In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d share some lesser known nutritional gems to support your heart and love life!
1) Valentines Day is all about chocolate, and happily, good quality cocoa actually is fantastic for your cardiovascular system, mostly due to its exceptionally high levels of antioxidants and magnesium. It’s been shown to increase the good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease oxidized bad cholesterol (LDL), as well as decreasing atherosclerotic plaques, blood pressure, and improving blood flow, which is a great thing on Valentine’s Day (if you know what we mean)! If you really want to keep your loved one’s ticker healthy, opt for dark chocolate without any dairy (milk or butter) added. Dairy has been shown to decrease the activity of the antioxidants by a significant amount (1, 2). Check out our Superfood Chocolate Bark recipe!
2) Have you ever heard of the superfood maca? According to superfood researcher David Wolfe, “Maca is widely recognized as supportive to hormone balance and fertility. It promotes virility, libido, and even has been shown to enhance sperm mobility. In the same vein, it is also known as a powerful aphrodisiac for both men and women. Maca provides sustained energy, vitality, and elevated mood. It is particularly helpful for women to promote healthy menstruation and to support the process of menopause.” Of course, none of this has been evaluated by the FDA, but there is evidence from current research and its long history of medicinal use in traditional cultures. You can add a tablespoon of gelatinized maca powder to smoothies and hot cocoa. If you’re a maca newbie, start with a half teaspoon and work up to a tablespoon.
3) You’ve upgraded your white rice to brown rice, but it may be time to take it to the next level. Black rice was once reserved for royalty and their concubines due to its high nutritional content and prized aphrodisiac benefits. ln fact, it was known as “forbidden rice” because a commoner caught eating it would be put to death. When you look at the rice very closely, you’ll notice that it’s actually a deep, gorgeous purple. The purple hue comes from anthocyanins, the powerful antioxidants found in grapes and wine that are widely known to be great for your heart (and skin and brain too!). Try our Forbidden Black Rice or roll some sushi with it!
4) Although everybody and their brother are taking fish oil to protect their hearts, you could show the ocean a little love by using algae oil instead, which is rich in anti inflammatory omega 3 oils also. In fact, that’s where the fish get the omega 3s to begin with. Get rid of the middleman, or middlefish, as it were. You can get high quality algae oil for a discount through my Fullscript account.
5) You know what else is great for your heart muscle and all your muscles? Magnesium. Magnesium is needed for muscle contraction, blood pressure regulation, and helps you to be nice and relaxed. I did a little magnesium experiment on myself recently and yes, it really works. There are many forms of magnesium. Magnesium glycinate is a well-absorbed form. Magnesium threonate or taurate are especially relaxing. Magnesium citrate promotes bowel movements and helps with constipation. I’m doing magnesium glycinate, along with Concentrace drops, and Epsom salt baths, which also replenish your magnesium. Note that Vitamin D uses magnesium to convert to its active form, so if you’re taking a lot of vitamin D, you might need to boost your magnesium from that alone. In addition to high quality dark chocolate, food sources of magnesium include leafy greens, nuts and seeds, and some whole grains. You can get all of these forms of magnesium and more for a discount through my Fullscript account (Thorne and Pure Encapsulations are the best brands I know of).
Wishing you a healthy, happy heart and lots of love!
Image credit: flowmind on flickr.com
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