Keeping Your Heart Healthy - At ANY Age: Diets and Supplements
- Aug 3
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
Exploring Heart‑Healthy Foods and Supplements: Proven Ways to Support Your Heart Health
Keeping Your Heart Healthy - At ANY Age: Diets and Supplements
The Mediterranean Diet Really Is Good for You — And, no, it’s not just "rabbit food"
Exploring the Mediterranean Diet
Scientists have studied the Mediterranean diet for decades, and the results keep pointing in the same direction: people who eat this way tend to live longer, have healthier hearts, and age more gracefully. These findings don’t come from one single study — they come from many independent research teams across different countries, all showing similar benefits.
There are populations living in "blue zones" - areas in which people live into their 90s. Many of these populations eat foods similar to the Mediterranean diet, and findings indicate lower rates of heart disease, lower overall mortality, better metabolic health, and healthier aging over time.
Let's Talk About the Mediterranean Diet
Scientists have studied the Mediterranean diet for decades, and the results keep pointing in the same direction: people who eat this way tend to live longer, have healthier hearts, and age more gracefully. These findings don’t come from one single study — they come from many independent research teams across different countries, all showing similar benefits.
This approach is part of the broader Foundations for Heart Health: Diets and Supplements, which emphasize long‑term eating patterns that support healthy cholesterol levels, inflammation, and overall cardiovascular wellness.
There are populations living in "blue zones" - areas in which people live into their 90s. Many of these populations eat foods similar to the Mediterranean diet, and findings indicate lower rates of heart disease, lower overall mortality, better metabolic health, and healthier aging over time.
Key Components of Mediterranean Diet
Olive oil as the primary fat. Use extra‑virgin olive oil as your main cooking and dressing fat. (Attach your ConsumerLab link here.)
Vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains. These foods form the base of the Mediterranean diet. Beets are especially powerful: relax blood vessels, improve blood flow, reduce blood pressure, enhance exercise performance, provide antioxidants that reduce inflammation, protect blood vessels from oxidative stress, help lower cholesterol, help stabilize blood sugar, and support endurance.
Nuts and seeds: Rich in healthy fats, fiber, and plant sterols that support cholesterol balance.
Fish 2–3× weekly: Includes salmon, sardines, shrimp, tuna — even canned. Choose water‑packed or olive‑oil‑packed options. Albacore has the most omega‑3s. Look for lower‑sodium varieties.
Chicken: Grilled, baked, roasted, or sautéed in olive oil.
Eggs: Often consumed in moderation — typically up to 4 per week, though some people eat more.
Minimize red meat: If you eat it, choose lean cuts and small portions.
Limit sweets, especially baked goods, candies, ice creams, and other high‑sugar foods. This is crucial for high triglycerides.
Wine (optional): Red wine contains antioxidants that may reduce vascular inflammation, improve blood vessel function, and raise HDL. Women: 1 drink/day. Men: 1–2 drinks/day. Not every day. Only if you already drink. Avoid entirely if you have alcohol‑related problems.
Healthier cheeses (in moderation). Goat cheese, feta, part‑skim mozzarella, low‑fat cottage cheese, low‑fat ricotta. Mayo Clinic guidance: Enjoy moderate portions. Limit cheese intake. Serving size is about four dice.
Healthier breads (in moderation). Some very delicious breads can be part of the Mediterranean diet when you choose whole‑grain varieties. The best options include whole‑grain bread, whole‑wheat sourdough, multigrain or seeded loaves, whole‑grain pita, and true fermented sourdough.
Don't worry. You'll get used to it.
