Psst. Have you heard the latest buzzword for a health promoting substance called Nitric oxide?

It’s not the stuff you get at the dentist’s office (that’s nitrous oxide). 

Nitric oxide is a gas we make within our own bodies. It’s made from an enzyme called Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase — eNOS for short — found in our endothelial cells (those are the cells that line all the blood vessels throughout the body).

Nitrates and nitrites found naturally in food are converted to nitric oxide by specific proteins and enzymes in the body. This process all begins in the mouth with your oral microbiome (which is why I warn clients to beware of antiseptic mouthwash…it can disrupt the beneficial flora of the mouth and remove the necessary bacteria needed to start this process). Chewing your food thoroughly is also important to help kick start this nitric oxide production.

By the time you are about 40 years old, the eNOS enzyme is only about 50% functional. That’s why it’s so important that you eat certain foods, especially for menopausal folks. 

Okay, that’s enough biology for now. Let’s get to the good stuff…

What does nitric oxide do for you?

Nitric oxide is like a “turn on” switch.

Nitric oxide increases neurotransmitters such as serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are good for your brain, your sleep, and your moods and can give you a “zest for life.”

If you are a menopausal woman and accused of being…shall we say, moody…nitric oxide can help bring your emotions into balance.

In premature babies, nitric oxide is used to plump up immature lung tissue so they can start breathing.

And in other “turn on”-related news, nitric oxide is in Viagra. In this case, nitric oxide is a muscle relaxant and vasodilator that allows blood flow to the erectile tissue in males (and females).

That nitric oxide is starting to sound like some pretty feel-good stuff!

But there’s more…Nitric oxide can also improve heart health, burn fat, and balance blood sugar. 

Low nitric oxide levels may contribute to a higher risk of medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Low levels also lead to higher levels of fat. 

Need even more of an incentive to burn fat? Consider this: We don’t just have visible fat on the outside; we also have dangerous visceral fat hidden deep inside the body beneath the abdominal wall surrounding the intestines, liver, and other organs.

So how do we get more of this good stuff in your body?

A diet high in nitrate-rich vegetables and antioxidants, or the addition of L-arginine or L-citrulline in supplement form, have beneficial results to boost the body’s nitric oxide levels.

The foods recommended in my Midlife to Great Life Method naturally increase nitric oxide in the body. Yup, that’s right. One more reason to join my program, not only for weight loss but for the health promoting benefits derived from nitric oxide.

Ready to add ✓nitric oxide  to your shopping list? Put any of these foods in your cart the next time you’re at the grocery store to increase nitric oxide in your diet:

✓  kale, arugula, Swiss Chard, and spinach (those good ol’ dark green leafy greens!)

✓  beets, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli 

Exercise also increases nitric oxide in your body. Certain exercises can increase eNOS gene expression in the lungs, increasing nitric acid production from arginine. Nitric oxide production increases in skeletal muscle in response to physical activity, so it’s best to combine aerobic training, such as walking or jogging, with anaerobic training, such as resistance training.

And what depletes nitric oxide?

You can probably guess…The things you know aren’t good for your body also deplete nitric oxide: 

• Processed foods
• Conventional meat and dairy products, 
• Unhealthy fats, such as saturated fats, trans fats and linoleic fatty acids found in seed oils like sunflower, safflower, canola, palm, peanut, soybean, and corn oil
• A sedentary lifestyle
• Chronic stress

A recipe for more Nitric Oxide (it’s more delicious than it sounds!)

Ready to naturally increase health-promoting nitric oxide in your body, burn fat, and just plain ol’ feel better? 

You can learn how and more in my Midlife to Great Life Method. Click here to learn more about it:

And if you’re not ready to fully embrace all the goodness in the Midlife to Great Life Method yet, you can at least get some more tips and tricks that will improve your health today. Book a FREE discovery call with me.

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