Magnesium helps improve heart function and prevents arrhythmias that are common in congestive heart failure.

Unfortunately, magnesium deficiency has reached epidemic levels because our food lacks this vital nutrient.

I suggest taking 200 to 400 mg of magnesium per day. For optimal absorption, it is best taken at bedtime.

Thiamine deficiency is another cause of congestive heart failure. For more than 15 years, I have been testing the thiamine level of every new patient I see, and more than 30 percent have low levels — the vast majority of those significantly low.

Many heart failure patients report significantly improved energy, breathing, and sense of well-being when taking thiamine.

It only takes a simple blood test to determine your thiamine level. If it’s low, I suggest taking 25 to 50 mg a day.

I have found iodine therapy to be a mainstay for treating all cardiovascular diseases. Iodine helps improve function of the thyroid gland, and hypothyroidism is another major cause of heart failure.

It has also been shown to prevent heart arrhythmias.