Foods & Additives to Avoid (American Heart Association & Mayo Clinic)
Trans fats — partially hydrogenated oils, baked goods, fried fast foods (raise LDL, lower HDL, increase inflammation, accelerate plaque formation)
Excess sodium — processed meats, canned soups, frozen meals, snack foods (raises blood pressure, increases arterial stiffness, strains the heart)
Processed meats — bacon, sausage, hot dogs, deli meats, pepperoni (increase inflammation, raise blood pressure, damage endothelial function)
Refined carbohydrates & added sugars — white bread, many honey‑wheat breads, pastries, sugary cereals, soda (spike blood sugar, raise triglycerides, worsen insulin resistance)
Ultra‑processed foods — chips, packaged desserts, fast food (promote inflammation, increase LDL, impair metabolic health)
Excess saturated fat — fatty beef, pork, butter, cream, high‑fat dairy including some cheeses (raises LDL, contributes to plaque buildup)
Nitrites/nitrates — found in processed meats (form compounds that damage blood vessels and increase oxidative stress)
High‑fructose corn syrup — soda, sweetened drinks, processed snacks (raises triglycerides, promotes fatty liver, worsens insulin resistance)
Artificial trans fats — some imported packaged foods (dramatically raise LDL and inflammation; highest risk for heart disease)
Artificial colors & preservatives — associated with inflammation and metabolic dysfunction
Deep‑fried foods — oxidized oils raise LDL, damage arteries, increase inflammation.
Sugary drinks — soda, sweetened teas, energy drinks (spike glucose, raise triglycerides, increase metabolic syndrome risk)
Excess alcohol — raises blood pressure and triglycerides, weakens heart muscle.
While not all sources are “evidence‑based,” you can find practical Mediterranean diet recipe ideas in several places:
Consider a highly rated recipe book, Taste of Home Mediterranean Made Easy: 321 Recipes for Light & Healthy Everyday Meals: Order from Amazon - currently priced at around $15 or $16.
AI programs like Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude can generate recipes for you (i.e., type in "suggest a Mediterranean diet recipe for me using chicken"). They can even customize weekly Mediterranean meal plans if you ask.
The Harvard School of Public Health offers guidance on the Mediterranean diet and recipe ideas.
Why the Mediterranean Diet Works
Rich in monounsaturated fats (olive oil) — improves HDL and reduces LDL
High in polyphenols — lowers inflammation and supports vascular health
Emphasizes fish — omega‑3s stabilize heart rhythm and improve vascular function
Naturally low in processed foods and added sugars — Reduces metabolic stress (like blood pressure swings, inflammation, and oxidative stress), supports healthy cholesterol.
The Mediterranean diet isn’t about strict rules — it’s about a long‑term pattern. Taking a day off for a favorite non-Mediterranean restaurant, a celebration, a craving, or a special meal is completely compatible with Mediterranean eating.
READ LABELS
Try to read that fine print. Companies almost always make the print really small — tough for both young and old eyes. Sometimes I wonder if they do this on purpose so you can’t read the nasty ingredients they slip into your foods. Anyway, try to read them. Look for things you want to avoid (the items listed above). If you can’t read it, take a photo with your phone and enlarge it, download a magnifying app, or use a regular magnifying glass.
Heart Healthy Supplements
There is more to keeping your heart healthy - at any age: through diets, supplements, and cholesterol management.
Let's look at supplements. The following supplements can help support cardiovascular health, but they do not replace prescribed medications or individualized medical care. Always review supplements with your clinician, especially if you take heart or blood‑thinning medications.
Consider Adding Evidence‑Supported Supplements for Heart Health
Most of the following are readily available as supplements; you need to know which to choose (see links below where available). Those with a star* get the highest ratings for cardiovascular benefits; others are of modest benefit.
*Omega‑3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA – Fish Oil)
Benefits: Lower triglycerides; support heart rhythm; reduce inflammation; support plaque stability
Evidence: REDUCE‑IT Trial (NEJM), NIH ODS – Omega‑3; Mayo Clinic; NCCIH.
Benefits: Supports mitochondrial function in the heart and therefore muscle energy; may improve heart‑failure symptoms.
Evidence: Q‑SYMBIO Trial, Mayo Clinic; NIH ODS.
Benefits: Helps regulate vascular relaxation, blood pressure, and heart rhythm; may help decrease triglycerides modestly and slightly increase HDL (especially in those who are magnesium deficient).
Evidence: Meta‑analyses show BP reduction at ≥400 mg/day, NIH ODS; Cleveland Clinic; Harvard Health.
*Plant Sterols / Stanols
Benefits: Reduce LDL cholesterol by 5–15% at 2 g/day.
