Get Your Blood Flowing Naturally

Yo! How's tricks? Hope you're having a caffo day. Ready for a mug of coffee and a virtual muffin? Why the heck not, I say. You may like to try adding a little cocoa to your coffee for that mocha taste. As my pal Dr. Al says, it's good for your heart as well. Read what he has to say about blood pressure...

If you have blood pressure concerns, your doctor will probably start taking steps to keep it under control.

Some of these steps can impact blood pressure by opening your arteries. But unfortunately, the effects don’t last very long. Sometimes a "nitrate tolerance" can begin, which may cause more harm than good.

But there’s an effective and natural alternative that some doctors don't know about. It works the same way – only without the side effects.

I’m talking about nitric oxide (NO). It’s a gas already made by your body. And one of the easiest ways to support normal blood pressure is to get your body to produce more of it.

But to understand how NO can help, let me first explain a little bit about how your arteries work.

If you have normal blood pressure, your heart can push blood through its delivery system – your arteries – without working too hard at it.

Healthy arteries are strong and flexible. Inside the walls of the arteries are endothelial cells, which produce NO. This gas sends signals to the muscle cells of your artery walls to relax – and your blood pressure eases. Blood pressure drugs with nitrates damage these endothelials and your ability to maintain normal blood pressure.

So, what can you do to get more NO into your bloodstream, and help out your arteries?

You can start by taking these steps to support healthy blood flow by increasing your NO levels:

• Take in more L-arginine. L-arginine is an amino acid that helps your body produce NO. Foods – such as organic dairy, peanuts, walnuts, and even chocolate – are all good sources. You also can supplement. I recommend 500 mg once a day. But you should always check with your healthcare professional when beginning an L-arginine regimen.

• Eat foods containing antioxidant-rich cocoa. Cocoa is good for you in so many ways, but it’s especially good for your heart. And one of the ways it helps is that the flavonoids in cocoa activate the endothelial cells in your arteries to produce NO. Plus, cocoa improves circulation even in healthy adults.

• Exercise. This boosts NO levels by increasing an enzyme called NO synthase. A high-intensity, short-duration workout, like my PACE program, is an easy way to get NO flowing throughout your blood. And the best part is it takes just 10-20 minutes a day.

• Eat natural foods rich in vitamins C and E. These nutrients can help preserve your NO levels. The best way to get these healthy vitamins? Eat your fill of citrus fruits, broccoli, blueberries, sunflower seeds, almonds, tomatoes, and green, leafy veggies.