December 2023 - CardiacKrock

Best Supplements for Heart Health And Ones To Avoid

Posted on December 8, 2023December 7, 2023 by marketingagency

The modern world brings tons of information, and many people want to learn about the best supplements for heart health. You want to feel an improvement but might not. Therefore, it’s wise to focus on exercise and a healthy diet to protect your heart and ensure that you’re at a reduced risk for heart problems.

Dietary supplements can be consumed either by drinking or eating. They typically contain minerals, vitamins, plants, herbs, and amino acids (which are the building blocks of protein). You might find them in capsule, pill, liquid, or tablet form, and they often promise to boost your heart health.

Though you want to improve your blood sugar, blood pressure, and overall circulatory health, it’s important to know which common dietary supplements are ideal and what to avoid. Learn more now!

1. Multivitamins and Minerals to Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Vitamins and minerals can offer cardiovascular health benefits if you take them in the right doses. You should get most of your nutrients from whole foods, but many people don’t get the recommended intakes. Therefore, supplementation can be highly beneficial.

Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D supplementation and folic acid, among others. Just remember that supplements can’t make up for your poor eating habits.

Even those with good eating habits find it hard to get enough healthy foods that contain enough vitamin D. Supplements can fill in those gaps.

2. Fiber for Heart Disease Prevention

Ultimately, the best form of fiber is from food, but many people don’t get enough from their diets, so they use a fiber supplement. It should contain both insoluble and soluble varieties.

Overall, fiber can help with high cholesterol levels and offers many heart health benefits. Psyllium fiber could help you lower cholesterol when you use it in conjunction with a diet low in saturated fats.

Make sure that you don’t accidentally purchase laxatives instead. The labels often mention regulating bowel movements.

3. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

CoQ10 is similar to vitamins. It’s found in all cells of the body. In fact, your body makes it, and the cells require it to produce energy for maintenance and growth.

However, CoQ10 is also an antioxidant, which will protect your body from damage caused by more harmful molecules. Overall, CoQ10 is naturally found in various foods, but you’ll get the most out of organ meats, such as:

Liver
Heart
Kidney
Peanuts
Mackerel
Sardines
Soy Oil
Beef

In a sense, CoQ10 offers heart health support because it will help your enzymes protect the skeletal muscles and heart. Likewise, some people claim it will prevent heart failure, speed up recovery from exercise, and boost energy levels.

4. Garlic

Garlic can ensure your food tastes better, but when used in supplement form, it could help to treat coronary artery disease and high blood pressure.

Overall, garlic affects the body’s blood-clotting abilities, so it could increase the risk of bleeding. If you need a medical procedure, dental work, or surgery, you should avoid consuming garlic about two weeks beforehand.

5. Green Tea

People have used green tea for many centuries, and it can help lower high cholesterol levels. Overall, it’s been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels and total cholesterol. It’s wise to drink three cups each day instead of using the extract or supplement form.

6. Fish Oil (Omega 3 Fatty Acids)

Omega-3 fatty acids are often found in fatty fish and vegetables. The fatty acids can’t be made by the body, so they’re often consumed through fish oil supplements or through the diet.

Overall, fish oil can lower how many triglycerides your body produces. High triglyceride levels could lead to stroke, heart disease, and coronary artery disease. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, along with exercise and diet, could reduce the amount of triglycerides in your blood. Fish oil is definitely something to incorporate into your everyday life!

7. L-Carnitine

L-carnitine helps transport the fat into the mitochondria, which is where fats turn into energy. The amino acid is crucial for heart functionality.

Many studies claim that L-carnitine offered a reduction in angina symptoms and improved heart health.

Those with congestive heart failure might not get enough oxygen to the heart, which damages the heart muscle. Likewise, taking L-carnitine after a heart attack can reduce complications and damage.

8. Magnesium

Research shows that low magnesium levels might lead to cardiovascular disease. Overall, the cardiovascular risk factors can include:

Hardening of the arteries
Build-up and calcification of cholesterol and soft tissues
High blood pressure

You can find many types of magnesium supplements, including magnesium sulfate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium gluconate, and magnesium citrate.

Though magnesium can slightly lower blood pressure in some patients, those with kidney disease should be cautious when taking it and speak to their doctor first.

