With all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s no wonder we sometimes feel tired or lack energy. Maybe more sleep or a nap is needed, but fatigue could be indicative of more serious concerns, such as an unhealthy heart. If you find yourself lacking the energy you’re used to, it may be time to boost your heart health! Let’s take a closer look at how the heart impacts energy and natural ways to support both energy and heart health.
First, when should you be concerned about fatigue? Many health conditions cause fatigue, and heart disease is one of them. Here are some indications for fatigue that should never be ignored:
- Fatigue that lasts longer than one to two weeks without improvement or explanation
- Waking up exhausted after sleeping soundly through the night
- Having difficulty completing simple tasks
- Sudden exhaustion from a normal exercise routine
- Feeling tired or a heavy chest when not exerting yourself
- Simple activities wear you out
How does an unhealthy heart cause fatigue?
Fatigue is a classic sign of heart failure as the body becomes deprived of oxygen. An unhealthy heart affects your entire body. Your heat pumps blood throughout the body, carrying oxygen and nutrients to vital organs. As a result, when your heart cannot pump blood effectively, the rest of the body must work extra hard to continue to function. This is the case in heart failure with fatigue. The heart does not work as efficiently as it needs to and this decreases the amount of blood funneled throughout the body. When blood cannot get to your brain, lungs, and muscles fast enough, constant and relentless fatigue can result.
Fatigue can result from numerous heart conditions. During a heart attack, blood flow and oxygen are cut off to the heart, resulting in fatigue. In heart failure, the heart is unable to effectively pump and distribute blood. In coronary heart disease, when plaque builds up in coronary arteries, blood flow becomes obstructed and can result in fatigue.
Steps to increase energy and support a healthy heart:
Eat a Mediterranean-style diet:
this is a minimally-processed, heavily plant-based diet, rich in monounsaturated fat from olive oil, and low in saturated fat like meat and dairy. There is large, strong, and consistent evidence that the Mediterranean diet is associated with better cardiovascular health outcomes, including clinically meaningful reductions in coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and total cardiovascular disease.
Sleep:
Lack of sleep has been shown in observational and experimental data to pose a substantial risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Lack of sleep and poor sleep quality has been linked to hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, which are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Aim for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night to minimize cardiovascular risks.
Stop smoking:
Smoking substantially increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Chemicals and toxins not only drain your energy, but they cause blood to thicken and clots to form inside of arteries, which can form a blockage and lead to a heart attack. Avoid smoking, vaping, or any tobacco products.
Exercise:
Exercise is another piece of advice that the WHO recommends to avoid cardiovascular disease. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control. It improves lipid profiles, lowers hypertension, decreases blood viscosity, inhibits platelet aggregation, and increases endothelial nitric oxide (NO). In layman’s terms, it reduces the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, lowers blood pressure, helps to prevent your blood from clotting, and promotes vasodilation or widening of your vessels for adequate blood flow. All of these mechanisms reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days per week. Weight training and resistance training is recommended.
Key Supplements:
It goes without saying, but the combination of cardiovascular-focused supplements, along with lifestyle changes, can have powerful benefits. The following supplements support healthy energy levels in conjunction with a healthy heart.
Res-Q Omega 3s:
There is a reason why omega 3s remain at the top of the list of heart-healthy supplements. These essential fatty acids reduce inflammation, lower triglycerides, inhibit platelet aggregation, and support healthy blood pressure and heart rhythm. Deficiencies in omega 3s can result in fatigue, as can inflammation, therefore omega 3s support energy in numerous ways.
Res-Q Orosine:
This natural blend of ingredients has significant benefits when it comes to both energy and heart health. Magnesium orotate and inosine work directly on a cellular level to support ATP production in the mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of our cells. This results in a steady stream of energy and increased stamina throughout the day. Res-Q Orosine also promotes healthy blood pressure and heart rhythm as well as circulation.
Res-Q CellPower:
The key ingredient is 200mg of heart-healthy Coenzyme Q10. There are a variety of factors that can deplete us of CoQ10. Statin medications are one, but CoQ10 levels naturally decline with age as well. CoQ10 boosts mitochondria health, and there are many mitochondria in the heart. Thus, Res-Q CellPower supports both energy and heart health.
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Dr. Melissa Josselson, NDDr. Josselson earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She then earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree (ND) from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, a 4-year graduate-level naturopathic medical school and one of five accredited schools in the U.S. |
