Heart Disease Prevention: 10 Vitamins for a Healthy Heart

I come from a family where heart disease is a high risk. I have relatives who've had various forms of heart disease, including sudden cardiac arrest and heart attacks. Thus, I try to live a healthy lifestyle. I exercise regularly, including aerobic and anaerobic exercises for cardiovascular health. But keeping your heart healthy and protecting against heart disease is about more than just exercise.

In this health article, I'll show you 10 vitamins and health supplements that you should take right now. Not only will they keep you healthy, but they'll help your heart stay strong and will help to ward off heart disease. Remember, you only have one heart! Take good care of it.

Health note: Everyone's body is different. Please note that, as with any health recommendations, you should see a doctor before taking any supplements and before changing your lifestyle.

10 Vitamins and Supplements for a Healthy, Disease-Free Heart:

#1 Healthy Heart Tip: Take fish oil supplements. Fish oil does a lot of great things, especially for your heart. Research studies suggest that fish oil can help get rid of buildup in your blood vessels so your heart doesn't have to work as hard (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fish-oil/NS_patient-fishoil).

#2 Healthy Heart Tip: Garlic supplements have been shown to potentially help lower your cholesterol (http://www.seacoastvitamins.com/topic.php?health=kyolic+.com). I like the Kyolic brand of garlic supplements because they are carefully preserved to insure potency, and they don't taste or smell strong like fresh garlic.

#3 Healthy Heart Tip: Vitamin E also helps with heart health by helping to keep your cholesterol down (http://ods.od.nih.gov/FACTSHEETS/VITAMINE.ASP), as well as getting rid of cholesterol buildup in your blood veins so your heart has an easier time.

#4 Healthy Heart Tip: Take lots of Vitamin C. Every day, I drink one packet of Emergen-C, a powdered vitamin C supplement with over 1000% the required daily dose of vitamin C. Not only does vitamin C help protect your heart (http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/11/09/vitamin_c_beats_statins_in_cholesterol_heart_disease.htm), but it can also help you get over the common cold faster!

#5 Healthy Heart Tip: Policosanol helps manage your cholesterol right from the start, helping stop your body from producing too much of it (http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/cholesterol/a/Nrxcol_pcol.htm).

#6 Healthy Heart Tip: The B vitamins are great for managing stress, but some of them-specifically vitamin B3 ( Niacin), have been shown to raise your healthy cholesterol levels (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/niacin/CL00036). Another great B-vitamin to protect against heart disease is vitamin B5 (Pantethine).

#7 Healthy Heart Tip: Exercise regularly. Aerobic exercises like running can increase cardiovascular fitness and help keep your heart healthy. A good diet, paired with healthy supplements and a strong exercise regiment, can keep your body and heart healthy and young.

#8 Healthy Heart Tip: Take grape seed extracts, another natural remedy for cholesterol and available at most health food stores and natural food stores. Grape seed extra has, in studies, lowered bad cholesterol (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/grape-seed-000254.htm).

#9 Healthy Heart Tip: Eat lots of nuts. Nuts, like almonds, have been shown to contain helpful chemicals that keep your cholesterol levels down (http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/134/119057.htm). Just be sure not to purchase sweetened or salted nuts, which often have additives that negate any positive, healthy improvements they might make. Raw or plain, roasted nuts are best for those fighting heart disease.

#10 Healthy Heart Tip: Watch your diet. This is the single best advice when paired with exercise. Lose excess weight by setting up an appointment with a registered dietician, and start making positive changes to protect your heart from heart disease.