Is Garlic Good For Your Heart?

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and around the world. During American Heart Month, we focus on lowering the risk of this terrible condition by eating healthier. Garlic has many heart-friendly health benefits. It lowers cholesterol, helps to prevent colon cancer, and improves physical performance. All of these benefits come from a compound called allicin. But what is allicin and how does it affect your health?

Reduces risk of colon cancer

One of the most important steps to reduce the risk of colon cancer is to limit your intake of red meat and processed meats. These meats contain chemicals that can lead to cancer. It is therefore best to limit your intake to three servings a week. In addition, you should also increase your intake of calcium and vitamin D. Your daily intake of these nutrients should be between 1000 and 1200 milligrams (mg/d).

Dietary calcium is found in low-fat dairy products and fortified plant-based milks. Vitamin D can be found in fatty fish and eggs. You can also take standard multivitamins to make up for the vitamin D you don’t get in your diet. Additionally, a diet rich in fiber and whole grains may reduce the risk of colon cancer. Unfortunately, most people don’t consume enough fiber or whole grains. A general recommendation is to consume three servings of whole grains each day, and a total of 22 to 34 grams of fibre.

Lowers cholesterol

A diet low in saturated and trans fats is a healthier choice for lowering cholesterol. They are naturally occurring fats, but high levels of them in processed foods are harmful to the heart. Trans fats are also highly processed and are known to increase LDL cholesterol while lowering HDL. While sodium is a necessary nutrient, too much of it has negative effects on health. In particular, excessive sodium can cause high blood pressure.

Legumes are another healthy option for lowering cholesterol. Legumes are highly nutrient dense superfoods that contain both monosaturated fats and fiber. Compared to other fruits and vegetables, avocados are rich in fiber and contain about 10% of the daily recommended fiber intake. Avocados are particularly beneficial for lowering LDL cholesterol. Just one cup of avocados contains 10 grams of fiber, which is nearly half of your recommended daily intake.

Lowers blood pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common condition that affects one-third of adult adults in the United States. Unfortunately, less than half of those people have their blood pressure under control. This condition is very dangerous and can lead to serious problems without any warning signs. People with high blood pressure are at risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, aneurysms, and other complications. However, there are some lifestyle changes that can help lower blood pressure naturally and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other complications.

Lifestyle changes, such as eating more vegetables and less salt, may lower blood pressure. If these changes are not sufficient, health providers can prescribe medications to lower blood pressure. Meditation and yoga may also help lower blood pressure, as well as reduce stress. In addition, sitting in the sun is beneficial as it stimulates the production of feel-good chemicals in the body. While sitting in the sun is not a quick fix, it can help lower blood pressure and prevent the development of high blood pressure.

Improves physical performance

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether listening to music during exercise improves physical performance. The participants consisted of sixteen healthy university students who were subjected to four separate testing sessions: the first session involved a graded treadmill test to establish baseline fitness levels; the second session involved a swimming Cooper Test at 120 bpm; the third session involved the Cooper Test at 140 bpm; and the fourth session involved a physical performance measure, the EQ-i score.