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Greetings, dear reader, and welcome to the Integral Fitness blog on optimizing your circulatory health! This article, like my others, is written as a “Cliff Notes” or “SparkNotes” style study guide. It is a distillation of those elements which current research has determined to be most integral to health of the circulatory system. Enjoy!
Is your blood healthy? There are many different circulatory system diseases such as heart attack, stroke, amyloidosis (build up of abnormal proteins in tissues and vessels), thrombosis (blood clots), microclotting, and thrombocytopenia (abnormally low level of platelets). This brief summary highlights ways in which we can improve our circulatory heath and hopefully prevent these and other disorders.
Always consult with a qualified medical professional. Maintain regular checkups. Never attempt to self-diagnose.
Have your Whole Blood Viscosity (WBV) measured
Elevated blood viscosity is a strong independent predictor of cardiovascular events. In the Edinburgh Artery Study, elevated blood viscosity was the strongest predictor of stroke risk, after controlling all other major risk factors.
This marker is especially important if any of the following conditions are present: smokers, obese individuals, history of blood clots, insulin resistance, hypertension, elevated markers such as C-reactive protein, glycated hemoglobin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fibrinogen, homocysteine, women taking oral contraceptives, anyone with kidney disease, glaucoma, macular degeneration, changes in cognitive function, or autoimmune diseases, pregnant women or women with any history of preeclampsia or intrauterine growth retardation, and young athletes.
In addition, have your medical practitioner examine for red blood cell count, size assay, coagulopathy, and anemia (Anemia has been observed in vivo to produce a hypercoaguable state).
Side note on anemia: As much as 33% of the US population may currently be affected by anemia. Anemia is a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues. It can come in many forms of anemia, each with its own cause. Anemia is also referred to as low hemoglobin and can make you feel tired and weak.
Anemic patients have elevated levels of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor). VEGF may contribute to inflammation and coagulation. The data suggest that anemia might impact on the progression of angiogenesis (formation of new blood cells) in malignant and benign diseases. See: Anemia and elevated systemic levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
Exercise regularly
Emphasize weight bearing exercise such as resistance training, running, racket sports, group fitness, Pilates, Yoga, etc. These activities increase red blood cell production and increases nitric oxide which opens up blood vessels and increases blood flow.
Conversely, long-term excessive endurance exercise (training for marathon, ultramarathon, triathlon, etc.) may induce pathologic structural remodeling of the heart and large arteries and excessive oxidation.
For best results, follow the FITT protocol: exercise at the right Frequency and Intensity for the right amount of Time with the right Type of activity to elicit positive adaptations. See a Fitness Coach for assistance designing a program for your specific circumstances and goals.
Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT)
In this type of training you are intermittently conditioning the body to adapt to hypoxia (decreased oxygen) and hypercapnia (increased carbon dioxide). This induces hormesis (good stress response) causing the body to increase the number of mitochondria, increase the number and size of red blood cells, increase oxygen to the tissues, increase the production of antioxidants and reduce oxidative stress.
Athletes use a specialized mask that replicates training at high altitudes however IHT can be practiced by almost anyone using very simple methods.
A simple technique is to inhale normally and exhale normally followed by a breath hold. There should be no force or strain. Simply relax and when a medium strong urge to inhale is felt resume normal breathing and recover for 30 seconds. Repeat 6-10 rounds 2 times per day.
Side note: condition yourself to breath primarily through your nose.
For a more thorough IHT see Optimize Your Breathing
Stay hydrated
Drink adequate amounts of water on a daily basis. Dehydration causes blood vessels to narrow and blood to thicken, increasing risk for blood clots. Proper hydration is more than just water intake so be sure that your nutrition plan provides adequate electrolytes.
Eat healthy
Follow a nutrient dense diet, preferably moderate to low carbohydrates. Excessive carbs tend to lead to chronic inflammation and negatively impacts the circulatory system. Include adequate protein and ample healthy fats.
Side note on fats: the average diet is very low in healthy fats (especially the omega-3 fatty acids EPA, DHA and ALA) and much too high in unhealthy, inflammatory fats. Omega-3 fats assist in healthy blood flow and prevent sticky blood. This is one reason why grass fed animal products are preferable to grain fed as they contain a higher ratio of anti-inflammatory fats to inflammatory fats.