9. Red Yeast Rice

Red yeast rice is found in Chinese medicine. Overall, the red rice is fermented with yeast to create low-dose statin drugs. They’re often used to reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

Some people use red yeast rice because they feel it’s safer and more natural than prescription statins. However, the FDA hasn’t regulated or tested the theory.

If you wish to have healthy cholesterol levels, red yeast rice might not be the best solution. It contains Citrinin, which could lead to kidney failure.

Avoid Too Much Choline

Choline is found in meat, milk, and eggs, but if people consume too much of it, they could raise their TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide) levels. This can lead to blood clots.

When blood clotting happens, it can block blood flow to the heart, which can lead to heart attack, death, stroke, and damage to the organs.

Overall, TMAOs are associated with high risks of heart disease, so it’s wise to be careful when consuming supplements that contain choline.

Conclusion – Appropriate Heart-Health Supplements to Consider

If you’re planning to take over-the-counter supplements to achieve better immune function and lower your risk of heart disease, it’s wise to remember that they aren’t all safe. Make sure you talk to your doctor first and let them know you wish to use supplements.

Dietary supplements could interact with other medications you take, trigger allergic reactions, and lead to side effects. Research your options thoroughly, and be careful!

3 of the Best Exercises for Heart Health – What You Should Know

Posted on December 7, 2023December 7, 2023 by marketingagency

It’s important to be physically active to improve your heart health. In fact, exercise is an effective tool to help strengthen your heart, control your weight, and ward off high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol. Still, it’s crucial to know the best exercises for heart health.

Overall, different types of exercise are crucial to offer complete fitness. Resistance training and aerobic exercise are most important for your heart health. However, flexibility is also vital because it provides a better foundation to perform your workouts more efficiently and effectively.

Here are the different exercise types to know:

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise can help you improve your circulation, which can help you lower your blood pressure and heart rate. Likewise, it boosts your overall health and fitness and will ensure your heart pumps better.

Regular cardio exercise means that you’re moving the largest muscles in the body, including the arms and legs. You should be slightly out of breath and warm.

Experts, such as those at the Mayo Clinic, often recommend pairing days of vigorous exercise with lighter options to get the blood flowing without overtaxing the body.

Ultimately, everyone with a heart should be doing aerobic exercise, though you should adapt the routines to meet your needs. For example, if you’re a beginner, you may want to avoid interval training until you’ve built up your lungs and body to handle it.

Lower Your Blood Pressure, Reduce Risk of Heart Disease, and Other Benefits

Aerobic exercise can help your cardiovascular health by ensuring the heart and circulatory systems work well. Therefore, you can do your daily routine without being breathless or tired. Plus, you might improve your mood and sleep patterns. Likewise, you may lower your risk of heart disease and combat the symptoms if you already know you have this health condition.

How Much

It’s best to establish a regular exercise routine, where you’re getting 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day, up to five days a week.

Aerobic Exercise Examples

There are many cardio exercise examples, such as:

Brisk walking
High-intensity interval training
Running
Cycling
Swimming
Jumping rope
Playing tennis

Anything that gets the heart pumping is what you want to do. Most experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

Resistance Training (Strength Training)

Strength training and weight training are pretty much the same thing. It’s designed to help your muscles work harder. You could use your own body weight initially, such as squats and press-ups against the wall. Then, you might progress to resistance bands and free weights.

Benefits

Strengthening your muscles means that your legs and arms can work better and will take some of the demand off the heart. If you’re carrying more body fat, such as a big belly (one big risk factor for heart disease), strength training can help you lower your fat content and experience lean muscle mass.

Combining resistance work (with your body weight or other methods) and aerobic exercise can help you lower your risk of having a heart attack.

How Much

Usually, it’s wise to establish a heart-healthy exercise routine and stick with it. Most experts, including the American College of Sports Medicine, claim that people require two nonconsecutive days a week devoted to strength training.

Resistance Training Examples

If you wish to be heart-healthy and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, it’s wise to understand the examples of strength training. These include:

Using free weights, such as barbells, dumbbells, and hand weights
Working out on weight machines
Using resistance bands
Using your body weight for resistance, such as with chin-ups, squats, and push-ups

Flexibility and Balance (Stretching)

Flexibility and balance exercises can help you improve in many ways. Though they don’t directly offer heart health benefits, your body will be more limber and able to handle the daily changes you face.

Many exercise routines include stretching and balance work in their sessions. This means you’re probably getting it already.

Overall, flexibility exercises should be performed when the muscles are warm so that you’re not overstraining the muscles.

