You must change your
lifestyle to achieve success controlling your congestive heart condition the
natural way with diet and exercise.
The first step is to be serious about keeping yourself at an ideal, healthy weight. This reduces that extra strain on
the heart. Any individual with congestive heart failure should also be sure to limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Additionally, it's important that you watch how much salt you use in a day. Don't forget that the salt you use directly from your salt shaker represents only a small portion of your daily intake.
Processed and prepared foods like frozen dinners contain a lot of salt. You may want to evaluate your diet to see how much "hidden' salt you eat in a day. This will clearly be marked on the package under sodium. Other places salt likes to hide include in bouillon cubes, soy sauce, meat tenderizers and chili sauce.
Health care practitioners recommend limiting your salt intake to 2,000 mg if you suffer from congestive heart failure. This is less than one teaspoon. If you have a frozen dinner in your freezer, you might want to check its sodium content. The average dinner contains upwards of 1,200 mg of sodium.
You can be creative when you cook and find salt substitutes. Instead of using salt, use one of the many seasonings on the market today that have a healthy combination of spices. This will make your meal more interesting and healthier at the same time.
At the same time you're limiting your salt, increase your use of monounsaturated oils. These types of oils include extra virgin olive oil. Be sure to eat more foods higher in the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Salmon, tuna and other seafood are great sources of these oils.
And, it's always good to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables. These are natural energy foods, just jam-packed with the vital nutrients your body is craving. Additionally, try to eat more foods that contain garlic, onions and even celery. All three of these foods have been known to help reduce high blood pressure.
Supplementing your diet with certain nutrients is absolutely necessary as well. In addition to a daily multiple vitamin, you should consider using the dietary supplement coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Coenzyme Q10 is a natural enzyme that is found in the mitochondrial membranes of cells that provide your body with energy. When you lack this enzyme, your body lacks energy.
While the amazing effects of CoQ10 have been known since 1967, it's only been in the last several decades that it has been used in the natural treatment of congestive heart failure. No specific amount of CoQ10 has been established by any organization, although servings of 30 to 600 mg seem to help many. Many health care practitioners recommend that their patients take anywhere from 100 mg to 300 daily.
Note: Some statements in this article may not be
approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and
should not be taken as professional medical advice.