Last Friday was National Wear Red Day, a campaign designed to raise awareness of heart disease in women. I’m so glad that more and more people now know about the dangers of heart disease in women. Unfortunately, like hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, and vaginal dryness, heart disease is yet another effect of menopause caused by the decline and resulting imbalances of female hormones like estrogen.
Protecting the health of your heart is of paramount importance. Heart disease remains the number-one killer of women over age 50, and, at any age, more fatal heart attacks occur in women than in men.
In addition to losing excess weight, exercising regularly, and following heart-healthy diet, there are three supplements that I often recommend to maintain heart health:
- CoQ10 enhances mitochondrial energy for high-demand heart tissues, helps maintain normal blood pressure, and fights free-radical damage. Some studies show that individuals with heart disease have low levels of CoQ10. Take 30 mg twice daily with food.
- L-carnitine works with CoQ10 by carrying fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are converted to energy and help your heart work more efficiently. Take 1,000-2,000 mg daily between meals.
- Natookinase is a powerful enzyme that can help lower blood pressure and support normal blood clotting. Take 100-200 mg per day.