Alternatively, balance exercises put your body into a less stable position, forcing yourself to hold it and test your “balance.” Standing on one foot is one way to do that.

Benefits

In a sense, flexibility exercises prevent the muscles from getting tight. This means that you can move more easily when performing your other heart-healthy exercise routines and avoid injury or pain.

Balance work will also benefit you because you reduce your risk of falling.

How Much

It’s wise to stretch before doing another exercise. Most videos have a built-in warm-up and cool-down, which features appropriate stretching and flexibility work. Likewise, you may want to stretch at the end of the day or use these workouts on your rest days to get movement in without overstraining yourself.

Examples

You can ask your doctor to recommend some basic stretches you should be doing at home. However, there are countless YouTube videos available. Many people prefer to do workouts like yoga and Tai Chi to improve their balance and flexibility.

It’s also possible to check with gyms and hospitals because they often offer classes. Before starting any routine, you should ask your doctor if it’s appropriate for your body, needs, and skill level.

Though anyone can perform balance and flexibility exercises, it’s wise to be careful if you’re taking blood pressure medication. If you go from sitting to standing or lying down to standing too quickly, you might feel dizzy and lightheaded. Therefore, move into the various positions slowly, taking your time.

Final Thoughts on the Best Exercise Routine

There are countless benefits of regular exercise. Overall, it’s one of the best things you could do for your body and heart. Though you can do whatever you like, it’s often better to consult with your doctor before trying a new exercise program, especially if you have health problems. They can offer inspiration and guidance.

If you want more helpful information, Cardiac Krock can assist. You’ll learn about various diets, how to eat out without ruining your plans, and much more.

The Role of Fiber: Heart Health Considerations

Posted on December 6, 2023December 7, 2023 by marketingagency

Eating more fiber is something that has been preached by parents, teachers, medical professionals, and so many others from the time people are children. What may not be immediately obvious is how fiber and heart health correspond.

Do fiber-rich foods help heart disease, for example? The answer to that would be a resounding yes, and there are other benefits to enjoy too. With that said, here’s a look at what dietary fiber is, how it contributes to your health, and even a recipe to make heart-healthy high-fiber foods that much more appealing.

Understanding Dietary Fiber

Before focusing on fiber for heart health, it may be a good idea to understand what fiber is and its importance. Fiber is a compound that is also called bulk or roughage. These tend to be plant parts that your body cannot readily digest or absorb.

This is in contrast to protein, fat, and carbohydrates, which can be broken down and absorbed pretty handily. Fiber will simply pass through your digestive system. It has two categories, which are outlined below.

Soluble Fiber

The soluble fiber variation, as the name implies, will dissolve in water. The result is a substance with a gel-like consistency. Heart-healthy fiber foods containing this kind will help to keep glucose levels and blood cholesterol levels down.

Look for soluble fiber in foods such as beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, psyllium, and barley.

Insoluble Fiber

Again, as the name implies, this variation isn’t the best at dissolving in a solvent. However, it is excellent at promoting consistent movement through your digestive system for material, and it will also improve stool bulk.

If you struggle with irregular stool or constipation, this is the kind of fiber you want in your diet. You can get it from wheat bran, whole wheat flour, vegetables, nuts, and beans.

Focusing on the Heart

Now it’s time to put the focus squarely on fiber foods and heart disease for a moment. This can be a bit confusing considering that there is no direct link between fiber and the heart considering that it just flows through the digestive system and never enters the bloodstream.

So, how is it that foods that contain fiber are good for heart disease? Well, much of it comes from the implications of a diet that is rich in fiber.

Plant foods, for example, that contain a lot of it are also going to have many vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. They are all great at reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors such as chronic inflammation.

Bear in mind too that dietary fibre intake also contributes to your feeling full after a meal, which means that you are unlikely to overeat. Not taking on calories that your body doesn’t need means that you’re less likely to introduce unwanted cholesterol and other undesirable compounds into your system.

It’s also good to point out that oat bran, rolled oats, barley bran, psyllium, and whole grains are known for viscous soluble fiber, which is a direct contributor to lowering total and LDL cholesterol levels.

Finally, fermentable fiber is complete with a series of raw materials for the kinds of compounds that are incredibly beneficial to overall cardiovascular health.

