Posts Tagged ‘Cardiovascular Diseases’

Healthy Heart Diet-I Just Found Out To Make a Heart Healthy Salad

Monday, August 30th, 2010
Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia).
Image via Wikipedia

Most people who have heart problems likely realize they need to be on a heart healthy diet. I just found out how you can make a heart healthy salad. Here is how you build a heart healthy salad.

First, we’ll look at a typical salad and the mistakes people make thinking all salads are healthy. A typical salad bar salad starts with a bed of iceberg lettuce, a nutrient poor food that zoos even stopped feeding the animals. Then most people pile on the cheese, full of fat and maybe not even real cheese but processed cheese food full of partially hydrogenated oils. Next, many people add lots of croutons which are high  in fat and contain white flour, and drench it with a hearty helping of creamy dressing which also is high in  fat and probably loaded with trans fats.

This is NOT a heart healthy salad.  Not one thing in it is going to benefit the heart and cardiovascular system. You can say you ate a salad for lunch,but it wasn’t much better than a big fast food burger for your heart.

The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States has been linked to our diet and learning a few tips to help prevent high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and cholesterol build up can be life saving.

 The very first thing to remember is color. Deep green, bright red, purple,orange, and yellow colors in vegetables are caused by plant pigments. Each and every one of the phytochemicals that make up complex plant colors act as antioxidants. Current research indicates that not only heart disease and stroke but also other debilitating diseases like cancer may all be caused by free radical oxidative damage wreaking havoc on our cells. Antioxidants neutralize and stop the oxidative stress chain reactions caused byantioxidants. So pile on the colorful vegetables and fruits. Red cabbage, dark green spinach and other deeply colored greens, orange peppers andcarrots, broccoli, whatever vegetables you enjoy. Don’t forget a tiny bit of hearth healthy cayenne if you like spicy. Be sure to add onions that have proven heart healthy properties.

A little cheese, Parmesan or mozzarella, goes great on top of a salad, but just add a small amount and use real cheese. If you are building a dinner salad then add some lean grilled chicken. A perfect heart healthy addition is wild caught Alaska grilled salmon high in heart healthy Omega 3 oils.

Avoid fried or breaded additions; these are full of unhealthy fats.

 If you need a little crunch on the salad look for raw nuts and seeds.

Walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, or pumpkin seeds all benefit the heart and cardiovascular system. Don’t buy roasted or salted.

Finally, the dressing. The ideal dressing is a simple dash of olive oil and a bit of red wine vinegar. The trick is to sprinkle the salad with herbs; oregano, thyme, parsley, whichever herbs you enjoy. Then a sprinkle of garlic powder or pieces of roasted garlic, also proven to benefit the heart, and you have a truly heart healthy salad!

To Your Heart’s Health

Monique Hawkins

540-858-2885

mentormonique@gmail.com

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newsletter! P.S. For more information about Vita Che, the natural Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com

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Heart Disease Treatments-Prevent Heart Disease The Natural Way

Friday, June 4th, 2010

As someone who stronlgy believes in going the natural route first when experiencing illness, including heart disease, I really liked what this article has to say.

So, I thought I’d pass it on to you!

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease – Is There a Natural, Non-Invasive Way to Treat Heart Disease?

By Allan Lloyd

Statistics show that almost every second man and woman in the industrialized world, dies from the consequences of Coronary Artery Disease — most often simply referred to, as Heart Disease, or Cardiovascular Disease.

Plaque deposits that cause blockages in the Coronary Arteries, the first blood vessels that branch off from the Aorta — can lead to sudden heart attacks. If the same blockages occur in arteries supplying blood to the brain, then this can lead to a stroke. Sadly, many people miss the preliminary signs and symptoms of Heart Disease and so often their first ‘symptom’ is sudden death.

The epidemic spread of cardiovascular diseases, is largely due to the fact that until now, the true nature of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease has been insufficiently understood.

Conventional medicine is largely confined to treating the symptoms of heart disease. Treatments such as calcium antagonists, beta-blockers, nitrates and other drugs are prescribed to alleviate angina pain. Surgical procedures, such as angioplasty and bypass surgery — are applied to mechanically improve blood flow. Rarely does conventional medicine target the underlying problem: the instability of the vascular walls, which triggers the development of atherosclerotic deposits.

Can you prevent and reverse heart disease without invasive procedures and avoid the complications of bypass surgery?

The answer is yes. Cellular Medicine provides a breakthrough in our understanding of the underlying causes of cardiovascular conditions, and leads to the effective prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease. The wonderful benefit of utilizing cellular medicine, is that the complications of bypass surgery are avoided.

