There are many ways to keep your heart fit.  Exercise, balanced diet, stress management go a long way in keeping the heart healthy.  There are also some nutrients which have been found to play a major role in helping the heart stay fit !

Magnesium:  Scientists have found that the levels of magnesium in blood impact the risk of cardiovascular disease.  The lower it is, more the risk.  Magnesium is known to have soothing effect and has anti arrhythmic properties (arrhythmia is a condition of irregular or fast heart beat).  It has been found to also have hypotensive (blood pressure lowering) effect in clinical trials.  Foods rich in magnesium include dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and dark chocolate with high cocoa content.

Potassium:  Potassium is an electrolyte that maintains the balance of body fluids, helps muscles contract, and improves the tone and strength of blood vessels. Potassium reduces blood pressure and reduces salt sensitivity.  Some people are very sensitive to salt, and experience a spike in blood pressure when they eat salty foods.  Increasing potassium rich foods may help reduce this sensitivity. However, there must be more potassium when compared to sodium in the diet to obtain this benefit.  Potassium rich foods include pulses, dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, nuts and milk.

Antioxidants:  Antioxidants act in a number of ways to protect the heart from damage.  They enhance production of nitric oxide, which gives a non stick coating to arteries thereby preventing clogging and blood clot formation, which lead to a heart attack.  Besides, antioxidants prevent oxidation process of LDL, the bad cholesterol.  When LDL gets oxidized by “free radicals” in the body, it is recognized by the body as foreign, which in turn triggers activation of the immune system and initiation of inflammation. The inflammation further leads to plaque formation and eventually blocks arteries, leading to a heart attack.  Antioxidant rich foods include carrots, tomatoes, capsicum, green and black tea, dark coloured fruits and vegetables.

B vitamins:  In patients who have cardiovascular disease, a substance called “homocysteine” is elevated in the blood.  Homocysteine is directly associated with increased risk of heart disease.  Many studies have shown that B vitamins, especially vitamins B 6, B12 and folate reduce the levels of homocysteine and overall have a protective effect on heart.  Vitamin B 12 is found in yeast, liver, and meat, and small amounts in milk.  Supplementation may be necessary for strict vegetarians and for those who are allergic to milk.  Other B vitamins are found in whole grain cereals and pulses, nuts, seeds and eggs.