In the United States alone, 610,000 people die each year from heart disease and each year 735,000 Americans suffer from a heart attack.(1) Risk factors for heart disease include high triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, overweight and obesity, smoking, lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, and stress. (2)
In the United States alone, 735,000 people suffer heart attacks each year
Whether you have some of the above risk factors or want to take steps to protect your heart, consider the following natural remedies for coronary heart disease.
Natural remedies such as diet, supplements, essential oils, exercise, and stress reduction skills can help prevent coronary heart disease
- Diet: A healthy diet can provide the most heart protecting benefits. The Mediterranean diet is one of the most effective anti-inflammatory diet. The diet consists of fish, vegetables, beans, fruit, and olive oil. Studies show that this diet can help lower triglyceride levels and reduce symptoms of many chronic diseases. Participating in a lifestyle or diet that is low in sugar, processed foods, preservatives, vegetable oils and artificial ingredients is a great way to maintain a healthy weight and improve health. (3)
- Supplements: Following a healthy diet, consider supplements such as omega-3 fish oil, curcumin, garlic, coenzyme Q10, carotenoids, selenium, and vitamins C,D, and E. These supplements can help the body fight inflammation and improve the bodies ability to heal. (3)
- Essential Oils: Lemon oil, lemongrass oil, frankincense oil, helichrysum oil, and ginger oil all contain active ingredients that help fight inflammation and other symptoms of heart disease. Ginger essential oil contains the highest levels of anti-inflammatory ginger and helichrysum oil contains corticoid-like effects, fights free radicals and provides inflammatory enzyme inhibition. (3)
- Exercise: Exercise helps improve blood flow, bring more oxygen to your cells, manage hormones, improve blood sugar levels and reduce stress. One study examined 305 clinical trials that focused on the benefits of exercise and found that there was no statistical difference between exercise or medication for treatment of coronary heart disease, meaning that exercise is a natural form of medication to prevent coronary heart disease! It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you choose, just be sure to get up and move! (3)
- Stress Reduction Skills: Stress raises cortisol levels which affects our hormones and our bodies inflammatory response. Chronic stress associated with our fast-paced lifestyles has been found to suppress the bodies immune system, slow metabolism, stall digestion, slow the bodies natural detoxification and diminish cell regeneration. If your are seeking ways to improve stress management consider cutting out caffeine, smoking and alcohol, improve sleep hours, exercise, pray or meditate, journal, participate in creative activities such as arts or cooking, spend time participating in healthy relationships and playing with animals. (3)
Remember, you do have control over your health. Yes, some risk factors are related to genetics, but numerous risk factors are related to choices that we make everyday related to our diets and lifestyles.
Sources included:
(1) http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
(2) https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hd
(3) http://draxe.com/coronary-heart-disease/