According to many nutritional researchers, the primary cause of coronary heart disease and other forms of atherosclerotic disease — is a chronic deficiency of essential nutrients in millions of vascular wall cells. This deficiency leads to the instability of the vascular walls — thereby leading to lesions and cracks, atherosclerotic deposits, and eventually, heart attacks or strokes. Since the primary cause of cardiovascular disease, is a deficiency of essential nutrients in the cells of the vascular walls — the daily optimum intake of these essential nutrients is the primary measure to prevent atherosclerosis and help repair artery wall damage.

Scientific research and clinical studies have already documented the particular value of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and other ingredients in the prevention of heart disease — but what if you are already suffering from the symptoms of this disease?

One vocal proponent of using nutrition in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, is Matthias Rath, M.D. In Dr Rath’s book, “Why Animals Don’t Get Heart Attacks — But People Do!”, he outlines his theories about why optimum nutrition is so vital and can not only prevent, but even reverse heart disease. Dr. Rath believes that there are specific, essential nutrients that help to prevent cardiovascular disease and repair existing damage.

Vitamin research and cardiovascular disease.

One of the largest studies about the importance of vitamins in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, was conducted in Europe. It is a well-known fact, that cardiovascular diseases are more frequent in northern European countries, compared to Mediterranean countries.

Professor K.F. Gey, from the University of Berne in Switzerland, compared the rate of cardiovascular disease in these countries — to the blood levels of vitamin C and beta-carotene, as well as cholesterol. His findings were remarkable:

* People in Northern European countries have the highest rate of cardiovascular disease, and on average, the lowest blood levels of vitamins.

* Southern European populations, have the lowest cardiovascular risk and the highest blood levels of vitamins.

* An optimum intake of the vitamins C, E and A — had a much greater impact on decreasing the risk for cardiovascular disease than lowering cholesterol levels, a frequent focal point in conventional medicine.

This study finally provides the scientific answer as to why there is such a lower rate of heart attacks — in France, Greece and other Mediterranean countries, when compared to the norm. The key factor for the lower cardiovascular risk in these countries, is the high intake of nutrition through the regular diets of these regions. Certain dietary preferences, such as the consumption of wine and olive oil, which are rich in bioflavonoids and vitamin E seem to be of particular importance.

Supplementation – Your defense against heart disease.

With our modern lifestyle and eating choices, it is simply not that easy to get all the nutrients we need from our diet alone. This is why so many people choose to supplement their diet with nutritional supplements such as vitamins and antioxidants. If your aim is to prevent diseases such as heart disease — then supplementation has become more than just a ‘quaint health fad’ — it’s more a matter of life and death.

What are the best supplements to take for problems with the cardiovascular system?

Many people know of the general benefits of nutrients, such as vitamins, antioxidants, fish oil etc. But what is specifically good for the heart and cardiovascular system? Here are some suggestions:

* Vitamin C: provides protection and promotes the natural healing of the artery wall and the reversal of plaque

* Vitamin E: provides antioxidant protection

* Vitamin D: optimizes calcium metabolism and the reversal of calcium deposits in the artery wall

* Folic acid, Biotin and B Vitamins: provide a protective function against increased homocysteine levels

* Copper: supports stability of the artery wall with the improved cross-linking of collagen molecules

* Bioflavonoids, Grape Seed Extract and Pine Bark Extract: contain antioxidant nutrients and molecules known as ‘OPCs’ which act as biocatalysts for improved vitamin C function and improved stability of the artery wall

The most specific supplement formula for cardiovascular disease, would have to be what is known as an Oral Chelation Therapy supplement. This type of formula, is a blend of nutrients designed to heal and tone the cardiovascular system, as well as ‘chelate’ or ‘claw out’ the excess plaque and calcium buildup in the arteries. Oral Chelation Therapy is not as widely available as the individual nutrients mentioned before – however its specific formula provides the best combination of nutrients to fully assist the body in its healing processes — so that one can prevent and even reverse the onset of cardiovascular diseases.

Copyright 2009 HealthyHeartInfo.com

Allan Lloyd is a researcher and educator in nutritional medicine. For a Free Special Report on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease with Oral Chelation Therapy plus a subscription to Heart Health Tips visit: http://www.healthyheartinfo.com

To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve To Have A Healthy Heart” Newsletter!

P.S. For more information about Vita Che, what I call the Roto Rooter for your arteries, visit this online nutrition store at http://699456.shopvitamark.com