Heart health and a well-functioning circulatory system are essential pieces to healthy aging in adults. Strong-yet-flexible arteries, smooth and consistent blood flow, and an energetic heart are what allow us to stay active, enjoying hobbies, work, and social outings as we age.
But if you're one of the nearly 20% of people who struggle to manage their cholesterol, you may be looking for additional cardiovascular support to help maintain cholesterol levels within normal ranges.*
Let's look at the hot topic of cholesterol.
What does healthy cholesterol look like?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, healthy cholesterol looks like a "good" cholesterol (HDL) number of around 60-80 and a "bad" cholesterol (LDL) number below 100. The total of both numbers combined should ideally be below 200.
If your cholesterol levels are in these normal ranges, it can still be beneficial to make positive lifestyle changes to help maintain those levels.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is typically referred to as "bad" cholesterol. This is because high levels of LDL can negatively affect arteries and overall cardiovascular health.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is typically referred to as "good" cholesterol. Appropriate levels of HDL can be beneficial for the body, and the cardiovascular system in particular, because it helps to absorb other forms of cholesterol in the blood and transport it to the liver for removal.
Do you know your numbers?
The CDC recommends getting your cholesterol levels checked every 4 to 6 years for most healthy adults. If you have a family history of diabetes or heart health challenges, they recommend getting checked more often to be proactive.
Supporting heart health with diet & lifestyle changes
Whether you're pleased with your current wellness goals or are still working toward them, there are some simple diet & lifestyle changes you can make to help support heart health:
- Choose healthier foods and snacks
- Quit smoking
- Exercise multiple times per week
- Cut back on excessive alcohol consumption
- Supporting cardiovascular health*
- Helping maintain cholesterol in the normal ranges*
- Optimum blood lipids*
- Supporting the immune response*
- Promoting healthy circulation*
- Fighting free radicals*
- Supporting healthy aging*
Nutritious foods for heart health
When you're meal-planning with heart health in mind, the Mayo Clinic recommends cutting back on saturated fats and trans fats, increasing your fiber intake, and adding whey protein to your routine.*
Soluble fiber from foods like oats, beans, apples, and pears may help to block some cholesterol from making its way into the bloodstream. Fiber is also good for gut health & digestion, which supports full-body health.*
Healthy fats from foods like avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, and fish may help to support healthy levels of HDL and a good LDL:HDL ratio. They can also help support a healthy inflammatory response in the body.*
Omega-3 fatty acids from foods like salmon, sardines, and shellfish don't necessarily impact cholesterol levels directly, but fatty acids like EPA and DHA can help to support the cardiovascular system and heart health overall.*
Whey protein from dairy products or specific whey protein supplements may help maintain cholesterol levels and blood pressure within normal ranges.*
Lifestyle habits that move the needle
Along with quitting smoking and avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol, lifestyle changes can play a major role in supporting long-term heart health. The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week.
This can be any kind of vigorous, heart-pumping activity that you enjoy: cycling, running, pickleball, swimming, etc.
Even moderate-intensity exercise, when done consistently, can help to support healthy weight and overall metabolic health. A healthy exercise routine can help to have a positive effect on cholesterol—as well as overall health and mental health.
Supplements to help support cholesterol levels*
Often, when people who are dissatisfied with their cholesterol levels look for support, they seek out single-ingredient supplements that address only one area. But, by zeroing in on production in the liver or absorption in the gut—without looking at the whole picture—you could be missing out on more comprehensive support.
When lifestyle and diet alone aren’t supporting your goals fast enough, targeted supplementation is the next logical step.*
To truly manage cholesterol, you have to consider all three primary pathways of lipid metabolism:
1. The Gut Pathway: Cholesterol absorption
Even if you eat a heart-healthy diet, your body still naturally absorbs cholesterol from the foods you consume.
Phytosterols (a compound found in plants) can help to support healthy cholesterol balance by working in the gut.* Because phytosterols are structurally similar to cholesterol, they compete for space in your digestive tract and may work to disrupt some cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream.*
2. The Liver Pathway: Cholesterol production
Your liver is responsible for producing the majority of the cholesterol in your body. Ingredients like Red Yeast Rice and Policosanol work at this foundational level.*
Red Yeast Rice contains naturally occurring compounds that support the liver's ability to maintain LDL levels already within a normal range.* Policosanols are used to support the healthy breakdown of lipids and promote the ratio of HDL (good) to LDL (bad) cholesterol.*
3. The Mitochondrial Pathway: Protecting Energy Output
Managing cholesterol shouldn't come at the expense of your energy. Some ingredients that support lipid levels can inadvertently lower your body’s natural levels of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is the "spark plug" of your cells, especially in the heart muscle. A quality heart support protocol should include CoQ10 supplementation to ensure your cardiovascular system has the cellular energy it needs to function optimally.*
Synergistic Support: Why We Created CholestSure™
Trying to manage these three pathways by taking individual pills doesn't just get expensive quickly; it can be inefficient. You don't need to juggle four or five different bottles to get the appropriate ingredients needed to support your wellness goals.
We developed CholestSure™ to help simplify this process. By combining Red Yeast Rice, Phytosterols, Policosanol, Chromium, and CoQ10 into one synergistic formula, you get comprehensive, multi-pathway support in a single serving.*
CholestSure™ is recommended for:
Instead of guessing which single heart-healthy ingredient might work for you, CholestSure™ covers the entire landscape of lipid management, supporting your body from the gut to the liver and even down to the cellular level.*
Consult with your trusted healthcare practitioner about the benefits of adding CholestSure™ to your supplement routine. Alongside a healthy diet, small lifestyle changes, and saying goodbye to bad habits, CholestSure™ helps to support a resilient, strong cardiovascular system.*
FAQs
Q: Can you support cholesterol within normal ranges without medication?
A: If you're not a candidate for common cholesterol support medications like statins, you can help to support your cholesterol levels through a combination of a nutritious, high-fiber diet, regular exercise, and targeted supplements like phytosterols that may help to block the excessive absorption of cholesterol.*
Q: What is the best supplement to help support healthy cholesterol balance?
A: A multi-ingredient formula is often best to support your wellness goals.* CholestSure™ contains ingredients like red yeast rice and artichoke to help maintain cholesterol levels within normal ranges, and policosanlos from sugar cane to help maintain healthy cholesterol synthesis in the liver.*
Q: Why should I take a supplement with CoQ10 for heart health?
A: Coenzyme Q10 (Q10), sometimes referred to as ubiquinone, helps to support mitochondrial energy.* It is often recommended alongside lipid-support ingredients to help keep the heart muscles energized.* CholestSure™ contains 20 mg of CoQ10 per serving.