Other Great Health Benefits

While the positive implications for blood pressure, cholesterol, and other elements that fiber can bring are great for heart health, having enough in your diet does so much more than that. Consider the following benefits:

Since dietary fiber intake will increase the size and weight of your stool while softening it, you end up with stool that is much easier to pass, and so your risk of dealing with constipation is significantly lowered.
On the matter of bowel health, more fiber in your diet is also linked to a reduced risk of hemorrhoids or the development of diverticular disease. Additionally, the risk of colorectal cancer is also lowered according to studies.
Diabetes can be pretty rough to deal with, and it appears that soluble fiber in particular is great at slowing the rate at which sugar is absorbed, which leads to better blood sugar levels. Additionally, a healthy diet that is complete with fiber will reduce the risk of someone developing type 2 diabetes.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for many reasons. It is well documented that heart disease is the number one killer in the world and one of the biggest risk factors for it is obesity. The filling effect of dietary fiber is very useful here since a person who feels full is much less likely to overeat unnecessarily. Fiber gives you that feeling of fullness.

Dietary Fiber Intake Recommendations

Nutritionists recommend that people consume between 25 and 40 grams of fiber daily, which will translate to somewhere between 15 and 20 grams of fiber in each 1,000 calories. Most people do not hit this number, which is why it’s recommended to add fiber-rich foods such as bran cereal, whole grain flour, quinoa, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables.

A Recipe to Get That High-fiber Diet Going: Beef and Bean Sloppy Joes

You’re going to want to grab some olive oil, lean ground beef, onion, garlic powder, onion, powder, cayenne pepper, no-salt tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, spicy brown mustard, light brown sugar, and whole wheat hamburger buns.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, at the beef, breaking it up with a spoon until lightly browned but not cooked through.

Transfer the beef to a medium bowl after four minutes and reserve the pan drippings. Add the beans and onion to the pan and cook for about five minutes. Throw in all your powdered seasonings and the other ingredients. Put the beef back in and cook while stirring often.

You want the beef to be cooked through and the sauce to be slightly thickened, which will take about five minutes. Serve on the buns.

Wrapping Up

Dietary fiber intake is essential for heart and overall health thanks to its ability to thicken stool, reduce cholesterol, and more. Incorporate more wheat bran, whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables in your diet to hit the daily intake requirements.

Manageable Heart Healthy Lifestyle Changes: Small Steps for a Big Impact

Posted on December 5, 2023December 7, 2023 by marketingagency

Heart disease is a silent killer that claimed almost 700,000 lives in the USA in 2021 alone- accounting for around 20% of deaths. Many people suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and other problems that create an increased risk of heart disease should consider making heart-healthy lifestyle changes.

People often believe that a healthy lifestyle for a healthy heart is beyond their reach, but there are small, manageable changes anyone can make to reduce the strain on their heart and blood vessels.

How Big an Impact Does Lifestyle Have on Heart Health and High Blood Pressure?

Before we get started, let’s address one of the main questions people ask: are lifestyle changes really going to make a difference to my high cholesterol and blood pressure? The answer is yes.

Most of the leading heart disease risk factors are directly tied to the simple everyday choices people make. What we eat, drink, and do with our spare time can all have a significant impact on increasing or decreasing our risk for heart disease.

Five Lifestyle Changes to Improve Heart Health and Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Here are five simple and attainable ways to change your habits and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Drink Less Alcohol

It may not be what people want to hear, but too much alcohol does blood cholesterol and pressure any favors. We are not saying you need to cut it out altogether, but limiting your alcohol intake is an important lifestyle change if you want a healthy heart.

Excessive alcohol consumption is predominantly tied with liver disease, but it also contributes to several other major issues. It is high in sugar and is known to increase blood pressure, produce irregular heartbeats, and lead to higher heart attack and stroke risks. There is some debate about what the limit should be, but sticking to one drink per day at the most for women and two for men is a good place to start.

Make Exercise Part of Your Routine

Physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your heart. It doesn’t need to be long stretches of intense workouts, but regular physical activity in a way that is sustainable for you should be a priority.

Body weight and fat build-up around arteries is a major risk factor for heart disease in the US. Obesity is technically one of the most deadly health problems in the country. Many people do little to no exercise all week, and it is often down to a misunderstanding about what can help.

Committing to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day is the first step toward a healthier lifestyle. Even if you get into brisk walking (fast enough to get your heart rate up) or a light at-home workout once a day, it is better than nothing- and can still lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and get your heart working.

