Eat Colorful Carotenoids

Here's an important cardiovascular nutrition tip I hope you'll read carefully...

Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has long been associated with preventing cardiovascular problems.  If you eat at least five to nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day, you will, on average, take in enough carotenoids to meet your body’s needs. But this can be a challenge. That’s why it makes sense to take out additional “insurance” with supplements to be sure you’re giving your body the cardiovascular nutrition that it needs to help you avoid heart risk factors.

Even so, it’s difficult to duplicate the sheer variety of carotenoids found in nature. For example, lycopene—extremely important in promoting cervical and prostate health—is found predominantly in tomatoes. Three carrots equal 12,000 units of beta carotene; a large serving of spinach will give you 10,000 units. And astaxanthin, a natural carotenoid pigment, gives salmon flesh its orange hue and adds the colorful tinge to shrimp, lobster, and crabs.

Look for a special supplement, or read the label to find a mixed carotenoid complex within your multivitamin, including alpha carotene, beta carotene, gamma carotene, astaxanthin, xeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein.

Recommended dose: Strive for a carotenoid complex total of 12,500 IU per day.

For more information on healthy heart nutrition, visit www.drsinatra.com.