Posts Tagged ‘diet’

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Is Garlic Good For My Health

December 10th, 2011

Garlic is mythically known to ward off vampires, but it can ward off many health problems as well. But to get the most out the health properties from this wonder-food, it is important to know how to prepare it. Garlic has the most effect when it is crushed, chopped or consumed raw. If you are cooking garlic with food, you should not add it to your cooking until the last ten minutes. If you add it at the beginning of your cooking, the garlic will loose its health benefits. Try adding a few cloves to your olive oil and pouring it over your salad, this is a milder way to consume garlic. Now that we know how to prepare garlic, let’s take a look at how it can improve your health.

High Cholesterol and Heart Disease

Cholesterol can be a confusing subject because there are two types: one that is good for you (HDL) and one that is bad for you (LDL). Garlic is thought to prevent LDL from oxidizing and building up in the arteries. It is this build up that can lead to heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet contains a large amount of garlic. It is no coincidence then that people from this area have a significantly lower percentage of their population that suffers from high cholesterol and heart disease. If you want to start taking garlic and you have high cholesterol, make sure that it is taken in conjunction with a balanced diet and if you have further concerns, seek your health care provider’s advice.

Antibacterial

Garlic has been proven to have the antibacterial properties equivalent to 1% of penicillin. It can be used to prevent a number of harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and Salmonella. The problem with most antibacterial medicines is that the bacteria evolves and builds up a resistance to it, but with garlic this is not the case. The common cold can also be prevented with the consumption of two to three cloves of garlic. More and more we are seeing that it is essential to include this super-food into your balanced diet.

Blood Clots

There have been clinical trails that have proven garlic supplements reduced blood pressure by up to 5%. While this figure does not sound that impressive, the reduction can shrink the risk of heart disease by up to 25%. Garlic supplements make for a great alternative to those who do not enjoy the taste of garlic. If you are worried about garlic giving you bad breath, you can also take the supplement as an alternative.

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Tips on Improving Heart Health

December 10th, 2011

The heart is the hardest working muscle in the human body and every day it pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood. It never stops and is always working. Such a diligent muscle needs to be in the best condition it can be, and with a few changes in lifestyle, you and your heart can be feeling much better. Heart disease is one of the major killers of men and women in America, but most of the causes of heart attacks are preventable and are largely due to poor lifestyle and diet choices. A build up of cholesterol and fat in the arteries is the main cause of heart disease and failure. This build up is known as plaque. Once built up to a certain level, the plaque can break open, causing blood clots to form. This can cause a complete blockage in the artery and stop oxygen rich blood from reaching the heart, resulting in heart failure.

Diet

Because the major cause of heart disease is the build up of cholesterol and fat in the arteries, this should be an indication that heart health and diet are directly related. Research has shown that a diet rich in olive oil, Omega-3, garlic, whole grains and fresh vegetable will significantly reduce heart complications. In fact it has been proven that people who consume a Mediterranean diet are at far less risk from heart disease. Over-processed foods are a major dietary concern. When food is over-processed it looses the majority of the essential nutrients. Processed grains found in white bread, and the sugars present in soda and the sodium in fast food greatly increase the risk of heart complications. Not only is unprocessed food better for your heart, it tastes better as well.

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Ideas for Healthy Meals

November 11th, 2011

It is no longer a difficult choice these days to choose to prepare a healthy dinner meal for you and your family. Even if you are on a busy schedule and you find yourself with very little time to cook, there are many meals that you can create in less than twenty minutes. It makes no difference whether you are looking for a budget healthy recipe or speedy healthy recipe for dinner, here you will discover some of the best ideas.

First of all, before you begin to prepare a healthy dinner, you must have a thorough understanding of what constitutes a healthy meal. In order to have a well balanced meal, you must include whole grains, vegetables and protein. A good rule of thumb is to try to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each and every day. This should prove to not be a difficult task as you can include at least two to three portions of vegetables in one meal. It is also important to have protein in your meal, but it is also a good idea to limit the amount that you eat. A lot of people end up eating much more protein in their diet than what is necessary. You should try to limit the amount of red meat that you consume to a couple of times a week. There are alternatives to meat that contain protein such as eggs and they can make you a great healthy meal. Now that you have a good idea of the basics of a healthy diet, here are some recipes that you can try.

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