When we talk about heart health, we usually focus on basics like blood pressure or cholesterol.
But there’s one metric that’s just as important, even if it doesn’t get as much lip service: Resting heart rate (RHR).
In fact, counting your heart’s beats per minute might be one of the simplest ways to gauge cardiovascular health. The fewer beats it takes to take to pump your blood, the healthier and more efficient your heart muscle.
So anything you can do to help improve your RHR is key.
The good news is, Australian researchers found that supplementing with one of my favorite nutrients can lower RHR by roughly five beats per minute in just eight weeks…
A life-lengthening difference
Researchers analyzed the effect of fish oil supplementation on RHR on 20 subjects. The dose they used was low—at just 540 mg of DHA daily, which is less than you’ll find in a typical fish oil capsule (but equivalent to eating two servings of fish per week).
(As a reminder, I recommend taking a high-quality fish oil supplement that contains 3,000 mg of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, per day.)
Ultimately, they found that even their modest dose significantly increased omega-3 levels in the subjects who took it. It also significantly impacted RHR—lowering it by roughly five beats per minute in just eight weeks!
Now, I realize that a drop of five beats per minute may not seem like a lot. But it’s relevant to the same effect you’ll get from sticking to a regular exercise program. And it all adds up: We’re talking 300 fewer beats per hour—and 7,200 fewer beats per day.
Simply put, the less your heart beats, the longer you’re likely to live.
A winning combination
This study just adds to the mountain of evidence that omega-3s are good for your heart.
The American Heart Association can ignore the facts all it wants. But if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: Fish oil helps balance cholesterol and reduce clot risk. It improves blood pressure and slashes risk of heart disease and cardiovascular death.
And now, it has been shown to help lower your heart rate. This is especially welcome to those who struggle to exercise consistently. (Though for the record, I still encourage you to move daily, even if it’s just a casual walk. Start small and work your way up!)
That said, I can’t think of a better combination for achieving—and maintaining— better heart health than regular exercise coupled with fish oil. (And of course, a heart-healthy diet full of lean protein, fresh produce, and monounsaturated fats like macadamia nut oil.)
You will feel the difference… and your heart and circulatory system will thank you for it. For additional ways to naturally help keep your heart healthy, check out my Ultimate Heart Protection Protocol. To learn more about this online learning tool, or to enroll today, click here now!
And remember—a “normal” RHR falls between 60 and 85 beats per minute.
Source:
“‘Impressive’: DHA-rich fish oil raises Omega-3 Index & slows resting heart rate in healthy adults.” Nutraingredients-usa.com, 08/16/2021. (nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2021/08/16/Impressive-DHA-rich-fish-oil-raises-Omega-3-Index-slows-resting-heart-rate-in-healthy-adults)