Heart and cardiovascular health is largely the result of daily choices: what you eat, how much you move, how you deal with stress and whether you smoke. Every day your heart pumps around seven thousand litres of blood through a network of blood vessels. As long as that system stays supple and clean, you notice nothing. If it comes under pressure, for example due to an unfavourable cholesterol or blood sugar profile, this often builds up silently over years. In this guide you will read how your cardiovascular system works, which factors influence it and which nutrients support the body along the way.
Short answer: You keep your heart and blood vessels healthy with the basics: not smoking, eating a varied diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and getting enough relaxation. Nutrients such as the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart. If you have raised cholesterol, high blood pressure or other risk factors, discuss the approach with your GP.
How does your cardiovascular system work?
Your heart is a muscle that pumps blood around day and night. Oxygen-rich blood travels through the arteries to your organs and muscles, and returns through the veins. The inner wall of healthy blood vessels is smooth and elastic, so blood flows easily and blood pressure stays within normal limits.
Problems usually develop gradually. When fat, cholesterol and calcium build up in the vessel wall, the vessels become narrower and stiffer. This process is called atherosclerosis. For a long time it causes no symptoms, but over time it increases the strain on the heart. Precisely because it develops so insidiously, early attention to the risk factors makes sense.
Which factors determine your cardiovascular health?
Some factors are beyond your control, such as age, sex and hereditary predisposition. Most, however, can be influenced. This distinction determines where your gains lie.
| Factor | Type | What you can do about it |
|---|---|---|
| Smoking | Can be influenced | Quitting delivers the most for your blood vessels, both immediately and in the long term |
| Blood pressure | Can be influenced | Less salt, more exercise, a healthy weight; have your blood pressure measured |
| Cholesterol | Can be influenced | Limit saturated fat, choose fibre and unsaturated fats |
| Blood sugar | Can be influenced | Eat plenty of fibre, watch your weight and exercise; have your levels checked |
| Overweight | Can be influenced | Lasting weight loss reduces the strain on the heart and blood vessels |
| Exercise | Can be influenced | Being moderately active every day supports your heart and blood pressure |
| Age and heredity | Cannot be influenced | Factor them into your risk; discuss your family history with your GP |
The message is encouraging: you determine most of your risk profile yourself, through choices you can make today.
What can you do yourself for your heart?
No supplement outweighs a healthy lifestyle. The basics consist of a few habits that reinforce each other.
Stop smoking if you smoke; this is the most decisive step for your blood vessels. Exercise moderately every day, for example half an hour of brisk walking or cycling. Eat a varied diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, wholegrain products, pulses and oily fish a few times a week. Limit saturated fat, salt and added sugars, and replace saturated fat with unsaturated fat from oil, nuts and fish as much as possible. Finally, make sure you get enough relaxation and sleep, because prolonged stress and lack of sleep also burden the cardiovascular system.
People who get these basics in order are doing most of what is within their own reach. Nutrients are an addition to this, not a replacement.
Do not underestimate the role of relaxation. Prolonged stress keeps the body in a heightened state of readiness, which over time burdens your blood pressure and blood vessels. Enough sleep, moments of recovery during the day and a healthy balance between exertion and rest are therefore just as much part of a heart-friendly lifestyle as nutrition and exercise. Drinking alcohol in moderation also counts: alcohol raises both blood pressure and triglyceride levels. So the gains do not lie in one big intervention, but in a set of habits you can keep up.
Which nutrients play a role in the heart and cholesterol?
A number of nutrients have an EFSA-recognised role relating to the heart and blood cholesterol levels. It is important to understand that these substances support normal function; they are not a treatment for a condition.
The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from oily fish contribute to the normal function of the heart. This applies with a daily intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA combined. If you eat little oily fish, this is the most obvious supplement. The background is in the knowledge base article on omega-3.
For cholesterol levels, there are two substances with an approved claim. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid found in flaxseed and walnuts, for example, contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. Plant sterols also contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. You can read more about this in the knowledge base article on plant sterols.
In addition, vitamin B1 (thiamine) contributes to the normal function of the heart. You normally get this vitamin from wholegrain products, meat and pulses. You will find more background under vitamin B1.
What about cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar?
Together, these three values make up a large part of your cardiovascular profile. An unfavourable cholesterol level, high triglycerides and structurally raised blood sugar burden the blood vessels in the long term.
For cholesterol, it is mainly the ratio between the different types that counts. If you want to understand what your result means, read the article on cholesterol levels. For blood sugar, it helps to know when a value is too high and what that means; you can read about this in the article on high blood sugar. For all three values, lifestyle is the basis and you should discuss abnormal results with your GP.
The three values are also connected. Overweight, little exercise and a diet high in sugar and saturated fat often put pressure on all three at once. That is good news, because the same steps that have a favourable effect on your cholesterol generally also help your blood sugar and triglycerides. So you do not need to come up with a separate approach for each value. A fibre-rich diet, regular exercise and a healthy weight affect the entire profile. A periodic check-up with your GP or practice nurse shows whether your efforts are heading in the right direction, and reveals in good time when additional care is needed.
How do you support your heart in a targeted way with Vaud?
If you have the basics in place and want to support your body in a targeted way, Omega 3 + is a logical choice: a formula inspired by Swiss quality, with the fatty acids EPA and DHA, which contribute to the normal function of the heart. A daily dose provides 360 mg of EPA and 240 mg of DHA, 600 mg in total; the claim applies with an intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA per day.
A supplement is an addition to a heart-friendly lifestyle and not a replacement for a healthy diet, exercise or medical care. You will find the full range for the heart and blood sugar in the heart and blood sugar collection.
When should you see your GP?
Have your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar checked periodically, especially if cardiovascular disease runs in your family. Always take complaints such as pain or a feeling of pressure in the chest, shortness of breath, palpitations or sudden dizziness seriously, and in the event of acute complaints contact a doctor or call 112 immediately. If you take medication for your heart, blood pressure or cholesterol, do not start taking supplements on your own without discussing it with your GP or pharmacist.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important thing I can do myself for my heart?
The biggest gains lie in the basics: not smoking, exercising every day, eating a varied diet low in saturated fat and salt, a healthy weight and enough relaxation. Together, these habits determine a large part of your cardiovascular health.
Does omega-3 help keep your heart healthy?
The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart with an intake of 250 mg per day. They support normal function and are not a treatment. If you eat little oily fish, a supplement is a logical choice.
Which nutrients are good for the heart and blood vessels?
EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart, as does vitamin B1. For cholesterol levels, alpha-linolenic acid and plant sterols have a recognised role. A varied diet with oily fish, vegetables and fibre remains the basis.
When should I see a doctor about heart complaints?
In the event of pain or pressure in the chest, shortness of breath, palpitations or dizziness, contact a doctor, and in the event of acute complaints call 112. In addition, have your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar checked periodically, especially if there is a family history.
Conclusion
Heart and cardiovascular health is mainly a matter of daily choices: not smoking, exercising, eating a varied diet and relaxing. Nutrients such as the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA support the normal function of the heart in an EFSA-substantiated manner, and alpha-linolenic acid and plant sterols play a role in cholesterol levels. If you want to support your heart in a targeted way alongside a healthy lifestyle, take a look at Omega 3 + or the full range in the heart and blood sugar collection.
Written by the Vaud editorial team, reviewed by a nutrition expert. This information is educational and does not replace medical advice. Consult your GP if you have complaints or an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and if you take medication, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Sources: EFSA (approved health claims for EPA/DHA, ALA, plant sterols and vitamin B1), Hartstichting (Dutch Heart Foundation), Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre), Thuisarts.nl.
