There are many natural agents widely available that can improve your health. Here are 10 natural agents proven to help protect against Heart and Lung Disease.
Vitamin C
Study after study has shown how taking a daily dose of Vitamin C(1g a day) really can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.This nutrient also protects the lungs, especially in smokers.Smoking increases your need for Vitamin C and smokers are recommended to take an extra 35mg a day to compensate.
The richest food source of vitamin C is acerola berries andViridian (http://www.viridian.com) has launched a new vitaminC made from this fruit.
Hawthorn
Roman physicians used hawthorn as a cardio tonic in the firstcentury AD and clinical studies now show that its healingaction is thanks to the presence of proanthocyanidins -red and purple pigments (sometimes called anthocyanins)found in plants which help prevent degenerative diseaseof the heart, blood vessels and lungs, and are thought tohelp reverse arthesosclerotic plaque deposits.
Cleverly hawthorn can re-regulate both high and low bloodpressure and works to dilate both peripheral and coronaryblood vessels, making it a useful aid in the management ofangina.
Garlic
With the advent of more cutting-edge remedies, such as redyeast, it seems almost old fashioned now to recommend garlicas a cardiocascular tonic, but it does still merit a mentionas a broad-spectrum treatment for arterial disease.
The active agent is an odourless chemical called alliin.When you cut or crush raw garlic, this is immediatelyconverted to allicin, which is the substance that givesgarlic its powerful smell.
Allicin then rapidly breaks down into various componentsand unless herbal remedy manufacturers who want to offerodourless capsules, find a way to stop this process, noactive agents will be left. This is the reason there is somuch controversy about the different brands and forms ofgarlic.
Apples
An apple a day may help keep lung cancer at bay, according topreliminary evidence that suggests a very positive relationshipbetween eating five or more apples a week and healthy lungfunction. Researchers admit they cannot explain why eating apples can offset normal age-related deterioration in lungfunctioning but suggest it may be thanks to the presence of two active agents quercetin and pectin.
Dandelion
This humble backyard weed is a powerhouse of nutrients thatwork together to promote healthy heart and lung functioning.Although better known as a digestive tonic it can also workto promote good cholesterol and has a diuretic effect in thebody, which then works to regulate blood pressure, when youuse the leaves.
Dandelion provides more membrane and lung supporting vitaminA than carrots, is an excellent source of heart-protectingpotassium and can help maintain good iron levels to preventanaemia. The young leaves are delicious tossed into a summersalad.
Guggul
This is a mixture of gum resin substances taken from the plantCommiphora Mukul, which is approved for use as a cholesterollowering agent in India. Guggul which can also play a rolein the treatment of Acne has also been shown to exert protectiveproperties against drug-induced myocardial necrosis and is thought to have useful anti-inflammatory properties.
Taurine
A sulphur-containing amino acid present in high levels in meatsand fish, taurine, taken as a supplement has been shown to lower blood pressure and plasma epinephrine (adrenaline) levels.People with high blood pressure and heart problems have higherlevels of this hormone circulating in the blood - sinceit helps the heart work harder to increase its output of bloodand thus compensate for any pumping problems - but lower levelsin the heart muscle itself, which usually has more taurine present than any other amino acid.
Arginine
Sold in supplement form as L-arginine, the body uses this aminoacid as a precursor to nitric oxide, which, in turn, dilates bloodvessels and lowers blood pressure. It has been successfully usedto help support stable angina patients and in clinical trials, high dosages (17g a day) have been shown to lower bad cholesterolwithout affecting levels of good choloesterol.
Arginine is found naturally in meats, diary products, poultryand fish.
Homocysteine Modulators
Homocysteine is known to be 40 times a more accurate predictorof the risk of heart disease than cholesterol levels. Homocysteine itself is not a natural protector against heartdisease, but the agents usd to regulate its levels are.
Magnesium
Many unexpected adult deaths are thought to occur as a resultof fatal hearts rhythm disturbances. We know that magnesiumdefeciency, which is common in men and women, predisposes to higher risk of these kind of disturbances, so taking a therapeutic daily dose of a magnesium supplement would seemsensible along with increasing your dietary intake of thisnutrient.
Potassium
We know that potassium works with sodium to regulate the body's water balance and normalise heart rythms (potassiumworks inside the cells; sodium works outside them) anddocumented research proves that a low-potassium, high-sodium(salt) diet is linked with high blood pressure.
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