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The Cardiovascular System, and how to keep it youthful
The circulatory system is often also known as the cardiovascular system, and is an organ system that allows blood to circulate and transport nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones, and blood cells to and from the body's cells, tissues and organs in order to provide nourishment, aid in disease prevention, and maintain homeostasis.
The cardiovascular system is made up of a muscle pumping apparatus called the heart and a closed system of vessels comprising arteries, veins, and capillaries. Blood in the circulatory system is pumped by the heart around this closed circuit of vessels that pervade every tissue and organ, and reach every cell in the body. The blood's ultimate function is to transport oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body while at the same time remove waste products like carbon dioxide to the lungs and other products such as urea and uric acid to the kidneys for elimination. The cardiovascular system is also crucial for thermoregulation (the body’s temperature regulation), which involves dispersing and dissipating heat throughout the body. Blood is a fluid made up of plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
The aging cardiovascular system
A healthy cardiovascular system is necessary for a long health span, but as people become older, its declines, which has a detrimental influence on all the other organ systems. For this reason, the cardiovascular system is one of the most important for healthy ageing.
Multiple changes occur in the cardiovascular system during ageing:
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The heart and blood vessels stiffen.
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The heart takes longer to fill with blood.
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Blood pressure usually rises with age because when blood is pumped into stiffer arteries, they are less able to expand.
However, a healthy older cardiovascular system can function well despite these changes, but when the heart needs to work harder to pump more blood, through exercise or illness for example, the differences between a young and old heart become evident. A heart that is older cannot beat as rapidly, pump as quickly, or pump as much blood as a young heart. As a result, older athletes can, for example, not perform as well as younger athletes. Daily aerobic exercise can help older people improve their athletic performance and maintaining a healthier and younger cardiovascular system. The stiffening of blood vessels and arteries is the most common ageing condition of the cardiovascular system, forcing your heart to work harder to pump blood through them. As a result of the increased workload, the heart muscles adapt. Your heart rate will remain around the same at rest, but during activities it will not rise as much as it used to at younger age. High blood pressure (hypertension) and other health complications are more likely as a result of these ageing-related changes.
Cholesterol is required by the body to build healthy cells, but high cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart disease. It can cause fatty deposits in your blood vessels, and these deposits eventually build up, making it difficult for adequate blood to circulate through your arteries.
Activities that can help maintaining a youthful cardiovascular system
• Engaging in physical exercise on a regular basis, ideally daily. Frequent walking, swimming, and other heart beat-raising activities, will maintaining a healthy weight and reduce risk of heart disease.
• Eating a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, high-fiber foods, and lean protein sources like fish. Limit high-saturated-fat and high-salt foods.
• Avoid smoking as it causes artery hardening as well as an increase in blood pressure and heart rate.
• Manage blood pressure by exercise, healthy diet and reduced stress.
• Getting plenty of rest and sleep. The healing and repair of the heart and blood vessels are greatly aided by good sleep. Aiming for a total of seven to nine hours sleep every night is optimal for cardiovascular health.
Foods and supplements that promote a healthy cardiovascular system
Fiber, which may be found in fruits, grains, vegetables, and legumes, helps your body absorb less cholesterol from diet. Every day, try to consume at least 25 to 30 grams of it. Men under the age of 51 should aim for 38 grams of protein each day. The easiest way to receive your daily amount is through food, although supplements are also a viable choice. Blond psyllium husk, which is commonly found in fiber supplements, has been shown to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol. It can also increase HDL, the "good" sort. Methylcellulose, wheat dextrin, and calcium polycarbophil are some other fiber supplements. If you use a fiber supplement, gradually increase your intake. This can aid in the prevention of gas and cramping. When increasing your fiber intake, it's also crucial to drink enough of water.
Sterols and stanols are two types of sterols found in foods like nuts and grains, or they can be obtained as supplements. They lower the amount of cholesterol absorbed by your body from the diet. Many foods, including margarines, orange juice, and yogurts, contain sterols and stanols. For patients with excessive cholesterol, experts recommend 2 grams per day to help decrease LDL cholesterol.
Inositol, also called myo-inositol, is a carbocyclic sugar found in abundance in the brain and other tissues, where it regulates osmoregulation and facilitates cell signaling in response to a range of hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors. Inositol can also improve insulin sensitivity, which can aid with blood sugar control. A study showed that women who took 4 grams of inositol per day improved their insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, all of which can lower your risk of heart disease.
