 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
COLLECTIVE
WIZDOM.COM
Real People (Sometimes Real
Names) Share Real Health
and Life Stories
WIZDOM.COM
Real People (Sometimes Real
Names) Share Real Health
and Life Stories
DIET AND FITNESS
Arteries Are the Key to Good Health
---Keep Your Pipes Clear
Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure
Blood Pressure Linked to Erectile Dysfunction
Ideal Breakfast for Diabetics
Diet and Exercise-Simple Plan
Bad Sleep Linked to Heart Attack and Stroke
Snoring Linked to Stroke
My Heart Attack-personal stories from survivors
By Samantha Landry (February 9, 2008)
What do arteries have to do with your general health?
Everything. The health of your arteries will directly affect
your heart, your risk of stroke, even your risk of
developing erectile dysfunction. To see why, ask
yourself this question. Quick test. If you wanted to
know whether our economy is healthy, which of the
following companies would give you the best overall
indication? Amazon.com, Walmart, UPS?
I would argue that even though Walmart is a giant mega-
retailer and Amazon is a giant mega click-and-mortar
retailer, that the correct answer is Number 3--UPS.
Why?
Almost all companies have to ship in order to get their
goods to you. If the number of shipments overall is up,
then, the companies that ship through the shipping
service like UPS must be doing okay. It's the shipper, the
distributor, that is the key to the whole works. Which is
all a roundabout way to ask--if you want to know
whether a human is healthy overall--check the shipper.
Arteries are pipes. Complicated pipes, but pipes
nonetheless. To keep them healthy, keep them clear of
gook. Gook, in the case of our bodies, takes the form of
fat left there from the body's inability to use all the
grease we consume from burgers, fries, chicken--you
know the culprits. Again, blood vessels are pipes. If a
pipe is squeezed --which is what happens when your
vessels constrict, either because you smoke or you are
overweight --the pressure increases. Same thing would
happen if you squeezed on a garden hose. Here is what
a healthy arterial pipe looks like:
Eat enough excess fat or sugar and streaks
develop--early gook. Age, fatty diets and sedentary
living can deposit fatty streaks in our arteries.
Over time, the fat can develop fibroids, turning
streaks into a more permanent layer of fat, called an
atheroma. Now, you're in trouble. Article Continues
Below.
So, let's suppose your pipes are pretty clogged. Is there
anything you can do short of surgery (the dreaded
balloon procedure or worse) to help unclog them? It
turns out that, some foods act as, well, pipe cleaners.
Walnuts are among the best pipe cleaners in nature.
Studies have shown that those who consume a handful
of walnuts daily decrease their risk of arterial and heart
disease. Walnuts decrease inflammation and reduce
levels of substances that promote the clogging of your
arteries. How? Studies have shown that adding walnuts
to a healthful diet can decrease CRP (C-reactive protein)
levels.
CRP is a measure of inflammation. Since inflammation
damages arteries, adding walnuts lowers the level of
daily damage to your arteries which in turn reduces the
risk of a blocked arteries. Walnuts also help to patch up
your arteries. Another study has shown that walnuts
reduce levels of VCAM-1, a substance that encourages
white blood cells to stick to damaged artery walls.
Now, here's the key point. Arteries are arteries are
arteries. They are all the same. They are all just pipes.
Wonderfully engineered pipes, mind you, but pipes
nonetheless. What makes them different is their
location and where they lead too. In other words,
Interstate 101 is the same as Interstate 202 but 101
leads to your heart and 202 leads to your brain. The
pipes that lead to your heart are called coronary arteries.
The pipes that lead to your brain are called carotid
arteries.
If a blood clot or additional thickening causes the arteries
to become totally blocked, then a stroke (in the case of
the carotid arteries) or a heart attack (if the blockage
occurs in the coronary arteries surrounding the heart)
can occur. If the arterial system supplying your penis
get clogged by fat, you will develop erectile dysfunction.
That is the reason the lifestyle changes you make to
reduce your risk of heart attack are the same ones that
reduce your risk of stroke. And that's the reason any
activities or foods that increase your risk of heart attack
also increase your risk of stroke. Do you know your
blood pressure numbers? Where do you stand? The
chart on this page can help.
TODAY'S FEATURED
VEGETERIAN MEAL
RED CABBAGE SALAD
One head of red cabbage
One yellow onion
One apple
Two hard boiled eggs (For Ovo Vegeterians)
Olive Oil
Walnuts, 1/4 cup
Dried Cranberries or Raisins
(Your selection of Fish or Chicken
1. Chop the head of cabbage, sautee with
olive oil and 1/4 water until wilted
2. Dice the onion, carmelize in olive oil
3. Dice the apple
4. Dice the hard boiled egg
5. Prepare the fish or chicken, steamed with
a teaspoon of olive oil
Mix the cooked cabbage with the diced
apple, carmelized onion, cranberries(or
raisins) and walnuts. Add fish or chicken on
top.
Articles Index-Find Any Article on This Site! Sugar Content of Common Foods-Web's Largest Directory Health News Get Daily Health News from AP, a leading global news organization. Diet and Fitness Current and best sources of nutrition advice and recipes. Bowel Health Why Americans Read In Bathrooms-The Epidemic of Constipation Foods That Strengthen Erectile Performance Your Waist Size Predicts Your Heart Attack Risk How Much Is Too Much Salt? How Much Salt Is In My Food? Arteries Are the Key To Good Health Sodium Content of Common Foods I Have High Blood Pressure Blood Pressure-What It Means Onions Prevent Heart Disease Fish Oil Benefits Coffee Fights Cancer 10 Easy Tips To Turn Inflammation Fat--It's Alive! Diabetes Lifespans of Americans Glycemic Index Links Brain Health Stategies on improving cognitive function, memory, acuity, including crossword puzzles Links and Resources |
|
The Same Foods Which Clog Your Arteries
and Lead to Heart Disease Also Can Lead to
Stroke
and Lead to Heart Disease Also Can Lead to
Stroke