Making a small effort is better than not trying, and it can be a stepping stone toward more intense or longer-lasting sessions that do more for your body. Starting is often the most difficult part, so don’t be scared to look for a little help from a health care professional or fitness expert to get you going.

Commit to a Realistic Healthy Diet Plan

Maintaining a healthy weight is not always as easy as it sounds- especially for those who have already established unhealthy eating habits. If you find yourself continuously trying new diets and never being able to stick to them, you are not alone.

That said, when it comes to looking after your heart, foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and sugar are all part of the problem. High blood sugar and high blood cholesterol are two risk factors that can (in most cases) be tackled with a heart-healthy diet.

The trick to starting a healthy eating pattern is to be realistic and set yourself achievable goals rather than setting yourself up to fail. Rather than jumping straight to an extreme diet (unless advised by a medical professional), it is more manageable to start with simple substitutions. Here are a few tips to get started.

Keep a bottle of water with you all the time. Stick to this as your only drink as often as possible. Stay hydrated and away from sugary drinks that your body does not need.
Replace white pasta, rice, and bread with ones that use whole grains. You don’t need to stop eating meals you like- just use a heart-healthy alternative.
Cut out the big no-nos. Some foods you need to say goodbye to. Instead of dropping everything, pick five big things to start with. Processed meats, pickled foods, frozen meals, cheese, and anything deep-fried are examples of where to start.
Choose lean meats instead of fatty red meat.
Good with high-quality olive oil instead of butter.

Quit Smoking

Ok, we know this one may seem impossible to some, but it can be done. If there was ever the right motivation to kick the habit, it is the life or death potential of heart disease.

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your heart. The list of heart problems caused by smoking is impressively bad. If you don’t smoke already, don’t start. If you do, there is plenty of excellent support available to help you get out from under it.

Stay as Rested and Stress-Free as Possible

It’s not all about the things you put into your body- your mind also plays a role. There are plenty of studies that show a close correlation between stress and high blood pressure, and sleep has a direct influence.

One of the first things people with coronary heart disease are told to do after a heart attack or stroke is to avoid stressful situations and prioritize time for rest. The body works all kinds of miracles while you are sleeping. Without the right amount, your mood, habits, and internal systems fall out of sync. Stress doesn’t only put additional pressure on your body- it is also a leading trigger for all the bad habits that lead to heart disease in the first place.

Final Thought

People are often forced into lifestyle changes after heart attack and stroke incidents or scares, but isn’t it better to make them before it gets that far? Get the change started with these five simple heart-healthy habits.

Does Heart-healthy Pre-workout Exist?

Posted on December 4, 2023December 5, 2023 by marketingagency

Exercising has a host of incredible benefits such as increased strength, better metabolism, fat loss, and more. However, you may not always have the physical or mental edge you need to power through it. Therefore, you may look to improve your potential performance through the use of “heart healthy” pre-workout.

While not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is a plethora of buzz around just what pre-workout can do for your workout and subsequent recovery. Side effects are understandably a part of the conversation since the goal is to remain healthy.

Your heart needs to be protected, and considering there is a pretty high dose of caffeine in these supplements, the questions will start to come about. Here’s a look at what you need to know about pre-workout and what it can mean for your heart.

Understanding Pre-workout Supplements

Starting simple, pre-workout speaks to supplements that you can use before your exercise sessions that are meant to improve your workout performance. This comes from a series of cooperating ingredients that improve different areas such as strength and endurance.

The doses of caffeine, for example, will give you an energy boost and lead to a delayed onset of fatigue, which is the kind of kick you need to be able to power through when you probably wouldn’t be able to do so ordinarily.

A Quick Look at the Benefits of These Dietary Supplements

You’ll see pre-workout supplements commonly endorsed in the fitness world if you pay attention to the content floating around in them. Here’s a quick look at some of the professed benefits that you can look forward to.

Energy Boost

There’s a reason why coffee, energy drinks, and other items containing caffeine tend to be used when people want more energy. It works by making blood vessels dilate. This will improve blood flow which improves the amount of oxygen going to muscles, which will make them perform better.

So, no you have a situation where your quads, calves, biceps, et. al are all now feeling supercharged and you can get more done with less of a push. After all, trying to work out when you feel like you’re dragging yourself through the motions is not a good long-term strategy.

