fbpx

Did you know that inflammation is associated with heart disease? Keep reading to learn how to fight inflammation to help prevent heart disease.

While most people focus on blood pressure and cholesterol when it comes to heart disease, inflammation is also something you should know about. “Just like we’re targeting blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose, we also need to target inflammation,” says Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S., associate director of preventive cardiology for the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease. “We all should be making an effort to reduce chronic inflammation in our bodies.”

Inflammation and Heart Disease

Fight Inflammation to Help Prevent Heart DiseaseWhile researchers have known of a connection between inflammation and heart disease for decades, they didn’t know if anti-inflammatory treatments would help prevent cardiac events. However, according to a recent clinical trial called CANTOS, targeting inflammation without changing cholesterol levels can have a significant impact on your heart health.

In this study, people who had a prior heart attack and had elevated inflammatory markers despite statin treatment were injected with an antibody type of inflammatory drug. The results show that the treatment reduced their likelihood of subsequent heart attacks or strokes by 15 percent. In addition, it decreased the need for bypass surgery and other major interventions by 30 percent.

Inflammation is the body’s natural immune response to illnesses and injuries and they help fight off germs while facilitating recovery. However, cholesterol buildup and other conditions can also increase your body’s inflammatory response.

“For short-term conditions, inflammation is helpful,” explains Michos. “But sustained low levels of inflammation irritate your blood vessels. Inflammation may promote the growth of plaques, loosen plaque in your arteries and trigger blood clots – the primary cause of heart attacks and strokes.” Blood clots can potentially block an artery to the heart or brain, resulting in a heart attack or stroke.

Making Lifestyle Changes

3 Keys to Better Heart Health: Diet, Exercise, and SleepAccording to Michos, there are various lifestyle changes you can make to decrease the inflammation in your body. “The good news is that you can control inflammation by avoiding factors that activate your body’s inflammatory response,” says Michos. “And, these same lifestyle choices decrease bad cholesterol, lower blood pressure and reduce high blood sugar, too.”

To reduce inflammation, you should avoid smoking, maintain a healthy weight, increase physical activity, and eat a heart-healthy diet. By making these lifestyle changes, you can help lower your risk for chronic inflammation.

Furthermore, if you want to give your health an extra boost, you can also take supplements like HeartBeet Complete. Its ingredients promote healthy circulation, blood pressure, energy levels, and more. Give your health the support it needs by leading a healthy lifestyle and taking HeartBeet Complete.