Healthier Heart, Better Mood

Can a healthier heart really improve your mood? The evidence says it can. And it’s easy to see why. Your heart and brain constantly talk with each other. And if your heart is unhappy, it can have a profound affect on your mood—even if you aren’t aware that you have heart issues.

We’ve known since the 1950s that there is cross talk between the heart and brain using electrical signals. Now we’re finding evidence that when we improve the heart’s efficiency, we can also improve emotions and become more resilient to stress.

Historically, one of the problems with heart health is that, for the most part, you can’t easily feel or see any improvements. We know that people with heart disease are at a higher risk of developing depression, and that people who suffer from depression are at a higher risk for heart disease. Healthcare professionals used to dismiss these connections, but they are definitely worth investigating.

Foods that Hurt Your Heart & Mood

A few simple dietary fixes may help keep your heart and brain happier. To put it plainly, Americans eat too many processed foods that are high in sugar and low in fiber. That causes chronic inflammation in the body, which hurts the heart and increases the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries.

To promote a healthier heart and mood, focus on anti-inflammatory foods and supplements that help to manage oxidation. Limit you intake of sugar, processed foods, and alcohol, and instead eat more antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, avocados, and fatty fish. Also try swapping pro-inflammatory cooking oils such as corn and canola with heart-healthy options such as Malaysian certified sustainable palm oil.

Don’t Worry About Saturated Fat

When it comes to promoting a healthier heart—and mood—saturated fats really aren’t a concern. A 12-month study of 577 healthy adults found that while a high-carb diet was associated with increased heart disease risk factors, fat intake didn’t move the needle one way or the other. This is very revealing because the type of fat most  people in this study consumed was Malaysian palm oil, which is 50 percent saturated fat. This adds to the number of studies over the past decade that have exonerated dietary fat—including saturated fats—as a primary culprit in heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

Super Heart-Healthy Antioxidant

A new antioxidant supplement known as Palm Fruit Bioactive Complex, or PFBc shows a great deal of promise in promoting a healthier heart and mood. Research indicates that PFBc activates a wide range of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways in the body. It has been shown to promote cardiac function, support exercise recovery by maintaining a healthy non-inflammatory state, help to maintain heart rate variability, and support antioxidative stress reserves/capacity to help preserve mental health.

For a More Upbeat Mood, Follow Your Heart 

You’re probably not going to turn down an opportunity to feel cheerier. Now, when you read all those articles about heart health, you should be even more driven to follow their advice because those strategies may also help you experience a substantial improvement in anxiety and overall mood.

For more information, visit Dr. Talbott’s website at www.bestfutureyou.com.

Related:

• 10 Ways to Boost Your Mood Naturally
• Top 3 Herbs for Heart Health
• 12 Powerhouse Nutrients for a Healthy Heart