Coenzyme Q, commonly known as ubiquinone, is a kind of coenzyme found in all mammals and microbes. Coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone-10, is the most prevalent type in humans. As you become older, your body's levels of CoQ10 drop. CoQ10 levels have also been shown to be lower in patients with specific diseases, such as heart disease, and in those who use statins, which are cholesterol-lowering medications. Meat, fish, and nuts all contain CoQ10. However, the quantity of CoQ10 in these dietary sources is insufficient to significantly raise CoQ10 levels in your body. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant that can protect from free radical damage. CoQ10 may help reduce blood pressure when taken as a supplement, either alone or in combination with other supplements. Researchers discovered that taking a CoQ10 supplement increased blood vessel health by 42 percent and reduced the risk of heart disease by 13 percent.
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to provide many health benefits and possess anti-inflammatory activity. Omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) are not produced by the body, so they must be obtained through diet. Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and anchovies, are high in EPA and DHA. At conditions of stress and obesity, fish oil has been shown to reduce the production of pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines.
Garlic lowers blood pressure and slows plaque accumulation in arteries, reducing the risk of blood clots. Garlic contains a component known as allicin, which acts as an antibiotic and thereby has antimicrobial qualities. Garlic may also help preventing cancer-causing chemicals from forming and activating, as well as enhance DNA repair.
Green Tea is a herb (Camelia sinensis) that has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine for its numerous health advantages, particularly as a powerful antioxidant and antibacterial agent. Green tea and green tea extract have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing HDL cholesterol levels.
Flaxseed oil is derived from flaxseed and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. ALA is a plant-based fatty acid that can be found in flaxseed oil, and can lower cholesterol levels.
Folic acid, a B vitamin, reduces homocysteine levels, which have been related to heart disease. In those with high blood pressure, it has also been found to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. While folate is best obtained from meals such as vegetables, legumes, and citrus fruits, some persons with celiac disease or an inflammatory bowel condition such as Crohn's disease may require a folate supplement.
Niacin, often known as Vitamin B3, is the most effective agent for increasing HDL levels in the blood, which aids in the removal of cholesterol deposits from arterial walls.
Grape seed extract is made from ground-up red wine grape seeds and is being utilized to treat a variety of illnesses. Grape seed extract has been shown to be useful for a variety of cardiovascular problems as it may assist in lowering high cholesterol. A high amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood is a known risk factor for heart disease. The oxidation of LDL cholesterol raises this risk dramatically and is a key factor in atherosclerosis, or the formation of fatty plaque in arteries. In multiple animal trials, GSE supplements were observed to prevent LDL oxidation caused by high fat diets. Grape seed extract can lower blood pressure and also has a blood-thinning effects, potentially lowering the risk of blood clots. A study on proanthocyanidin derived from GSE showed that it reduced leg swelling and edema by 70%.
Vitamin D protects bones, increases energy, and regulates insulin levels, all of which are beneficial to your heart and overall health. Increasing vitamin D levels by sun exposure (five to ten minutes, two to three times per week), eating vitamin D-rich foods (eggs, cheese, tuna, fortified milk, cereals, and juices), or taking a supplement, according to one study, can help to lower high blood pressure. Vitamin D has also been linked to a lower risk of stroke and diabetes in a study.
Promote cardiovascular health with resveratrol
Resveratrol is produced by a variety of plants such as grapes, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts, and seems to play a role in defending against injury when the plant is being attacked by pathogens. Resveratrol is a stilbenoid, a type of natural phenol and it may be associated with a reduced risk of blood clotting and inflammation, which may reduce the risk of heart disease, according to some research. However, some other studies did not support resveratrol's role in the prevention of heart disease. According to one study, people with type 2 diabetes who took resveratrol supplements experienced lower arterial stiffness.
Magnesium. Chronically low levels can raise the risk of hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis. Around 60% of your body's magnesium is found in the bones, while the remainder is found in muscles, soft tissues, and fluids, including blood. Magnesium assists in keeping a normal blood pressure and can also help correct abnormal heart rhythms.
Red yeast rice is made by yeast grown on white rice. In Asia, the powdered yeast-rice mixture is a common food, and it's also used in traditional Chinese medicine. Oral supplements containing red yeast rice are also available. Compounds found in red yeast rice appear to decrease cholesterol levels. Monacolin K, the same component found in the cholesterol-lowering medication lovastatin, is one of the compounds (Altoprev). People consume red yeast rice as an oral supplement to treat high cholesterol and heart disease.
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