It takes a lot of conscious thought and life approach to maintain a strong and healthy heart. Eat a rainbow of colors. Dr. Linda Van Horn, a nutritionist and a clinical nutrition epidemiologist at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine says, “Colorful vegetables and fruits are where the majority of antioxidants, isoflavones, and other phytochemicals exist.” Aim for 8 servings a day.
Prime Choices: Avocados, Artichokes, Grapefruit.
Many herbs like garlic, ginger, and turmeric also have healthy, anti-inflammatory benefits for your heart.
Alcohol
Alcohol also has been found to have heart healthy benefits. Limit yourself to one glass of wine a day. Or grab some grapes, which have all the same benefits as wine plus the added fiber of the grape skins.
Beans
Many of us stay away from beans because of the after affects; however, beans can be one of the best things you can eat to protect your heart.
The soluble fiber in beans helps reduce risks by blocking cholesterol and fats from being absorbed into your bloodstream. More soluble fiber can lower your LDL by 5 to 10 percent. A recent study showed that eating a legume rich diet can lower your cholesterol by 14 points in only 4 weeks. Trish Ross, author of Easy Beans says, “At a time when most of us are trying to combat rising food prices, but eat healthfully, beans are the thing.”
Add beans to rice dishes, wraps, and even lasagna. Beans can not only fill out the meal, but make it more heart healthy too. You may want to start slow to avoid the gas troubles. Start with one serving a week for a few weeks and gradually add more. Preparing beans with ginger can also help soothe the stomach.
Garlic
New research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that eating raw garlic is much healthier for you than dried varieties. In a test on rats recovering from heart attacks, those who were given fresh garlic had greater flow of blood to the aorta than those given processed garlic. The reasoning is thought that fresh garlic may increase the amount of hydrogen sulfide which helps relax blood vessels and increases circulation.
Fresh Garlic should be a daily requirement for obtaining long lasting heart health. Try incorporating more fresh garlic into meals or eating it straight up (if you’re brave enough).
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