There are many nutrients that support the cardiovascular system. Today, I will talk about 5 very important ones:
>>Vitamin C: it’s an anti-inflammatory and an antihistamine. High levels of histamine are associated with heart disease.
Foods rich in vitamin C are guava, kiwi, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, snow peas, kale. Notice that fruits may spike your blood sugar. I recommend always testing so you can choose the amount and time of the day to eat them.
>>EPA and DHA: they are Omega 3 fatty fats and your body cannot make them. EPA is important for the regulation of inflammation and DHA is important for the regulation of blood sugar. Both of them are important for your heart health.
Foods rich in EPA and DHA are fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines, which also have the lowest amount of mercury of any fish.
If you don’t like fish like me, you can take supplements.
I must also add hemp seeds to this list. They have an optimal 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega-3. You can add them to your foods or you can take hemp seed oil. I prefer the food. I love chewing the seeds.
>>B Vitamins, especially B1, B2, B3, B-5, B6, B12. B vitamins are important for the formation of red blood cells, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism to red blood cell production and for energy production.
Foods rich in B Vitamins are salmon, green leafy greens, organs meats, eggs, beef, legumes like beans and lentils, and nutritional yeast. It’s very important that you choose your animal meats carefully. I mean, wild caught, grass feed meats, and pasture raised poultry. Pick your battles here especially when it comes to your budget.
>>Vitamin E: it’s a powerful antioxidant and it protects the lining of the vessels.
Foods rich in vitamin E are sunflower seeds, almonds, avocado, spinach, butternut squash, broccoli, and trout. You’d have to consume a significant quantity of sunflower seeds and almonds and in this case, I’d be careful because they are also high in Omega 6, an inflammatory fatty acid. Supplementation of vitamin E might be a good option.
>>Zinc: it’s not only essential for metabolic functions and immunity, but it’s also protective against free radicals. Free radicals are known to accelerate aging and contribute to heart disease and chronic diseases like cancer.
Examples of foods rich in Zinc are oysters, beef, hemp seeds, lentils, shiitake mushrooms, pumpkin seeds.
I hope you find this information and list helpful. Don’t let this information rot somewhere. Take action and witness powerful changes.
