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Heart disease is one of the deadliest diseases of our time: in the United States it causes 1 in every 4 deaths. In this blog post we’ll discuss what are the risk factors in developing heart disease and how Citrus Bergamot can support your heart health.
- Around 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year (1 in every 4 deaths!)
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women
- Coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease, kills over 370,000 people in the US every year
- Every year around 790,000 Americans have a heart attack
- A third of our population (33.5%) is suffering from high cholesterol levels
– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Source)
What Is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is a broad term referring to various types of heart conditions. It is not something that only concerns older people. Some people are born with it, and even children can develop heart disease. The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which is caused by plaque buildup inside the walls of your arteries.
Plaque is made up of LDL cholesterol aka the bad cholesterol, inflammatory cells and other compounds that move around in your bloodstream. Because plaque starts to take up space in your arteries, it causes blood vessel walls to stiffen and become more narrow. This means that your heart is not getting enough blood and oxygen pumped into it.
Furthermore, if coronary heart disease has been untreated for too long, the plaque may rupture and clot your arteries, which may result in a heart attack. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon that heart disease has progressed without any notice. In some cases, the first symptom of coronary artery disease is a heart attack.
Heart disease risk factors include high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol aka bad cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, being overweight, poor diet, not exercising, drinking too much alcohol or using drugs.
It is extremely important to keep an eye on your heart health. Your lifestyle choices play a big part in it – eat a healthy diet, eliminate processed, sugary and fatty foods, exercise and get your heart regularly checked by a doctor. If you’re struggling with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes, you need to pay close attention to it to minimize the risks and possible complications.
What is Citrus Bergamot & How Can It Help?
Citrus Bergamot is an extract derived from the bergamot orange fruit. It’s been clinically shown to support heart health by promoting healthy cholesterol, blood sugar and triglyceride levels and supporting blood vessel function.
So what makes Citrus Bergamot so special? It contains a high amount of polyphenols that have antioxidant properties. Polyphenols help prevent premature aging and cell damage. Citrus Bergamot helps lower bad cholesterol levels and increase good cholesterol levels. It supports blood glucose metabolism and helps naturally balance blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, Citrus Bergamot supports your blood vessel function and promotes healthy blood pressure levels. It helps reduce inflammation and prevent plaque formation in your arteries. As an added bonus, it supports weight management (remember, obesity is a risk factor in developing heart disease!) by balancing blood sugar levels, and helps activate the AMPK enzyme that’s a key player in regulating your metabolism.
Several studies have shown the benefit of Citrus Bergamot on reducing total and bad cholesterol levels. One study conducted in 2011 showed that 30 days of taking bergamot extract orally reduced total and bad cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, increased good cholesterol and decreased blood glucose levels. (Source)
Another study published in 2013 suggests that bergamot extract containing polyphenols has not only benefits on lowering cholesterol, but also helps lower other biomarkers that represent oxidative vascular damage in cells. (Source)
Likewise, a study published in 2015 shows that supplementing with bergamot extract for 6 months helps lower bad cholesterol in patients who already have high cholesterol levels. (Source) And another study suggests that patients with metabolic syndrome may benefit from citrus bergamot, because of its ability to significantly reduce bad cholesterol, triglyceride and blood glucose levels. (Source)
Bonus: a research conducted in 2015 suggests that a polyphenolic citrus bergamot extract helps naturally combat erectile dysfunction in diabetic patients by supporting good blood flow. Erectile dysfunction mostly occurs in patients who suffer from diabetes, metabolic syndrome or cardiovascular disorders. (Source)
Having high levels of bad cholesterol, high blood pressure or low blood flow and leaving it untreated can cause plaque buildup in your arteries. This is a major risk in developing heart disease, so tackling it should be your priority.
Our ultra potent Citrus Bergamot extract is the ideal way to naturally help support your heart health. We don’t use any artificial ingredients, it’s a completely pure and natural product. Plus, it’s vegan! Click HERE to get yours today.