most adults.
- Limit Added Sugars: Excessive sugar intake can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of heart disease. Avoid sugary drinks, sweets, and processed foods high in added sugars.
- Moderate Alcohol Consumption: If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. This generally means up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
Supplementation
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These can help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease. Sources include fish oil supplements and flaxseed oil.
- Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): This antioxidant may improve heart health by helping cells produce energy and by reducing oxidative stress.
- Magnesium: Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure. Good sources include leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. Supplements can be considered if dietary intake is insufficient.
- Fiber Supplements: Soluble fiber, such as psyllium husk, can help lower cholesterol levels.
- Vitamin D: Some studies suggest that low levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Check your levels and consider supplementation if needed.
- Plant Sterols and Stanols: These can help reduce cholesterol levels. They are available in supplements and in some fortified foods.
Lifestyle Therapies
- Regular Physical Activity: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, such as running. Include muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.
- Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the burden on your heart. If you need to lose weight, aim for a gradual and sustainable weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week.
- Stress Management: Chronic stress can negatively impact heart health. Practices like meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness can help manage stress.
- Quit Smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Seek support to quit, such as nicotine replacement therapy, counseling, or smoking cessation programs.
- Regular Health Check-Ups: Keep track of your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other heart health markers with regular check-ups. Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations and take prescribed medications as directed.
- Adequate Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Poor sleep can increase the risk of heart disease.
- Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain good circulation and overall health.
I don’t think that all people who have cardiovascular disease can manage it completely with non-conventional therapies the way I do. However, I do consider nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle therapies to be complementary to conventional heart medications. For example, if a person exercises he/she may then be able to use a lower dose of a heart med.
If you would like to learn more about how to manage Cardiovascular disease with nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle therapies email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com
Thank you,
David Emerson
- Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Poor Diet Contributes Substantially to Cardiometabolic Disease Costs
“Suboptimal diet accounts for 18.2 percent of all cardiometabolic disease (CMD) costs in the United States, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in PLOS Medicine…
The majority of costs (84.3 percent) were attributed to acute care ($42.6 billion). Low consumption of nuts/seeds ($81) and seafood omega-3 fats ($76) accounted for the largest annual per-capita costs, and the lowest were attributed to high consumption of red meat ($3) and polyunsaturated fats ($20)…
Eating breakfast may protect against cardiovascular disease
“Adults who skip breakfast are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and have greater rates of all-cause mortality than those who typically eat a morning meal, according to findings published in Clinical Nutrition…
“Skipping breakfast may set up a series of health problems.”
The researchers found that CVD risk was 22% greater and all-cause mortality risk was 25% greater among participants who did not eat breakfast vs. those who did, according to a pooled random-effects model.
“The results of this meta-analysis showed that skipping breakfast can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality,..”