Heart Health with Dave Scott

Excessive exercise can be a detriment to a having a robust heart. Moderate exercise is the key. If you’re a compulsive exercise addict which included long and hard sessions without adequate recovery; then the heart can struggle with regaining and renewing its vigor to keep you ticking forever.

I smashed my heart for my entire athletic career with big volume, high intensity, inadequate rest and the long-term outcome is not what I anticipated. Thinking early on that exercise is the premium fuel for your heart is absolutely correct but too much is destructive.

Choosing the later throughout my athletic career and having a Deep Vein Thrombosis, a Pulmonary Embolism after being hit by a car on my bike, plus two heart ablations, atrial flutter and fibrillation my fate was cast. I now have an aortic aneurysm which is irreversible.

The information that I am sharing comes on the heels of my career and keenly aware of premium heart health plus the terms overreaching and overtraining, which I’ve monitored and mentored to numerous athletes - the application to myself was a brash and naive oversight. Dealing with my heart is a day-to-day issue and a topic that provides perspective and insight on what should and could have been done over the past six decades.

So, let’s talk about what wisdom I’ve garnered! Wisdom is a lofty term but there are numerous steps that can have immediate and positive effect on your heart health and overall physiology.

Let’s take a look at steps that you can overcome and override the top six heart stoppers:

• Excessive body weight. Huge issue for the heart and losing 1.5% /week for the first 6 weeks and 1% for each week following is the prescribed weight loss. Try eliminating the late-night snack and eat earlier in the evening.
• If you can exercise in the AM with a small amount of protein to start the day - this is perfect. An egg is a good starter!
• Avoid the juices, fluid replacement drinks and simple sugars.
• Cut back on seed oils like Canola, Corn, Sesame, Peanut, Sunflower, Safflower, Cottonseed and read your packaged foods - these are laced with heart damaging oils!
• Limit alcohol to one drink per day or 5 per week. No binging!
• Smoking - just stop!!
• Check your blood pressure and keep it under 130/70
• Have a complete physical with heart blood markers.
• Smash your stress level and turn off your electronics 2 hours before bed.

• Exercise for 150 minutes per week or 75- 100 minutes if you include higher intensity segments.
• Set the time of day and ideally AM is best to allocate your daily exercise dose. Get outside in the sun or even on a cloudy day and this enhances the daily circadian rhythm and controls the stress hormones - specifically cortisol.
• Spread out your time each day and a little bit goes along ways. Approximately 20’ a day is A longer day is fine but not going nuts with the distance! If you can add higher intensity of 3-6 x 30 seconds on 3 days per week this is even better. For example, if you walk, take big or faster steps plus add uphill. Cycling, inline skating or if you’re indoors, apply the same formula.
• All movement is excellent for the heart and elevating your core temperature is one of the key tenants. Dancing, pickle ball, tennis, aerobics class or online classes can get your heart rocking.
• Add some strength exercises: pushups (on knees is fine), hangs from a dipping down for a shallow squat, include stretch cord exercises or any body weight movements that moderately load your thoracic spine, hips and shoulders.
• Nutrition is key and I mentioned what not to include (above). Now include these food items:
• Healthy leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables
• Cold water fish with a touch of garlic
• Grass fed beef/ pasture raised chickens and eggs.
• Whole fat dairy not low fat! Butter and cream are excellent.
• Fruit in moderation and berries are brilliant for the heart.
• Light on the grains and pasta
• Spices: ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, basil, pepper all wonderful for your heart

• Astaxanthin (BioAstin Hawaiian Astaxanthin) the most potent and heart healthy antioxidant. 
• COQ10 for a robust mitochondria, the energy organelles that provides the backbone of health for your heart.
• Krill - Omega 3. Get on it this one is an absolute must for heart longevity.
• Glutathione liposomal - the master antioxidant that works synergistically with Krill and Astaxanthin.
• Vitamin D3, Magnesium and Vitamin K2 have been on my heart healthy list for 30 years and the science is irrefutable.
• B - complex vitamins specifically B 2, 6, 9 and 12 are blood boosters and integral for your physiology and pumping up the heart.
• Take a daily probiotic. This will enhance the gut microbiome to elevate the digestion, transport, storage and fueling for your heart.

If you strive to improve your heart health - the heart is the driver for every bodily system; organs, hormones and bodily function that will optimize your health are heart driven. 

This information is not meant to be medical advice.  Always consult your healthcare provider before starting a new diet, exercise, or health program.  Results may vary. 

Dave Scott is a Nutrex-Hawaii ambassador.