Hands-down, the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States is heart disease. In fact, in the time it takes you to read this article, it will claim two to three more lives.
Many of us have seen the devastation it wreaks firsthand and are determined to avoid the damage it does in our own lives to save ourselves and our families.
In fact, the toll heart disease takes — from stroke and heart attack to surgery and even death — is why I became a health researcher. I watched members of my own family, like my mom, lose their lives far too early.
Now, a new study has found that a “high dose” of habit that helps you feel more relaxed could be a legitimate part of any health plan to significantly lower heart disease risk…
Lowering blood pressure to improve heart health
That daily habit?
Taking a bath. And while it may sound too simple to be true, the research, published in the journal Heart, found an undeniable link between regular tub bathing and a lower risk of death from heart disease and stroke.
This was no flash in the pan study either. It was conducted in Japan and followed over 30,000 participants for approximately 19 years!
And after taking into account all potentially influencing factors, the data showed that compared with a once or twice weekly bath or no bath at all, a daily hot bath was associated with a whopping 28 percent lower overall risk of heart disease and a 26 percent lower overall risk of stroke.
According to the researchers, this reduction in risk was most likely due to the fact that tub bathing resulted in a lower risk of hypertension — a major risk for both heart disease and stroke.
This means that simply soaking in the tub each evening before bed could cut your risk of dying due to heart problems by more than a quarter!
If you’re like me, right now you’re grabbing your robe, looking for a book to read and thinking about which bath bomb you plan to use… but there’s more information you should know.
The team took their analysis a bit further to test out changes in water temperature on heart disease risk as well.
They found that bathing in warm water lowered cardiovascular disease risk by 26 percent while hot water soaks led to a full 35 percent reduction. So, if you want to get the most from your bath — at least when it comes to your heart — hot water seems to have the edge.
Of course, there’s one warning (as with just about everything these days)…
Bathing in hot water as you get older can sometimes lead to overheating and confusion which can be dangerous, so be sure to gauge the temperature that works best for you. Don’t make the water hotter than you normally would for a nice soak.
Also, it’s important to note that since the team followed a specific type of bathing common in Japan — where the body is immersed to the shoulders — you may need to fill your bath full and sink down low to leverage the benefits of your daily bath.
Heart health helpers
With all of that said, I know what I’m doing tonight, and I bet you’ll be spending more time in your bath too.
In addition to adding daily baths to your schedule, other ways to help keep your heart healthy that I believe are daily “must-dos” include:
#1 — Eating more fish (or taking fish oil)
I consider the omega-3 in fish oil an essential nutrient for the heart. You can get these fatty acids by eating fish like salmon and sardines or by taking a supplement — as long as it’s pure and highly absorbable. And that last part is why I prefer krill oil.
Related: How omega-3s from fish help regulate cholesterol
It’s my fish oil of choice because it’s sourced from the tiny shrimp-like crustacean found in the icy, untainted seas of Antarctica to deliver one of the purest, richest forms of omega-3 available.
#2 — Taking your “blood pressure vitamin”
Vitamin K2’s biological role is to help move calcium into the proper areas in your body, such as your bones and teeth. But it also plays a role in removing calcium from areas where it shouldn’t be, such as in your arteries and soft tissues.
In addition, Vitamin K2 keeps your blood vessels elastic by safeguarding elastin, a protein that keeps vessel walls pliable. That’s why I call it the “blood pressure vitamin.”
I get mine in Peak BP Platinum™. It contains a proprietary blend of vitamin K2, green tea and grapeseed extracts, and pterostilbene from blueberries — all nutrients with serious research credentials for promoting healthy blood pressure and guarding against the oxidative stress known to damage blood vessels.
#3 — Energizing your heart with CoQ10
CoQ10 is an essential nutrient that works as an antioxidant in your body promoting heart health, slowing down the effects of aging and powering trillions of your body’s cells. It’s especially notable for supporting the heart muscle.
But a couple of factors are notorious for stealing it, including some common medications. You can find a complete list of them, here. This is one of the reasons that, even though it’s naturally produced in your body, the medical community supports scientific evidence that adding more CoQ10 in the form of supplements is beneficial.
If you don’t already have a CoQ10 supplement of choice, I can recommend Peak CoQSol10 CF.™ I’ve been taking a CoQ10 supplement since my late 30s, since that’s around the time your body’s natural stores begin to deplete. With my family history, I thought that was wise, and besides, I feel it helped my energy levels too.
You only get one heart, so take care of it. In addition to getting a little exercise and regular checkups, it’s nice to know that caring for your heart can be a simple as following a little self-care — getting the nutrients your heart needs and taking a timeout for yourself and a relaxing hot bath.