Better Recovery

As you can appreciate, exercise puts quite a bit of stress on the body regardless of your level of athletic performance. People who train harder will put more strain on their bodies, which means that the road to recovery may take a bit more.

The health benefits of recovery are well documented including the inability to maintain peak physical performance if the body doesn’t get enough time to do it. Pre-workouts are meant to assist in recovery, which makes both subsequent workouts and daily activities less of a struggle.

Optimized Blood Flow

Your heart is going to be pumping faster than usual to meet the demand that has been placed on it by the muscles for more oxygen and nutrients. To help increase blood flow, pre-workout supplements tend to contain nitric oxide, which will widen your blood vessels.

This is what will allow the blood to traverse more easily, which means that more of the compounds needed will be taken to the right place.

Why Might Taking a Pre-workout Supplement Be Considered a Bad Idea?

Here’s one of the key questions that you’re here to have answered. What makes pre-workout bad? Who said it was even bad? Well, there are a couple of key points that can make it a point of contention.

While caffeine is great, for example, there’s such a thing as too much caffeine. An adult is recommended to have no more than 400 mg of caffeine daily. This is equivalent to your drinking four cups of coffee in a day.

Excessive caffeine is linked to high blood pressure, heart palpitations, and a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, as well as heart attack concerns.

The Ingredients and the Heart

Caffeine is not the only ingredient in a pre-workout that can have some kind of interaction with the heart. With that said, here are a few more you want to be aware of:

L-citruline – This is an amino acid that’s present in spades in watermelon. Note that your body also makes it. Supplementing with it can help to increase your power output and endurance while reducing your fatigue since it helps with blood flow improvement. However, it can affect blood pressure, which is particularly concerning for those on blood pressure medications.
L-arginine – Here, you have yet another amino acid. This one, however, is found in dairy, fish, meat, and poultry. It’s the precursor of nitric oxide, the benefit of which was covered above. if not used in moderation though, it can contribute to quite a significant dip in your blood pressure.
Yohimbine – This comes from a tree in Africa and improves blood flow throughout the body. It was once only used for the treatment of sexual concerns but now it finds its way into pre-workout. People dealing with heart problems are advised to avoid supplements with Yohimbine since it is linked to heart attacks and irregular heartbeat concerns.
Taurine – You’ll often find this in energy drinks, but it naturally occurs in the human body too, as well as in meat, eggs, and fish. Taurine delays fatigue and lowers blood pressure. Of course, too much of it could put you in the hypotensive range.

Can You Take Pre-workout with a Heart Condition?

There are healthy ways of navigating the pre-workout world as someone with heart concerns. First, as popular as dry scooping pre-workout is on social media, you want to avoid it since the dose is way too concentrated. You may start to experience chest pain and other concerning complications.

Avoid pre-workouts with yohimbine too and consider not taking a full dose since that will reduce the amount of ingredient exposure.

Taking the pre-workout every other exercise session is a good idea too since that will also reduce dependency.

Wrapping Up

Finding a pre-workout supplement that is heart-healthy is a tall task, especially considering the ingredient profile that is typical of them. However, you can make modifications to the dosage and avoid certain ingredients to help you keep your heart healthy.

Be that as it may, if you are already experiencing heart issues or are on blood pressure medication, you may want to check with your doctor before taking any.

Top 15 Foods to Avoid with High Blood Pressure and What to Eat Instead

Posted on December 1, 2023December 5, 2023 by marketingagency

High blood pressure is a staggeringly common problem among adults today and is the number one cause of health problems such as strokes, heart disease, and kidney disease. Knowing the top 15 foods to avoid with high blood pressure could be the first step to a healthier lifestyle.

This guide to the dos and don’ts of dieting for high blood pressure answers the important questions about what to avoid and what to introduce. Does spicy food raise blood pressure? How much salt is too much salt? Can you reduce the risk of hypertension by eating certain foods? Let’s find out.

General Rules for Dietary Habits and High Blood Pressure

Avoid Anything High in Sodium

The number one enemy for people with hypertension is sodium. Sodium relates to the salt content in food- the more it has, the worse it is for your heart. The American Heart Association says people should limit their daily sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams.

Stay Away from Fatty or Sugary Foods

Salt intake is at the top of the list, but sugar and fat are also best avoided. They lead to weight gain, which puts extra pressure on the heart and can cause diabetes- increasing your risk of developing hypertension.