Choose organic when possible
A 2019 study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people with the highest levels of exposure to pyrethroid pesticides were three times as likely to die from cardiovascular disease during the 14-year study than those with less exposure. Even more terrifying is the case made against glyphosate/Roundup. See my post:
Supplement your diet
It is becoming increasingly harder for our diet to provide optimal nutrition in our modern world. Their are three main reasons for this:
1. Stress. Mental/emotional stress from a variety of sources, stress from lack of sleep, stress from living in a hypernovel environment of ever increasing type and number of chemicals that our bodies have to process, stress from exercise or lack of exercise, stress from chronic pain, stress from medications (many drugs affect appetite, nutrient absorption, and tissue metabolism).
2. Depleted minerals in farming soils.
3. Poor gut health.
Our diet needs to provide important micronutrients for circulatory health which include:
* Vitamin A
* Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
* Niacin (vitamin B3)
* Vitamin B5
* Vitamin B6
* Methylfolate (vitamin B9)
* Methylcobalamin (vitamin B12)
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin D
* Vitamin K
* Calcium
* Chromium
* Copper
* Iron
* Magnesium
* Phosphorus
* Potassium
The core supplements that I recommend the most to help individuals optimize their nutrition are:
A high quality multi vitamin
(preferentially look for one that contains methylfolate and methylcobalamine especially in regards to MTHFR mutations; see more below)
Vitamin D3
Vitamin K2
Magnesium
Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA)
Probiotics (especially bifidobacteria)
Depending on your specific needs (clotting issues, endothelial damage, amyloidosis, etc.), you may also want to research and consider these other following supplements:
Black Seed Oil (nigella sativa) - a source of Thymoquinone (THQ)
Nattokinase
Serrapeptase
Flush Niacin
Korean Red Ginseng
L-arginine
Melatonin
L-ornithine
MCT Oil
Potassium
NAC
NADH
Test for MTHFR gene mutation
A significant enough portion of the population (possibly between 40-60%) is effected by these mutations to warrant special concern here. Presence of these mutations can be determined by a simple blood test. Research has shown a link between these mutations and Cardiovascular and thromboembolic diseases, including
o Blood clots
o Strokes
o Embolisms
o Heart attacks
For more info see my post specifically covering MTHFR mutations here
Maintain a healthy body weight
nuff said.
Get adequate sun exposure
Get outdoors, sit near windows, travel south, whatever it takes get in the sunshine! Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with various CV risk factors and appears to be linked to a higher mortality and incidence of cardiovascular disease. Ideally have your Vitamin D levels checked routinely and use additional dietary supplementation accordingly.
For more details see Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels.
Cryotherapy
Cold shower/contrast showers (hot to cold), cold plunge, cryochamber, etc. When taken regularly, cold showers can make our circulatory system more efficient as well as improve mood and reduce inflammation. Be sure you have no contraindications before attempting.
Donate blood
Fresh, young blood cells are healthier, more flexible leading to improved viscosity.
Investigate and address food allergies
Food allergies and other sources of inflammation (autoimmunity) lead to increased proteins which thickens the blood.
Reduce alcohol
Among other problems alcohol interferes with your body’s absorption of nutrients and can damage the liver and kidneys, interfering with their roles in red blood cell production.
Quit smoking and vaping!
Once again, nuff said.
Get tested and, if applicable, treated for sleep apnea
Those with sleep apnea are 3 times more likely to suffer a stroke, heart failure or die, compared to people without sleep apnea.
Practice a form of relaxation daily
Mediation, prayer, calming types of breathwork can all lower heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, oxygen consumption, adrenaline levels, and levels of cortisol
Check your birth control medication
If you’re taking birth control pills, consult with your physician regarding risks of blood clot development.
Become familiar with the signs and symptoms of heart attack, strokes and blood clots.
Cultivate Gratitude, Compassion, Meaning and Service in your life. Uplift yourself and uplift others!
I hope you find this “cheat sheet” useful and, with further exploration, are able to integrate these ideas into your personal, integrated wellness routine. Thank you for reading and I welcome your comments below!
This information is not meant to be comprehensive but rather to be used as a foundation and study guide to support your own further research and experimentation. See link below if you’d like to consider personalized fitness & nutrition guidance.
Finally, always consult with a qualified medical and/or nutritional professional well versed in this subject. Maintain regular checkups. Never attempt to self-diagnose.
INTEGRAL FITNESS – UPLIFT YOURSELF AND UPLIFT OTHERS
TO BE HEALTHY, HAPPY AND HELPFUL!
For list offerings of online fitness/nutrition coaching services see: