Health Matters: Heart Disease

What is it?

Sometimes called arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, this is the narrowing and thickening of your blood vessels due to a buildup of cholesterolrich plaque. It’s similar to what happens when you continually pour grease down your kitchen sink – the grease eventually hardens and blocks the flow of water. In the same way, plaque blocks your blood flow, increasing your risk of stroke, heart attack – even death. High cholesterol, lack of exercise, diabetes and high blood pressure put you at risk for this disease.

Eat to defeat heart disease Just as a traffic jam can bring a city to a standstill, gridlock in your blood vessels can do all sorts of damage to your body. If your blood has trouble moving through your arteries, you’re at a greater risk for a heart attack, stroke, varicose veins, and a host of other diseases. Fortunately, you can improve your circulation naturally with a combination of herbs and food.

Gingko biloba. Aspirin can make your blood less sticky and a blood clot and stroke less likely. Unfortunately, aspirin can upset your stomach and sometimes cause internal bleeding. But now you have another option. A supplement called gingko biloba, made from a tree that existed in China for thousands of years can also do the job.

Laboratory tests show that ginkgo keeps blood clots from forming, making it a good stroke fighter. Although it works much like aspirin, side effects are rare. (Be sure your preparation is not made with gingko seeds, which can be toxic and cause seizures.)

Ginkgo can also relieve symptoms of intermittent claudication, a condition that causes severe pain in your calf muscles when you walk because of poor blood supply to your legs. Many people find they can walk further without pain when they take this supplement. In addition, there are usually few side effects. Take 120 to 160 milligrams (mg) per day with meals for relief.

Horse chestnut. Studies show this seed extract helps people with varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where the valves of your veins don’t work properly. Blood has trouble making its way back to your heart so it builds up in your lower legs. Taking horse chestnut seed extract for two weeks can reduce swelling in your calves and ankles as well as relieve other symptoms such as leg pain, itching, and fatigue. Make sure your extract has 100 to 150 mg of escin, the active ingredient in this herb.

Garlic and onions. These two members of the allium family fight poor circulation while adding flavour to your meals. The sulfur compounds in garlic and onions keep your platetets from clumping together and making your blood sticky. Just a clove of garlic a day will help unclog your arteries, but check with your doctor first if you’re taking warfarin or other blood-thinning medication. Choose yellow or red onions for the most health benefits. Cook with both garlic and onions instead of salt to help fight high blood pressure, another big risk factor for stroke.

Grape juice. After years of taking grapes apart and examining the pieces, scientists have decided they are the healthiest just as they are – whole. Grape seed extract and grape skin extract each, on its own, does little to stop your blood from clotting and blocking your arteries. But when the two substances are combined, the mixture can reduce platelet clumping by 91 percent. And that’s why grape juice, made from whole grapes, is a heart-smart choice. Two glasses of purple grape juice a day can rejuvenate your veins and arteries and have you feeling brand new.

Nuts and seeds. Rich in both unsaturated fats and vitamin E, foods like walnuts, sesame seeds, and almonds provide a one-two punch against heart attack, stroke, and other circulation problems.

Unsaturated fats help prevent clots and lower cholesterol, which can clog your arteries and make it harder for your blood to get through. Vitamin E stops LDL, or bad, cholesterol from clinging to your artery walls, decreasing your risk for heart attack or stroke. In one study, women who took vitamin E supplements for more than two years had 41 percent less heart attacks. Low levels of this antioxidant vitamin are also associated with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and intermittent claudication.

Another source of unsaturated fat is olive oil. You can find vitamin E in wheat germ, vegetable oils, and green leafy vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables. These nutritional powerhouses have a lot to offer, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Along with vitamin E, the antioxidants beta carotene (which your body turns into vitamin A) and vitamin C help lower your risk for stroke. Vitamin C strengthens your small blood vessels and thins your blood so that it flows more smoothly, while vitamin A rejuvenates your tissues and cell lining. Both also boost your immune system and rid your body of toxins.

Eat carrots, plums, tomatoes, and watercress for a healthy dose of these important nutrients. But don’t stop there. Asparagus, cantaloupe, pinto beans, beets, and leafy greens provide folic acid, a B vitamin that protects your heart. Many grain products in the United States are now fortified with folic acid because experts estimated that 50,000 fewer Americans would die from heart attacks each year if manufacturers added folic acid to breads and other products.

Flax. Whether in the form of flaxseed oil, or flaxseeds, this plant gives you a good amount of alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid that lowers blood pressure and your risk for stroke. This wonder food also fights arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, stomach disorders and even mental problems. It also protects against cancers of the breast, prostate, and colon.

Use flaxseed oil in salad dressings, soups, or sauces, or sprinkle flaxseeds on cereals and salads. Bake with flax flour, or stir in some flaxseeds for crunchy cookies, breads, or muffins. But add flax to your diet slowly – too much, too fast can give you gas if you are not used to it. you’ll also find alpha-linolenic acid in walnuts as well as walnut or canola oil.

Beans. By providing plenty of protein without arteryclogging cholesterol and saturated fat, beans and other legumes make wonderful alternatives to meat. Beans are also high in fiber, which can protect your heart and shrink your stroke risk, and have been shown to lower cholesterol. And when your protein comes from beans and other vegetables, you can improve your chances of avoiding cancer and liver damage.