15 Foods to Stay Away From if You Have High Blood Pressure

Processed meats (hot dogs, spam, chicken nuggets, etc.)
Canned foods (they are almost always packed full of sodium)
Pickled foods (olives, pickles, pickled onions, etc.)
Chips and other salty snacks
Instant noodles and soy sauce
Packaged baked goods (cookies, brownies, donuts, etc.)
Shop-bought sauces (better to make your own or avoid them altogether)
Cheese (it is just too high in trans fat)
Plain white bread, pasta, and rice (they lack nutrients and contribute to weight gain)
Frozen meals (even the diet versions are full of nasty ingredients that are not good for your heart)
Deli meat (it contains a shocking amount of sodium)
Alcohol (it can raise blood pressure and damage blood vessels)
Fast food (steer clear of big-chain take-outs- they tick all the boxes for sodium, trans fats, and sugar)
Fatty red meat (they have huge quantities of saturated fats and trans fats)
Sugary drinks (all soda is best avoided, as are concentrated fruit juices, but energy drinks are the worst)

10 Foods to Add Into Your Diet to Help Lower Blood Pressure

It’s not all bad- some foods lower blood pressure and improve heart health. These 10 foods should be your new dietary MVPs.

Bananas (they help flush sodium out of your system!)
Oats (contain a type of fiber that actively reduces blood pressure levels)
Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, etc. are packed full of omega-3, which is great for your heart)
Garlic (contains nitric oxide, which widens arteries and reduces blood pressure)
Dark chocolate (yep, something sweet- in moderation, of course)
Seeds (super foods packed full of powerful minerals- an ideal replacement for salty snacks)
Blueberries (one of the best fruits for preventing hypertension)
Extra virgin olive oil (the best choice for cooking)
Pomegranate (excellent for heart health)
Some nuts (pistachios especially)

How Does Spicy Food Intake Impact Blood Pressure?

Spicy food consumption is often linked to health benefits. Medical studies have shown a connection between spicy foods and reduced risk of heart disease.

If you love to eat spicy food, this could be great news- but it is not across the board.

Chili pepper consumption and natural spicy ingredients are great, but store-bought generic hot sauce can still have a lot of calories- and usually a very high sodium content.

Spicy food is only good for your heart if it is cooked healthily using real chilis and natural ingredients.

Do You Need to Avoid All Red Meat?

If you are still fretting about the thought of saying goodbye to steak, you can breathe. You don’t need to completely remove red meat from your diet- but you do need to pick the right way to enjoy it.

Choose lean cuts and grill them rather than fry them. Ditch the butter and side sauce and opt for a natural garlic or chili oil instead. Season with herbs rather than salt.

Tips for Seasoning Food Without Adding Salt or Sugar

Cardiovascular disease is far less prevalent in countries that use natural spices and alternative ways to season food.

Herbs and spices should be your new best friends. People in the US have gotten too used to thinking that everything needs salt to taste good, but it is not true!

Here are a few simple ways to make tasty food without using salt.

Instead of buying stock cubes, make your own stocks by boiling chicken or vegetables in a pan of water. Same great flavors (if not better) and a fraction of the sodium.
Buy organic flavor-infused olive oils to cook with. Chili and garlic are the most common, but you can find others.
Use fresh herbs instead of dry herbs. They have much more flavor and can add life to a dish without salt.
Get creative with your spices. Mix and match to find flavors you love.

Can Dietary Changes Remove the Need for Blood Pressure Medication?

Changing your diet can make a huge difference, but it may not always be enough to remove the need for medication. Speak with a doctor for a better idea of your situation.

How to Get Started with Your Heart-Healthy Eating Habits

The trick to making any health habits last is making them manageable and remembering why you are doing it. If you are dragging your feet over cutting out the foods on this list, think about the alternative if you don’t.

It can be tough to drop everything at once- so start with your worst habits and find something to have instead.

Serial snackers can replace chips and candy with fruit, whole-grain crackers, or other healthy but tasty bites. Meat lovers could begin by switching to leaner options and looking for new and exciting recipes that favor veggies instead.

Make sure you set clear goals and set yourself up for success. Remove temptation and surround yourself with the support you need.

Summary

These 15 foods are especially bad for the blood vessels, but it is a good idea to avoid anything that has a lot of salt, saturated fat, or sugar. Small lifestyle changes can have an incredible impact on your health. Implementing a blood pressure-friendly eating plan is a great first step.