Dr. G’s Top 4 Heart Nutrients

It would difficult to overstate the importance of having good blood flow throughout your body.

Your arteries are like a highway that carries oxygen and nutrients to every cell, tissue, and organ in your body. If those roads are blocked, it can spell disaster for your health.

Sure, you could pop any number of prescription drugs that help improve blood flow.

But why expose yourself to their risks when there are plenty of natural supplements that can keep your arteries healthy… and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Here are my top four…

The goal here is to load your plate (or your supplement stash) with specific nutrients that can either lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation in your blood vessels, improve the function of your blood vessels, or relax your arteries.

These six nutrients, either alone or together, can address all of these important factors for improved blood flow.

L-arginine is an essential amino acid (a building block of protein) that causes your body to release nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is one of the most critical components of healthy blood vessels because it’s what causes them to relax.

Not surprising, then, studies show that supplementing with L-arginine can help lower blood pressure.

It’s important to note, however, that for the best results you should combine L-arginine with B vitamins, since having enough folic acid, and vitamins B6 and B12 are necessary for L-arginine to be able to promote nitric oxide.

The benefit of this combination is obvious in a study of people with high blood pressure. Taking a combination of L-arginine, folic acid, and vitamins B6 and 12 for three months led to significant improvements in blood vessel health and lower blood pressure.

A nutrient called quercetin, found in onions, can improve the function of blood vessel walls. This is also critical for heart health, since blood vessel dysfunction contributes to atherosclerosis, the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.

In fact, one study showed that an onion extract that contained quercetin helped blood vessels dilate after meals.

I often talk about curcumin for its anti-inflammatory properties, and they certain play a role here as well.

But for the purpose of our topic today, I want to highlight a study showing that taking 2,000 mg of curcumin a day for 12 weeks led to proper blood vessel functioning.

And the best part? You can get all of these nutrients at your local natural food store or pharmacy.