With winter just around the corner, looking after your heart can be more essential than at any other time of year.

Cold weather puts your heart health at risk - your heart has to work harder, so your heart rate and blood pressure may increase. These changes can cause problems such as blood clots, strokes, and even heart attacks.

During winter, you’re also less likely to get outside and exercise. But how can you keep up with your heart health when the cold hits? As World Heart Day approaches (September 29, 2018) we look at some ways to warm your heart as temperatures begin to fall. 

Dress for the cold

Layers are a lifesaver when it comes to winter. Exposing your body to cold temperatures can cause your blood vessels to constrict and increase the risk of catching influenza. So why make your heart work hard to keep you warm when clothes can do it for you?

Start with a base layer such as a vest and top it off with a shirt, jumper or cardigan before a waterproof winter coat. Clothes made from cotton, wool or fleecy fibres help to maintain body heat and hats, gloves, scarves and heavy socks are also a great barrier against the cold.

Eat right

The right food can comfort you in the cold. It’s essential to ensure you eat healthily and include five portions of fruit and veg a day in your diet. Winter vegetables such as parsnips, carrots and swede can be made into soup for a comforting winter meal.

Legumes, such as lentils, kidney beans, and pinto beans are a tasty and hearty ingredient for winter recipes. Rich in important nutrients such as fibre and protein, you can add them to any winter soup or stew for an extra health boost.

Milk is also great for your immune system. Full of protein, calcium and vitamins A and B12, it is known to have a protective effect on cardiovascular health. Dairy consumption, including full-fat and low-fat dairy, has even been associated with a 9% reduced risk of stroke.

Look after your gut 

Taking a scientifically-backed probiotic is a simple way to support your microbiome and more largely, your heart health. Your microbiome is a fundamental element of your health, found in the human gut and on your skin. Looking after the microbial communities in your gut is the best place to start when it comes to heart health. Gut microbes are known to influence factors tied to cardiovascular risks, such as unhealthy cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. An imbalance in the gut can lead to increased levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body. Restoring your gut balance with probiotics is the best way to give your heart the health boost it needs.

Probiotics are live microbes that, when eaten, provide specific health benefits. In the past, probiotics have been developed to help with immunity and digestion but thanks to recent scientific developments, prebiotics can now aid specific health problems and deliver real heart health benefits.

OptiBiotix’s new CholBiome^® supplement range has been developed to help with cardiovascular health. It helps reduce and maintain cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and boost heart wellness – making it an ideal supplement to add to your diet, especially during the winter months.

CholBiome^® has been scientifically proven to reduce total cholesterol by up to 36.7% and decrease blood pressure by 5.1%. The supplement has been formulated to lower your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and boost your HDL (good cholesterol) levels to assist with improved cholesterol health. Harnessing the power of the patented probiotic Lactobacillus Plantarum LP_LDL^®, backed by extensive scientific evidence and an EFSA health claim, OptiBiotix’s CholBiome^® is an ideal way to regulate your cholesterol levels and promote heart health.

OptiBiotix’s revolutionary products are all supported by key opinion leaders in the microbiome field including Professor Glen Gibson, University of Reading. Not only this, but OptiBiotix have a combined element of scientific evidence and peer reviewed human studies behind them to prove their unique products deliver real health benefits through science, naturally.

Supplements containing OptiBiotix’s groundbreaking probiotic ingredients are now available for pre-order from OptiBiotix.Online.