you live life through your heart. Not only your emotions and feelings but your overall health comes directly from it. Having a healthy heart is necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

This muscular organ is only as big as your clenched fist, but it plays one of the most important roles in keeping you alive. As far as it is beating, oxygen and nutrients are being delivered to your body for normal functioning.  

According to the World Health Organization, Cardiovascular diseases top the chart when it comes to the cause of the highest number of deaths annually. Most of the mortality occurs in middle and low-income countries. In the United States, at least one person dies every second from heart disease.

We are lucky enough that we have available certain herbs that not only protect us from heart disease but sometimes also cure them. 

Heart health herbs are a treasure for us that we need to preserve and cherish. A wide variety of plants and herbs are in use since old times, and further research is being conducted to evaluate their potential benefits.

Before moving on to the heart, health herbs, let’s answer some of the relevant frequently asked questions.

 

What Are The Risk Factors For Heart Diseases?

The three core risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and smoking.

• High blood pressure is the “Silent Killer.” A person who is hypertensive is at constant risk of suffering from a heart attack.
• Cholesterol gets deposited in the vessels of your heart and makes the pumping difficult as the arteries of your heart become narrow.
• Smoking or tobacco use is a key contributor as it eventually leads to high blood pressure and other medical complications. A study found out that cigarette smoking was associated with angina.

 

Apart from these key risk factors, other contributors include:

• Diabetes mellitus
• Obesity
• High salt intake
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Excessive alcohol drinking
• Genetics and family history
• Old age

What Are The Signs & Symptoms For Heart Disease?

The signs and symptoms listed below are the ones you should not ignore but report to the Emergency room. You should consult a physician in case they get worse.

• Chest pain or Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Numbness in hands and feet
• Body pain
• Pain in neck, jaw, or left arm
• Lightheaded
• Dizziness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fainting
• Inflammation around the eyes or on the legs
• Fatigue
• Dry or persistent cough
• Weakness
• Increased sweating
• Anxiety
• Feeling of heartburn

What Are Some Common Heart Conditions?

Heart diseases occur irrespective of the cast, color or, bread affecting about 17.9 million people each year. There are several different types, out of which few are listed down below:

1. Coronary artery disease is the most common. The arteries of the heart become narrow from deposited cholesterol, which then reduces the blood supply and transport of oxygen.
2. Arrhythmia is the irregular beating of the heart. Due to disturbance in the electrical signaling, either the heart beats too fast or too slow, ultimately weakening it.
3. Cardiomyopathies are of 3 different types and mainly affect the pumping capability of the heart.
4. Congenital defects occur when the heart does not develop properly and are present since birth.
5. Myocardial Infarction, more commonly known as Heart Attack, happens when the blood supply to the heart has stopped, and it stops functioning.
6. Valvular diseases develop when the valves of the heart do not work properly and produce a murmur.
7. Rheumatic Heart Disease is the infection of valves commonly affecting children.
8. Heart Failure refers to the condition where the heart can not pump properly; either the pressure is too high or too low.

How To Prevent Heart Disease?

The foremost important things to prevent heart disease are living a healthy lifestyle and dietary modifications. Making certain positive changes in your daily life can lower down the risk of having heart disease. It also helps in living a normal life in case a person is suffering from heart disease.

An epidemiological study indicates that making changes in what you eat can greatly reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. What you consume and how you spend your day has a great impact on your heart.

Exercising regularly and losing weight has a major contribution to health-related problems. Other modifications include reducing salt and cholesterol intake, quitting smoking, avoiding drinking alcohol, and controlling blood pressure. It is also important to have a proper 8 hour sleep and stay stress-free.

When it comes to a healthy diet, one should include a balanced number of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. There are many heart health herbs and supplements which reduce the risk.

Top 11 Best Heart Health Herbs And Supplements

There are many medications like digoxin that are derived from herbs and are now used to treat heart conditions. Herbal medicine has shown potential benefits in the therapeutic field, and some of the best heart health herbs are as follows.

 

1. Cinnamon

Cinnamon not only has a great smell but a sweet taste too that complements many desserts. It has a wide variety of benefits, of which lowering blood cholesterol levels is the main. Additional effects include its quality to lower blood pressure and stress levels.

After a meta-analysis was carried out, it concluded that consuming cinnamon on a daily basis lowered not only cholesterol levels but also fasting glucose. It also increases the good cholesterol in the body that has protective effects.

CEYLON CINNAMON 1200MG is considered safer than raw cinnamon because it does not contain Coumarin that might have toxic effects. The anti-oxidizing quality allows it to maintain blood glucose in a safe range and protect the heart. This heart health herb also maintains healthy joints and is 100% natural.

 

2. Turmeric

Turmeric contains curcumin that gives it the characteristic yellow color. The herb typically reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by lowering bad cholesterol and preventing the formation of blood clots in the vessels. It has been established as effective as allopathic medicine and exercise.

Studies have shown the cardio-protective effects of curcumin by its association in increasing cell survival, proliferation and reducing inflammation as well as oxidative stress. The therapeutic benefits of turmeric and its effectively treating cardiovascular diseases are under discussion.  

 

3. Tribulus

Tribulus is a traditional herbal medicine that has multiple health benefits. The ones concerning the heart include its quality of reducing blood sugar levels and blood pressure. It also reduces cholesterol levels in the body. The herb protects the blood vessels reducing the risk of heart conditions.

