Although February 14^th gets a lot of attraction, the whole month deserves a bit of TLC as it also marks National Heart Research month.

With every beat we are reminded of how hard the heart works to keep us alive.

The month of February is a time to celebrate the extensive research on heart health and ensure that our hearts are a priority for our personal health as well.

Here are five reasons to love your heart as well as some research and tips on how to improve our heart health:

1. Your heart requires antioxidants to help control the spread of free-radical damage which can cause your body oxidative stress. Ubiquinol is the direct and active form of Coenzyme Q10. It is one of the strongest antioxidants and it helps soak up free-radicals. Other antioxidants which have been shown to support heart health include dark chocolate, which I bet is music to your ears!
2. Your heart requires energy to keep it beating. Ubiquinol can increase the strength of your heart and its ability to pump blood by up to 17 per cent[i]. Ubiquinol has also been shown to maintain the health of the heart and vascular system. Although we naturally produce Ubiquinol in the body, as we age this level begins to decline. Stress, physical exertion as well as heart conditions can also contribute to this decline.
3. Ubiquinol is present in a number of foods however; if you wanted to achieve the recommended dose you would need to consume a substantial amount. You may want to consider speaking to your healthcare practitioner for healthy ways to supplement your levels.
4. In a 10-year study that was published in the prestigious Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2014), 420 patients with chronic heart failure underwent two years of treatment using CoenzymeQ10. The study found that supplementing with CoQ10 significantly reduced mortality in patients with a failing heart by 43 per cent[ii]. Ubiquinol is more bioavailable than CoQ10 and 3-8 times more absorbable, so the potential in assisting with heart health may be maximised with stabilised Ubiquinol[iii].
5. Your heart is the organ that regulates and circulates blood throughout the body. When you engage in highly intensive exercise session, your heart helps to push blood to the areas in need of energy as well as recovery. To help promote your heart’s blood circulation, you can support it by participating in daily exercise. Even some morning stretches can help kick start the rush of blood through the body which in turn helps to energise you for the day ahead.

Always consult your healthcare practitioner on strategies for your health.

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[i] BioFactors. Supplemental ubiquinol in patients with advanced congestive heart failure. 2008-01-01. Peter H. Langsjoen. Alena M. Langsjoen. http://iospress.metapress.com/content/2555Q517442P006M
[ii] JACC Heart Fail. 2014 Sep 25. pii: S2213-1779(14)00336-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2014.06.008. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25282031
[iii] Hosoe K et al, Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 47: 19–28, 2007
Ikematsu, H et al, Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 44: 212–218, 2006
Shults CW et al, Exper Neurol 188:491– 494, 2004

Author: Stephen Eddey, Principal of Health Schools Australia, Nutritionist and Naturopath.

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