Nov 07 2008

Reversing Heart Disease

Posted by Dave in Reverse Heart Disease

People often wonder what if there is anything can they do to reverse the damage. Both those groups of people who suffer from heart disease, as well as people who are at risk of developing heart disease are concerned about this.  A lot of times, the damage is not reversible. Sometimes, but not every time the rate of heart damage can be slowed down or even halted to the point that you might say one is reversing. Your heart will never be as good as it was before all the damage, but it can be improved compared to its current state.

Diet to Reverse Heart Disease

The diet we have can be instrumental in reversing heart disease, but only if we are pro-active with what we eat. Most often, we do not pay attention to our food selections. We fill ourselves with what is available with no concern that they are loaded with fats and cholesterol that do the damage. We neglect our daily requirements for fresh fruits and fibers needed to be healthy. When you hear the word pro-active it means you must take charge of these habits that you must become aware of and take steps to change.

Quantity and Quality of Fats

Most just have no idea of quantity and qualities of fats in our diet are the major cause of the most serious of all problems. Look at the facts, one meal at a local fast food restaurant has more fats and cholesterol than the average person should have in a week. The saturated fats are ones to be avoided since they convert into LDL cholesterol, the bad type of cholesterol that is responsible for choking our arteries. You will find saturated fats in most animal products like milk, cheeses, butter, and in red meats. The percentage of saturated fats will be higher for products that use cream, butter or cheese as one or more of their ingredients.

Trans-fats are the Most Dangerous

Trans-fats are the most dangerous type of fats present in most processed and fast foods, especially in fried, certain a number of snack products are particularly dangerous. They boost the LDL cholesterol level and reduce the HDL level. HDL happens is the “good cholesterol”, the presence of in the blood ensures an unobstructed flow of blood and oxygen in the arteries.

Not All Fats are Bad for You

Some fats are necessary for the body to function properly. Fats that are good are the monounsaturated fats found in natural vegetable oils like olive and canola, and in some nuts. These good fats can slow down or reverse heart disease by reducing LDL levels in the bloodstream it allows the good HDL to come up to healthier levels and helps in reversing heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats, found in soybean oil or corn oil help reduce LDL, but the big disadvantage is that these fats still have too much cholesterol. More so than monounsaturated fats do and as do not give you as much benefit in reversing heart disease.

The Best Fats

Omega-3 cold water Fish oils, certain fatty fish like salmon, and flaxseed supplements contain the good fatty acids. They are considered indispensible in reversing heart diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce cholesterol and have the most therapeutic effects on the heart.

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