Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for both men and women. Luckily, cardiovascular-related diseases are some of the most preventable health conditions (1). While working with your health care provider, being physically active, and maintaining a healthy body weight are paramount to reducing your risk, following a healthy eating plan can also go a long way. Unfortunately, most adults earn a failing grade when it comes to following a heart healthy diet.

It’s no secret that poor diet in the United States is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for chronic disease (2). Overall, diet quality among Americans is low, as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index, with small numbers of US adults attaining the recommended levels of most dietary factors (3). For example, fewer than one in six adults are consuming enough vegetables and fruits; and fewer than one in 50 are consuming sufficient whole grains (4). Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the average Healthy Eating Index score for American adults is 59 out of 100 (5). According to the qualitative grading criteria outlined by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics this equates to a letter grade of an “F”, the lowest assignable score (range A-F) (5). In relation, the NHANES survey also estimated low flavonoid intakes in US adults, indicating low intake of phytonutrient rich foods (6).

A heart-healthy diet is low in cholesterol and saturated fat, rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limits salty or sugary snack foods. Healthy eating is one of the best choices you can make to care for your heart and can help control many of the challenges that impact heart health (7). Moreover, boosting your diet quality doesn’t have to be difficult when you focus on small everyday changes.  Adding more vegetables and fruit throughout the day is one of the easiest ways to increase your score. Your body certainly deserves more than a failing grade!

Once your diet is squared away, there are some easy-to-incorporate supplements that can also provide benefit. Namely Heart Shake Booster, which is a blend of science-supported ingredients that may reduce the risk of heart disease* and support overall cardiovascular health. With no pills or capsules to swallow, and 20 calories per serving, Heart Shake Booster blends easily into any Isagenix shake with a pleasant neutral taste and no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.

Heart Shake Booster provides an efficacious amount of plant sterols which are naturally present in small quantities in plant-based foods, but not at a level that can provide a substantial nutritional benefit (8). Consuming plant sterols as a supplement helps lower blood cholesterol levels by reducing the amount of dietary cholesterol the body can absorb from foods and helps the body eliminate more cholesterol (9). Research suggests that consuming plant sterols as a supplement with meals maximizes the cholesterol-lowering effect compared to consuming plant sterols between meals (10). Heart Shake Booster also contains pantethine and a Mediterranean polyphenol blend. Pantethine is a derivative of vitamin B5 that also supports healthy cholesterol levels and heart health (11, 12). The Mediterranean polyphenol blend is a mix of extracts comprising a Mediterranean diet, rich in phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables.

Give your heart a little love each day by enjoying Heart Shake Booster with an Isagenix shake or heart healthy meal!

*Foods containing at least 0.65 g per serving of plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 1.3 g, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of Heart Shake Booster supplies 0.65 grams of plant sterol esters. 

References:

  1. Xu J, Murphy SL, Kochanek KD, Bastian BA. Deaths: Final Data for 2013. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2016 Feb 16;64(2):1-119.
  2. Micha R, Peñalvo JL, Cudhea F, et al. Association Between Dietary Factors and Mortality From Heart Disease, Stroke, and Type 2 Diabetes in the United States. JAMA. 2017 Mar 7;317(9):912-924.
  3. Wilson MM, Reedy J, Krebs-Smith SM. American Diet Quality: Where It Is, Where It Is Heading, and What It Could Be. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016 Feb;116(2):302-10.e1.
  4. Rehm CD, Peñalvo JL, Afshin A, Mozaffarian D. Dietary Intake Among US Adults, 1999-2012. JAMA. 2016 Jun 21;315(23):2542-53.
  5. Krebs-Smith SM, Pannucci TE, Subar AF, et al. Update of the Healthy Eating Index: HEI-2015. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018 Sep;118(9):1591-1602.
  6. Sebastian RS, Wilkinson Enns C, Goldman JD, et al. A New Database Facilitates Characterization of Flavonoid Intake, Sources, and Positive Associations with Diet Quality among US Adults. J Nutr. 2015 Jun;145(6):1239-48.
  7. Mozaffarian D, Appel LJ, Van Horn L. Components of a cardioprotective diet: new insights. Circulation. 2011 Jun 21;123(24):2870-91.
  8. von Bergmann K, Sudhop T, Lütjohann D. Cholesterol and plant sterol absorption: recent insights. Am J Cardiol. 2005 Jul 4;96(1A):10D-14D.
  9. Malina DM, Fonseca FA, Barbosa SA, et al. Additive effects of plant sterols supplementation in addition to different lipid-lowering regimens. J Clin Lipidol. 2015 Jul-Aug;9(4):542-52.
  10. Abumweis SS, Barake R, Jones PJ. Plant sterols/stanols as cholesterol lowering agents: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food Nutr Res. 2008;52.
  11. Chen YQ, Zhao SP, Zhao YH. Efficacy and tolerability of coenzyme A vs pantethine for the treatment of patients with hyperlipidemia: A randomized, double-blind, multicenter study. J Clin Lipidol. 2015 Sep-Oct;9(5):692-7.
  12. Evans M, Rumberger JA, Azumano I, et al. Pantethine, a derivative of vitamin B5, favorably alters total, LDL and non-HDL cholesterol in low to moderate cardiovascular risk subjects eligible for statin therapy: a triple-blinded placebo and diet-controlled investigation. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2014 Feb 27;10:89-100.