Health Consultive

More women fear breast cancer than any other disease. Yet cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims over ten times as many women?s lives as breast cancer. In fact, CVD is the nation?s leading cause of death for both men and women. That?s the bad news. The good news is that CVD is almost entirely preventable. nutraOrigin, makers of high quality vitamins for women, shares the secrets of cardiovascular wellness.

What influences cardiovascular health?

One way to support cardiovascular health is to play by the numbers. All five of the following measurements tell you something about the state of your heart.

Cholesterol: excess cholesterol gets deposited in, and narrows, the artery walls
Triglycerides: elevated triglycerides are associated with a higher risk of coronary artery disease
Blood pressure: high blood pressure puts stress on the artery walls and increases the heart?s workload
Homocysteine: too much homocysteine degrades the structural integrity of the arteries
C-reactive protein: elevated C-reactive protein is associated with a higher risk for hypertension and CVD
Risk Factor Desirable Borderline Undesirable
Total cholesterol Below 200 200-239 240 and above
Triglycerides Below 150 150-199 Above 200
Blood pressure Below 120/80 120/80-140/90 Above 140/90
Homocysteine Below 10 mmol/L 10-18 mmol/L Above 18 mmol/L
c-reactive protein (CRP) Below 1.0 1.0-3.0 Above 3.0

Supplement secrets for heart health

Everyone knows that eating a healthy, whole foods diet and getting regular exercise are important for cardiovascular wellness. But did you know that select nutritional supplements can also make a big difference? Here are three to consider.

CardioBalance
Developed by nutraOrigin, Cardio Balance features 10 mg of high quality policosanol. Multiple studies indicate that natural policosanol provides a worry-free way to support healthy cholesterol levels. Cardio Balance features policosanol from sugar cane ? not the rice or wheat used in lower-quality products ? which is the only form of policosanol proven to deliver cholesterol benefits. This policosanol supplement is produced using a proprietary, all-natural extraction process that delivers the highest quality finished product.

Omega-3 Essentials
Chances are you?ve heard about Omega 3 fatty acids, because they?re good for so many things. At nutraOrigin, we believe supplementing with Omega 3 fish oil, or Omega 3 for short, is one of the best things you can do for your heart. Here are just some Omega 3 benefits:

? Helps maintain healthy levels of triglycerides and C-reactive protein
? Promotes a desirable blood pressure
? Supports a regular heart rhythm

You can buy these essential fats as liquid Omega 3 oil, but most people prefer the convenience of Omega 3 pills. Whichever Omega 3 supplement you choose, just keep in mind that quality differs tremendously among different brands. nutraOrigin?s Omega 3 pills are highly concentrated, purity-certified, readily absorbed, and stabilized with antioxidants.

Nutra Multi Iron-Free
Because so many vitamins and minerals are essential for heart health, taking a comprehensive multivitamin like nutraOrigin?s Nutra Multi Iron-Free is a great way to take care of your heart. This one multiple contains: 1. a plethora of antioxidants, which protect against free radical damage, 2. the trio of B vitamins known to support healthy homocysteine levels, and 3. magnesium, essential for the integrity of the heart muscle.

The experts at nutraOrigin recommend taking all three formulas together for maximum synergistic effect.

For many people in today?s busy world it?s quite easy to come up with an excuse for not being in shape and exercising regularly. Some of the more common ones are ?I?m too busy?, ?There aren?t enough hours in a day?, and ?I?m so tired after work and taking care of the kids all day?. However most of these are just that, excuses. Unless your doctor has informed you that you should not exercise, some form of activity or physical fitness should be a priority on everyone?s daily routine. The key is realizing that your health is an important part of your life, and should be made a priority.

The best way to keep is shape is to be involved in some sort of physical activity on a regular basis (at least 3 times a week). If you can find a sports activity like swimming, tennis, racquetball, basketball, baseball, softball, running, or karate that you enjoy this is just as effective as a regular exercise routine. If it?s something you enjoy chances are you won?t think of it as drudgery and will look forward to doing it.

For those of us who don?t participate in some form of sports on a regular basis we are going to have to come up with regular exercise program. One of the most successful methods is to get up half an hour earlier in the morning and exercise. If you really like your sleep this may be hard, but if you exercise at night it?s much easier to say ?I?m too tired today? and skip it. If you have kids around the house you are also setting a great example about how important taking care of your health and your body really is.

The first option to consider is choosing a gym. While a gym can be expensive you will have access to a wide variety of equipment and machines that you could never afford or fit into your house. You will also have access to health professionals like personal trainers.

If a health club is too expensive or doesn?t fit your lifestyle consider a home gym. You can usually purchase a set of free weights, exercise bench and floor mat for under $200. If you like exercise machines such as stair climbers or stationary bikes keep in mind some of these can be expensive. Watch for garage sales where you can pick up second hand units at a discount.

Some people prefer the guidance that an exercise tape can give you. While these are good choices if you are like most people, you?ll get tired doing the same routine after a few weeks. Consider choosing a series of tapes, borrowing some from the library, or trading them with a friend. With the expansion of fitness programs on cable TV you also have access to a wide variety of programs. If the instructor you like isn?t on when you exercise consider using your VCR or Tivo to time shift your viewing.

Once you start exercising regularly make sure you vary your routine and change it from time to time. This not only keeps you from getting bored but it keeps your body from getting used to the exercises. Most fitness experts recommend changing your routine every 6-8 weeks. As with any fitness program make sure to check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.