By Schuyler Corrigan

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February 8, 2022

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February is Heart Health Awareness Month! With a focus on common heart-related imbalances such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and stroke, we’re kicking off this month with a few lifestyle and nutrition tips to maintain optimal heart health. Practicing prevention in this area is key to maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system, and even small, daily habits can add up to make a big difference long term. Here are some of the classic Tips for Optimal Heart Health the practitioners at Richmond Natural Medicine will encourage:

1. Reduce or eliminate the consumption of processed fast foods, fried foods, or foods high in saturated fats. 
2. Drink plenty of water, Our kidneys are largely responsible for maintaining our blood pressure and they are negatively impacted by dehydration. Try to consume half of your body weight (in ounces) of water each day, not to exceed 100 ounces for women, and 120 ounces for men. Ex: if you weigh 160 pounds, that’s 80 ounces of water per day. 
3. Consume foods rich in antioxidants every day. These include colorful fruits and vegetables (blueberries, red grapes, artichokes, spinach, kale, blackberries, goji berries), dark chocolate, pecans, and green tea. 
4. Exercise for 30 minutes each day. Even going for a brisk walk has been shown to reduce blood pressure levels long-term and support overall cardiovascular health. 
5. Practice stress management. High stress can be directly linked to high blood pressure, and if this is an area where you know you can use some improvement, take 1-2 minutes each hour to sit quietly, breathe deeply and calm your mind. This will get your body into the habit of dropping into a space of calm, especially if you are under periods of prolonged stress. 

 

The American Heart Association estimates that in 2019, some 46% of Americans (about 116.4 million) had hypertension. The CDC also reported that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in the US. Cardiovascular disease costs the US healthcare system more than 200 billion dollars per year, making it an area of health that deserves a robust preventive approach through patient education.

 

Q: How does your naturopathic doctor approach cardiology health issues?

Ideally, we prevent significant cardiovascular events from occurring by “screening” individuals for early signs of heart health issues including sleep, exercise, and diet. Family history also plays an important part in the risk assessment of each individual. If a significant risk is identified, then an additional investigation is appropriate which may involve home monitoring, referral to a primary care doctor, or referral to a cardiologist for testing. The detailed health and family history, blood labs, and advanced testing reports are used to develop an individualized care plan that details naturopathic therapies (independently or in conjunction with conventional medication), lifestyle adjustments, and nutrition upgrades.

It is not uncommon to find people who are starting to experience spikes in blood pressure or “white coat” syndrome” (elevated blood pressure) when visiting the doctor. Naturopathic medicine has interventions appropriate to modulate blood pressure response before it is chronically elevated. It is ideal to intervene before prescriptions are needed. 

Read More: Naturopathic Approach to Cardiovascular Health

 

If you are seeking support with cardiovascular health and would like to incorporate the principles of functional medicine and naturopathic medicine into your health plan. Request an appointment or call our office for more information, at (804) 977-2634.