Nourishing the Heart
Fill Up On Fiber
Fiber supports heart health in several important ways. It binds to excess cholesterol and helps remove it from the body through the stool, which can lead to lower cholesterol levels. Fiber also plays a role in stabilizing blood sugar and protecting blood vessels by reducing oxidative damage and plaque buildup in the arteries—both of which lower the risk of stroke.
In addition, increasing fiber intake has been shown to support healthy blood pressure. Including more fiber-rich foods such as beans, nuts and seeds, vegetables, berries, and apples can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This simple dietary shift can be especially beneficial for people with heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Make Friends with Fish
Omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish (or fish oil liquid or capsules), grass-fed beef, and some plants and seeds are helpful for lowering triglyceride levels, improving vasodilation, and preventing unwanted blood clots. We recommend eating wild-caught or sustainably farmed fish (which are lower in mercury) at least twice per week.
Fish oil supplementation can be a good option if you don’t like cooking or eating fish regularly. For the fish oil supplement, aim for EPA and DHA levels to equal 1,000 mg per day for general health benefits and remember that quality matters! If the EPA and DHA levels are not printed on the bottle we suggest you find another brand. Lower quality supplements can contain heavy metals and often contain less of the health-promoting omega 3 fatty acids. Spend your money wisely!
Love on Your Liver
The liver is the unsung hero when it comes to heart health. We love it for all of the ways it supports health, specifically in cholesterol metabolism. Eighty percent of the cholesterol in your body is made by the liver and only 20% comes from the food you eat. You can support your liver by drinking adequate amounts of water, avoid alcohol, limit refined sugars in the diet, and eat liver-supportive foods such as beets, leafy greens, dandelion greens, cruciferous vegetables, and fiber-rich foods. Check out this post on our blog for more liver-supportive foods!
Keep Hormones Happy
Move Your Muscles
Vigorous exercise is associated with all the benefits of moderate exercise plus improved blood sugar control and increased cardiovascular fitness. Examples include running, uphill hiking, swimming, and cross-country skiing. Aim for 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.
Keep Connected
Research from the Cleveland Clinic shows that chronic depression is associated with a 1.5–2 times increased risk of heart attack and coronary artery disease. One contributing factor may be prolonged elevations in stress hormones and neurotransmitters—such as cortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine—which can increase oxidative damage to the heart and blood vessels over time.
Because of this mind–heart connection, a holistic approach to improving depression is an important part of cardiovascular care. This may include assessing for nutrient deficiencies, supporting healthy neurotransmitter balance with key nutrients such as an active B-complex, and incorporating herbs like St. John’s wort, lavender, lemon balm, or gotu kola when appropriate. Equally important is social connection, which plays a critical role in emotional resilience and mood support. Dr. Emma Seppälä offers additional insights on the science of connection here.
Sit in the Sauna
The benefits of sauna use are endless but did you know that it can also be helpful for heart health? While sauna therapy doesn’t replace the benefits of exercise, sweating in a heated room can tone your cardiovascular system, help improve circulation, increase your metabolism and encourage weight loss. Schedule yourself for a session in our sauna here. Discount packages are available!