Evidence: Included in cholesterol‑management guidelines, Mayo Clinic; British Heart Foundation; NIH ODS.
Want something natural? Over-the-Counter products containing sterols and stanols include: CholestOff® - a plant sterol supplement. Nature Made CholestOff Plus is a top pick of ConsumerLabs (a very reputable third-party testing agency). If you would like to support this site and also receive a shipping discount, please order here.
Flora ProActiv® spreads
All three products use plant sterols or stanols—natural compounds that help lower LDL cholesterol. National Lipid Association (NLA) recommends that 2 grams/day of plant sterols or plant stanols can lower LDL by 8–10%. They specifically cite fortified foods (such as Benecol and Flora ProActiv) and supplements (such as CholestOff) as effective sources.
*Red Yeast Rice
Benefits: Lowers LDL 15–25% (contains monacolin K).
Evidence: Comparable to low‑dose statins, NCCIH; Mayo Clinic; FDA Consumer Safety Update.
*Beetroot
Benefits: Boosts nitric oxide, decreases vessel stiffness, and improves blood vessel dilation, thereby lowering blood pressure.
Evidence: NIH, BJN, AHA
Benefits: Improves LDL, triglycerides, blood sugar, and inflammation.
Evidence: Multiple RCTs (Frontiers in Pharmacology), Cleveland Clinic, NIH, botanical monographs.
*Vitamin K2 (MK‑7)
Benefits: Helps regulate calcium in the blood vessels, which is important: Arterial calcification is dangerous - it makes arteries stiff, narrow, and unable to deliver enough blood and oxygen, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Evidence: Rotterdam Study + small RCTs, NIH ODS; Mayo Clinic.
Benefits: Modest reductions in blood pressure and LDL; may slow plaque progression. Evidence: Cochrane Review; small RCTs, NCCIH; Mayo Clinic.
Benefits: Supports cardiovascular health; deficiency increases cardiovascular risk. Evidence: VITAL Trial (NEJM), NIH ODS; Mayo Clinic.
Hawthorn
Benefits: May mildly reduce cholesterol and also supports circulation and cardiac output; Improves exercise tolerance and symptoms in mild heart failure.
Evidence: Cochrane Review, NCCIH; Mayo Clinic.
*Psyllium fiber (i.e., Metamucil)
Benefits: Lowers LDL cholesterol; improves overall lipid profile
Evidence: FDA Federal Register
Turmeric/Curcumin
Benefits: Anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant that may help reduce cholesterol; supports vascular health
Evidence: PubMed
Green Tea Extract
Benefits: Green tea is rich in polyphenols that support endothelial (blood vessel) function, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and support healthy cholesterol levels.
Evidence: Science Direct
Fenugreek
Benefits: Contains soluble fiber and saponins, which may help reduce cholesterol absorption.
Evidence: Medical News Today
Benefits: Helps improve lipid metabolism, reducing LDL and triglycerides.
Evidence: PubMed
Cardamom
Benefits: May have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may benefit cholesterol.
Evidence: PubMed
Artichoke Extract
Benefits: Modest LDL reduction, improves cholesterol metabolism and vascular endothelial function, and supports vessel dilation, which may help lower blood pressure.
Evidence: British Journal of Nutrition, Hypertension (American Heart Association
journal), and the European Journal of Nutrition
Others with modest benefits: ALA (small effects), Lycopene (small effects), Resveratrol, Vitamin C, Vitamin E
A Note About Niacin
Are you still taking Niacin to lower cholesterol? Please note that, despite being recommended for years for raising HDL, lowering LDL, and improving triglycerides, newer high‑quality research has shown that niacin does not reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Although it improves cholesterol numbers, niacin does not meaningfully improve arterial structure and function: the HDL it raises is largely non‑functional, and the lipid changes don’t stabilize plaque. More importantly, recent NIH‑funded studies found that niacin produces inflammatory metabolites (2PY and 4PY) that may increase vascular inflammation and counteract its cholesterol benefits. In modern trials where patients are already on statins, adding niacin provides no additional cardiovascular protection. It introduces more side effects, which is why guidelines no longer recommend it for preventing heart attacks or strokes.
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