How Nitric Oxide supports healthy blood flow.
Most of us don’t think about blood flow until there is a serious problem, by then its usually expensive and involves uncomfortable conversations with your doctor. The fact is, according to a report from a 2018 US AHA study):
- 103 MM American adults are living with high blood pressure.
- There is a 38% increase in deaths related to high blood pressure since 2005.
- Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the US, causing more than 800,000 cardiovascular deaths a year.
- Cardiovascular diseases are the #1 leading cause of death.
Healthy Nitric Oxide levels help support normal blood flow and cardiovascular function.
What is Nitric Oxide?
Nitric Oxide is a molecule that your body makes naturally (Nitrogen and oxygen).
Without it, we simply can’t live. In fact, the loss, or reduction of Nitric Oxide has been linked to many cardiovascular health problems. It’s also been called one of the greatest discoveries in cardiovascular medicine dubbed as the miracle molecule and won a Nobel prize in 1998.
Your cardio system is similar to a vast network of roads, with about 60000 miles in your body! Freeways are like the arteries, capillaries are the small back alley roads. The vehicle on the roads delivering oxygen and nutrients to all of your organs - is your blood.
Nitric Oxide is the signaling molecule telling the vessels to relax, dilating the arteries and improving circulation.[1]
If those roads aren't constricted or inflamed or blocked you can get more oxygen and nutrients to your brain, your muscles, and other organs, also your heart doesn't have to work as hard. On average your heart pumps 2000 gallons per day! Imagine how much easier it is on your heart if the vessels aren’t constricted. This supports healthy circulation and normal heart function.
5 Things you can do now to improve your Nitric Oxide levels and optimize your cardio system.
1
Eat leafy greens high in dietary nitrates.
Without a doubt, organic leafy veggies are some of the best sources of nitrates. Once ingested, nitrates are converted to nitrite by bacteria in the mouth, and the body can then turn that nitrite into Nitric Oxide.[2] Eating nitrate-rich foods gives your body an extra pathway for making Nitric Oxide. Some of the most nitrate-rich greens are: Arugula, Spinach, Cress, Kale, Spirulina
2
Limit or, eliminate, mouthwash.
This one may catch you off guard, but antiseptic mouthwash suppresses not only plaque-causing bacteria but also the mouth bacteria that convert nitrates into nitrites, which the body uses to make Nitric Oxide.[3]
3
Get plenty of Amino acids: L-Citrulline and L-Arginine.
These amino acids, occur naturally in foods like watermelons and walnuts, and can also be bought as a supplement. These amino acids act as a precursor to the production of Nitric oxide and have been researched extensively.
4
Get your blood flowing with cardio exercise daily.
Simply put we were not designed for a sedentary life, are built to move. If you have a desk job or a lifestyle where you don’t walk or move much, then the enzyme that makes N-O becomes atrophied and dysfunctional, leading to N-O insufficiency. The good news is that regular exercise helps counter these effects and supports healthy Nitric Oxide production and blood vessel function.[4]
5
Eat Beets like there is no tomorrow!
We know, this is not exactly the favorite pastime snack, however, bar-none, beets have one of the highest concentrations of nitrates in all of the plant kingdom. In one study 38 adults were given 70 milliliters of beetroot juice and were shown to have elevated N-O levels in just 45 minutes. Beets are used by athletes and bodybuilders as a pre-workout booster, they can be added to salads, smoothies, and even in baking.
Sources
- Förstermann U, Sessa WC Nitric oxide synthases: regulation and function. European heart journal. 2012. PubMed
- Lundberg JO, Weitzberg E, et al. The nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway in physiology and therapeutics. Nature reviews. Drug discovery. 2008. PubMed
- Kapil V, Haydar SM, et al. Physiological role for nitrate-reducing oral bacteria in blood pressure control. Free radical biology & medicine. 2013. PubMed
- Fasipe B, Li S, et al. Exercise and vascular function in sedentary lifestyles in humans. Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology. 2023. PubMed
Applied!
