Show Your Heart a Little Love

NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- For such a short month, February is full of reasons to take a look under the hood to evaluate personal heart health. Daily exercise, a smart diet, and select supplements can help lead to a long and healthy life. In the spirit of a month that celebrates love, athleticism, and health, former Olympian Summer Sanders demonstrates how to show your heart the love it deserves and take the first steps toward achieving optimal heart health.

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Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for both men and women, accounting for about 26 percent of all deaths in the United States each year; and according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is projected to cost the U.S. $316.4 billion in 2010. Further, nearly every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event and almost every minute someone will die from one.  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the major cause of mortality and morbidity in developed countries, and with heart disease rising at an alarming rate, it's more important than ever that Americans learn how to achieve optimum heart health through healthy lifestyle choices like diet and exercise.

As a professional athlete and sports commentator, Summer Sanders can attest to the importance of living an active lifestyle to achieve a strong, healthy heart. While a balanced diet full of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables along with regular exercise promotes good cardiovascular health, as the body ages many of the natural molecules deplete and the need for vitamins and supplements come into play. Nature Made® offers supplements such as Fish Oil to protect the heart; CholestOff to naturally lower cholesterol; and CoQ10, a powerful anti-oxidant that provides energy for your heart. These supplements, in combination with a healthy lifestyle -- that includes moderate exercise on a regular basis, a balanced diet low in processed foods, and plenty of rest and relaxation -- can help keep the heart beating strong for years to come.

"Knowing how to take care of your heart can be confusing and overwhelming.  As an Olympian, I know it's important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly, but there's still more you can do,"  said Summer Sanders, "Nature Made® clears up some of the confusion with their website about heart health and their diverse portfolio of heart-health supplements to help develop a robust heart-health regimen."

Small changes can make a world of difference when it comes to heart health.   Becoming more active, getting more rest, and eliminating processed foods from a daily routine in combination with supplements from Nature Made® can improve, maintain and strengthen the heart.

For more information about heart health and Nature Made supplements visit www.naturemade.com.

About Summer Sanders

Summer Sanders is a sports broadcaster, actress and retired Olympic gold medalist in swimming. At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, she won gold medals in the 200-meter butterfly and in the 400-meter medley relay. She also won a silver medal in the 200-meter individual medley and a bronze medal in the 400-meter individual medley. In June 1999, Sanders published the book Champions Are Raised, Not Born: How My Parents Made Me A Success). She serves on the national advisory board of Positive Coaching Alliance. She will also appear on Celebrity Apprentice this year, and will be an on-site co-host of NBC's Universal Sports Winter Olympic coverage for Vancouver 2010.

About Nature Made

Nature Made® is the number one best-selling brand of vitamins, minerals, herbs and supplements, offering more than 150 of the highest-quality products nationwide. Owned by Pharmavite LLC, the Nature Made brand was the first line of dietary supplements to earn a third-party quality seal of approval through the United States Pharmacopeia's Verification Program. The dietary supplement industry is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission, as well as by government agencies in each of the 50 states. Visit www.NatureMade.com for the latest news and offerings.

SOURCE Nature Made