2 Nutrients That Are Vital to Your Heart Health

If you’re over the age of 45, you should not take your heart health for granted. Heart disease is responsible for the death of 1 in 4 Americans.[1] To put that into perspective, each year, heart disease kills more people than accidents, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, influenza, pneumonia, stroke and respiratory disease — combined.[2] And while there are many ways to keep your heart running strong, you should be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking that the pills your doctor recommends are a safe long-term solution. Sadly, the conventional strategy for balancing cholesterol and averting heart-related tragedy is deeply flawed.

Remember That Your Heart Is Your Engine

Your heart is literally the “engine” that powers your entire body. It works day in and day out to circulate oxygen and crucial nutrients, and on average, needs to beat about 100,000 times a day, which equates to tens of billions of times over the course of your life.
This is a lot of work and can eventually strain your heart, arteries and veins. What’s more, factors such as poor diet and being overweight add to this strain, causing your heart to work even harder.

A Strong Heart Is Not Just About Living Longer

There’s no question that a poorly performing heart can lead to premature death. But suboptimal heart function can also result in “mystery” symptoms such as fatigue, chronic pain and decreased mental function, just to name a few. If you have nagging health problems that just won’t go away, there is a chance that the root cause can be found within your cardiovascular system.

Beware of Big Pharma’s Cholesterol-Lowering Pills

Big Pharma has developed a variety of pills aimed at “improving” cholesterol ratios and cardiovascular function. They spend billions each year on advertising and employ an army of sales reps who market directly to doctors.
Unfortunately, their efforts are turning us into a nation of lifetime pill poppers. By some estimates, 1 in 3 people over the age of 50 are on a cholesterol-lowering drug, with prescriptions being written at a rate of 20,000 per hour. However, the shocking truth is that 99 out of 100 people do not even need these drugs, according to a growing number of experts.

Conventional Treatments Are Unsafe and Ineffective

Emerging research is showing that cholesterol medications are not the wonder drugs they were once thought to be. Their effects wear off quickly if you stop taking them; they do little to raise good cholesterol; and while they make your “numbers” look good, they actually do little to decrease cardiovascular-related deaths.
In fact, a recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that less than 3 percent of people get any benefit, and the rest just get risks and complications.[3]

Little Benefit… But Lots of Side Effects

Many people experience fatigue and aches and pains within days of beginning to take cholesterol-lowering medications. They report memory loss, headaches, difficulty sleeping, dizziness and nausea. However, what is extremely scary is that some of these medications can actually cause more serious problems, including death.
As USA Today reported, these drugs have killed and injured more people than the government has acknowledged.[4]

Depleting a Vital Nutrient Your Body Needs

It is widely known that cholesterol-lowering medications severely deplete your body’s natural levels of CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which is very dangerous. A Columbia University study found that within 30 days, your levels of CoQ10 can be decreased by half.[5]
Not only does CoQ10 help your heart health, it boosts cellular energy throughout your entire body and fights fatigue. In addition, CoQ10 helps to reduce muscle pain and weakness, which are the most commonly reported side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Do Your Heart a Favor – Try Natural Options First

The best thing you can do for your heart health is to exercise and eat well. However, making lifestyle changes is easier said than done — and even if you start today, it could take months or years to get back on track.
That’s why you should consider specific dietary supplements as part of a conjunctive strategy for boosting your cardiovascular health quickly and safely. There are several great options out there, but without a doubt, the most promising is something called red yeast rice, which has been an important food staple throughout Asia for centuries.

A Strong Heart and Balanced Cholesterol

Dozens of clinical studies published in prestigious medical journals, such as the Annals of Internal Medicine[6] and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,[7] have proven that naturally occurring compounds found in red yeast rice effectively balance cholesterol ratios quickly and with no side effects. Unfortunately, many people do not even know about red yeast rice because few doctors have the time to keep up on the latest research, especially when a natural compound is involved.

Not All Red Yeast Rice Is Created Equal

Red yeast rice may be one of the most effective ways to balance cholesterol ratios and support optimal heart function quickly and with no side effects, but it’s critical to choose the right red yeast rice supplement.
Here are four easy-to-remember tips:
1. Choose organic red yeast rice because it has been found to be the most effective and free of any potential toxins.
2. Be sure to choose a red yeast rice supplement that also contains CoQ10. Red yeast rice and CoQ10 are a match made in heaven when it comes to heart health.
3. To get an effective daily dose, read the label on the bottle to ensure that it contains 1,200 mg of pure red yeast rice. Anything less and you will not be getting a clinically effective dose.
4. Always look for a supplement made in the United States in an FDA-inspected facility that meets the stringent standards of US Pharmacopeia (USP).