Christmas and New Year’s have come and gone and the stores are now being decorated with merchandise for the next holiday… Valentine’s Day! This is the time of year we hear a lot about our heart and the importance of taking care of this vital organ we so often neglect. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the United States for men and women. If you’re like most people, you think that heart disease is a problem for other people. However, not only is it the leading cause of death, it is also a major cause of disability. There are many different forms of heart disease. The most common cause of heart disease is the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. This is called coronary artery disease and happens slowly over time and it’s the major reason people have heart attacks.
Coronary heart disease is caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries to your heart, also referred to as hardening of the arteries. What happens is that fatty material and other substances form a plaque build-up on the walls of your coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to your heart. This buildup causes the arteries to get narrow. As a result, blood flow to the heart can slow down or stop.
You can help reduce your risk of heart disease by taking steps to control factors that put you at greater risk:
• Control your blood pressure
• Lower your cholesterol
• Don’t smoke
• Get enough exercise
I’m sure we’ve all heard the importance of these risk factors. It’s what I love about the e84 Challenge, reading stories from people who have reported improved readings in these important health markers simply by making the small daily changes with the e84 Challenge. However, one thing most people don’t think of when it comes to heart health are the benefits of beets and betalains. One of the interesting findings the research has indicated is that betalains have been shown to prevent Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in in vitro testing. (Int. J. of Food Sci and Techn. 2009.44.2365-2376). The Free Radical Research Journal in June 2003;37(6):689-96 puplished an ex vivo study; Increased resistance to oxidation of betalain-enriched human low density lipoproteins. This ex vivo study also indicated that betalains may prevent LDL oxidation.
So how does preventing LDL oxidation benefit your heart? LDL is commonly referred to as the “bad” cholesterol; the part that significantly contributes to plaque formation on your arteries. High Density Lipoprotein or HDL is referred to as the “good” cholesterol that helps to prevent heart attack and removes cholesterol from the blood. What happens with LDL oxidation or free radical damage is that the LDL becomes deposited in the lining of the blood vessels and promotes plaque formation, contributing to the narrowing of the arteries and reducing blood flow. What laboratory studies have indicated is that betalains have been shown to interrupt this process. To the right is a great image from the American Heart Association showing the HDL and LDL cholesterol in our blood.
This type of research gives new meaning to the phrase our parents would often say “eat your beets…they’re good for you!” Even better… take your Evolv LIMITLESS!
Join myself and special guest and Evolv Health Expert Holly Arsenault, Registered Massage Therapist for our next Evolv’d Living Wellness call to learn more about the benefits of our ground breaking product, Evolv Limitless.
Register for the Evolv’d Living Wellness Webinar!
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
9PM ET, 8PM CT, 7PM MT, 6PM PT
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