Take care of your heart with herbs

Take care of your heart with herbs

Coronary artery disease is caused by a narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply the heart. Many deaths from coronary heart disease could be prevented because coronary heart disease is related to certain aspects of lifestyle. Risk factors for coronary heart disease include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, obesity and physical inactivity, all of which can be controlled. Controlling risk factors remains key to preventing illness and death from coronary heart disease.

We can control these risk factors by using some herbs prescribed in Ayurveda

GREEN TEA – Green tea has been popular in Asia for centuries and helps keep blood pressure under control. It can also help prevent cholesterol from clogging the arteries. The tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGGCG) and other substances that protect the body from the dangers of oxidation while helping to keep harmful LDL cholesterol low and helpful HDL cholesterol high. Tea helps the heart.

GARLIC – Prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Can prevent the liver from producing excess fat and cholesterol. One study found that adding just two ounces of garlic juice to a fatty, cholesterol-laden meal actually lowered cholesterol by up to 7 percent. Another study found that 600 mg of garlic powder per day can lower total cholesterol by a few. A 10-month study found that eating three cloves of garlic per day kept cholesterol low for longer periods. And because garlic contains ajoene and other substances, it also helps keep the blood "thin" and free of potentially fatal blood clots.

Turmeric lowers blood cholesterol levels by stimulating the production of bile. It also prevents the formation of dangerous blood clots that can lead to a heart attack.

ARJUNA – Arjuna, an important Ayurvedic herb, is a coronary vasodilator. It protects the heart, strengthens blood circulation and helps maintain the tone and health of the heart muscle. It is also useful for stopping bleeding and promoting healing after a heart attack.

Onion: Onions contain adenosine and other “blood thinners” to prevent blood clots from forming. In addition to thinning blood, onions can help keep coronary arteries open and clear by increasing HDL. Eating a raw onion every day can increase HDL by 20 to 30 percent.

Ginger – Ginger is an important herb for a healthy heart. Ayurvedic doctors recommend eating a little ginger every day to prevent a heart attack. It lowers cholesterol levels. It also lowers blood pressure and prevents blood clots. Ginger's heart-benefiting properties are similar to those of garlic. Ginger disrupts the long sequence of events required for blood clots to lodge in narrowed coronary arteries and trigger a heart attack.

SOY: – When people with high cholesterol follow a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, their cholesterol levels usually go down. However, if you replace the animal protein in your diet with soy protein, cholesterol levels will drop significantly. A study has shown that soy protein can counteract the effects of 500 mg of cholesterol intentionally added to the daily diet.