A study was conducted to evaluate the benefits of Tribulus for myocardial ischemia. The results were promising, considering the anti-apoptotic potential of the herb.

Tribulus Pure - High Potency Tribulus maintains its potency by 45% saponins, making it a perfect supplement. When combined with a healthy diet, it maintains the fluid balance and is preferred by athletes because of its effect on testosterone levels. The high-quality herb protects your heart and keeps you fit.

 

4. Garlic

Garlic has always been a part of our recipes, the way it gives extra flavor to meals, and it also gives extra support to our heart. Eating raw garlic is potentially effective in reducing high cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It also reduces swelling and brings down Inflammation in your vessels.

A Human study showed that having garlic lowered down blood pressure by 7-16 mm Hg systolic and 5-9mm Hg diastolic. It also reduced cholesterol levels by 7.4-29.8 mg/dL. Reduction in markers of atherosclerosis was also observed.

 

5. Magnesium

Magnesium supplements are important in maintaining overall heart health. It reduces blood pressure and allows heart patients to engage in physical activities for a longer duration without experiencing Shortness of breath. Magnesium competes with calcium, which generates heart contractions, thus protecting the heart.

Replacing table salt with magnesium salt has protective effects. It works like a natural calcium channel blocker, which also increases insulin sensitivity and reduces dyslipidemia. Studies suggest that having 500-1000mg magnesium reduces blood pressure by 5.6-2.8 mm Hg.

Magnesium Glycinate 400 Mg by Be Herbal provides our body with the perfect amount of magnesium supplementation it needs. It comes in the easiest form that our body can absorb without any GI disturbance. It has core importance in the healthy functioning of heart muscles and rhythm.

 

6. Ginger

Ginger is regularly used in tea, salads, and other cuisines. It is typically beneficial in lowering blood pressure and high cholesterol levels of the body. Furthermore, it prevents the narrowing of your blood vessels and maintains a normal blood supply, thus preventing ischemia.

As a heart health herb, ginger has been successful in reducing morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular diseases. A study suggests that ginger has anti-platelet effects along with its ability to treat hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

 

7. Vitamin K2

Vitamin K2 reduces the deposition of plaque in the blood vessels, preventing the narrowing of arteries supplying the heart or carrying blood away from the heart. Vitamin K2 is responsible for removing excess calcium from the body, which might cause calcification of the blood vessels, thus reducing the risk of heart diseases related to the vessels.

Research gave strong evidence of how Vitamin K prevents the stiffening and hardening of the blood vessels. Regular intake protects your heart from all calcium associated heart conditions.

Vitamin K2 With D3 5000 Iu - Enhanced With Calcium And Bioperine is a 3rd party certified supplement with the perfect amount of Vitamins needed by our body. The 4 in 1 formula works together towards the healthy functioning of our heart and body. It also has beneficial effects on your bone health and immune system. 

 

8. Green Tea

Green tea has been around for centuries. It not only protects and reduces the risk of heart diseases but also prevents other medical conditions. It has strong anti-oxidizing properties, and the key component epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the major compound behind the effects of green tea.

Green tea has shown protective effects on heart disease with evidence. Adding on, consuming 200-300 mg of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has shown potential benefits on heart health through study.

 

9. Cardamom

Cardamom is mainly used in Indian and Pakistani dishes. It is also chewed raw by many people. This heart health herb’s primary effect is reducing blood pressure and the formation of blood clots with cardio-protective effects. Cardamom has diuretic effects that remove extra water and salt from your body, thus being therapeutic in hypertensive patients.

A study’s findings show that cardamom has an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidizing effect that fights against the reactive oxygen species that might cause myocardial ischemia.

 

10. Pomegranate

Pomegranate is also called ruby red because of its health benefits. The anti-oxidizing capabilities of the fruit help in reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. It also decreases high blood pressure, which is one of the leading causes responsible for heart diseases. It is a heart-healthy fruit.

Pomegranate juice typically reduces systolic blood pressure, as shown in studies. It inhibits the angiotensin-converting enzyme and has direct effects on hypertensive patients.

 

11. Coriander

Coriander, also called cilantro in some parts of the world, is responsible for lowering the body’s bad cholesterol. It also has diuretic effects that remove the extra fluid and salts from your body that may collect around the heart and disturb its functioning. Coriander is associated with reducing the risk of heart disease by increasing the body’s amount of good cholesterol.

A recent study showed that coriander improves the lipid profile and allows healthy functioning of the left ventricle.

 

Conclusion

Though heart diseases are very common, and almost every other person is suffering from them, the conditions are still preventable. The heart health herbs have potential benefits towards all the risk factors except hereditary and congenital disease. They are not only preventive but also curative.

Researchers are still evaluating herbs and their effect on human health to minimize the use of medicines. Daily use of herbs might help reduce the severity of symptoms for some. For traditional people, they are still the only therapeutic measure.

All the above-listed heart health herbs are recommended after detailed study and observation. Despite that, it is recommended to consider the toxic effects, which vary from person to person.

 

 

References:

1. Diseases (CVDs). WHO. www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds).
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5. “Heart Information Center: Heart Disease Risk Factors.” Texas Heart Institute, 30 Sept. 2020, www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/heart-disease-    
6. risk-factors/.
7. Nick H. Mashour, MD. “Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Cardiovascular     
8. Disease.” Archives of Internal Medicine, JAMA Network, 9 Nov. 1998,  jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/210378.