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keep your body in peak condition to fight heart & artery decline.
| HOW MUCH | WHY | |||
| Veggies -especially but with some exceptions, the "above ground" type or portion.
|
Any
amount; dark colored ones are best. Fresh & little processed [steamed]
is preferred. Go easy on the rapidly absorbed starchy carbs from potatoes. |
The
colored ones have many types of carotenoid [like vitamin A] & flavonoids
[phytochemicals] that prevent all kinds of unhappy events (cancer, heart
& vascular trouble, strokes, etc). Especially the "above-ground" portions of veggies has fiber, slow-release energy and no fat. Cabbage, broccoli & Brussels sprouts are anti-cancer. Garlic is probably heart-healthy. "All the way with 5 to 10 a day" --fruits and veggies that is. | ||
| Whole-grains & whole (brown) rice The finer they are ground into a powder, the quicker their sugars are absorbed, increasing their "Glycemic Index". This is not good for heart disease and diabetes. | Reasonable amouts - if tolerated.
|
Basic
food; contains many good components like fiber, minerals and vitamins that
are removed in refining. Bran & germ are
very high in B vitamins, minerals & betaine. Cheap.
The Harvard "Nurses Study" found a reduction of over 30% in heart disease (CHD) for those eating 2½ servings per day of whole grain or rice products versus the group having them once a week (the US average being a ½ serving per day). Here's your reference: AmJClNutr; Sept. '99 (my comment is the April 2000 issue). | ||
| Beans, soy and lentils (legumes) | Reasonable amounts; combine with grains / again: if tolerated. | Lower blood fats (triglycerides). High fiber, low fat. Combine with nuts & grains. Their protein may be good for the heart. Soy is good for health, heart & anti-cancer but there's discussion if its extracted protein and hormone like ingredients are healthy (veggie burgers, baby formula, sports-mixes]. Cheap. | ||
| Fiber Cereal bran & germ are amazing sources of betaine & choline. |
About 30 g/day, 2x the average US intake. 50g/day helps diabetes -NEJM May 11 '00 | Often missing in processed foods. Aids elimination --reducing colon cancer risk by about 1/3rd. Helps cholesterol 'turn over' Found in whole grains (oat), fruits, beans, veggies. 2 tablespoons of crushed flax seed gets you most of your fiber and all your plant-based omega-3; it also lowers excess Lp(a) cholesterol and helps keeps you 'regular'. | ||
| Fruits & berries | Lots, within reason | Same as veggies. Lots of vitamins and fiber and no fats. Their flavonoids strengthen blood vessels and are strong antioxidants. | ||
| Eggs & Liver | Regularly (if you like them; fresh) | High in protein, B vitamins, lecithin and choline and low in fat. Proportionally raises good cholesterol more than bad [if you think that's important]. Avoid dried egg: it has oxidized cholesterol. | ||
| Oils Canola -rape seed is a uniquely cheap 10% source of omega-3 and otherwise much like olive. Flax oil has 5x that, but it must be used fresh and in tea spoon amounts.
As of May 2006, the U.S. (Vt) had no margarines I'd eat apart from possibly Olivio. 95% of U.S. margarines are toxic with masive omega-6 (soy, corn, sunflower] and hydrogenated trans fats. |
2
teaspoons of flax or fish oil, or 2 tblsp. canola or unhydrogenated soybean oil.
|
The
only 2 essential oils -"vitamin F"- are linoleic
(n-6 or omega-6) and alpha-linolenic
(n-3 or omega-3). These 2 polyunsaturates are the feed-stock for 3 classes of
hormones, and for nerve, brain, skin and cell walls (you may want to read that again).
The type you're probably lacking is omega-3, found only in fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel, & sardines), in flax(lin)seed, canola type rape seed (colza), mustard seed, chia, candlenut, wheat germ, some melon seeds, hemp, walnuts and some green leaf veggies. It is also found in unhydrogenated soy and, for the record, in snake oil. [Snakes and cold water fish can't afford stiffness or arthritis in their joints and are therefore full of ultra fluid omega-3 oils.] GOOD FOR: heart, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood fluidity, Crohn's disease, asthma, arthritis, cramps, adult diabetes, brain, MS, & smooth skin. Omega-3's vital role is compromised by heating and hydrogenation (most soy is), by shortening, by omega-6s and by most saturated fats (but coconut and palm-kernel oils are nutritionally unique with 50% lauric-acid which has immune system roles). Buy oils in dark containers and keep cool; they will spoil. Rancid omega-3 and -6 are toxic so they're always safer with a capsule or 2 of added vitamin E, the fat antioxidant. DON'T overdose on omega-6 (linoleic) from corn, soy, sunflower, safflower or cottonseed. For frying I'd use butter, virgin olive, tropical (safest) or peanut oil. Virgin olive is a great oil for daily use but has no omega-3. Here's a remarkable canola site, the heart-healthy oil. |
||
| Alcohol
|
|
Low
amounts reduce heart disease. Red wine
with its flavonoids protects blood cholesterol. Best with foods containing
B vitamins such as liver.* All alcohol raises the "good" cholesterol but
white wine, liquor & factory beer are nutritionally a bit like sugar
or white bread, lacking micronutrients.
* Alcohol + folic acid (a B vitamin) appears to be cardio protective while folic acid may well remove the risk of some cancers (breast) linked to alcohol intake. Less gall stones. | ||
| Lecithin
(factory soy based granules) |
1-2 table spoons per day (also in liver, eggs, soy and beans) | Emulsifies fat; improves types of blood fats. It is part of our nerves & brain; forms choline (makes neuro-transmitter) and betaine (lowers homocysteine). Health food store granules have nice fatty flavor. Refrigerate. | ||
| Meats | Not essential. Some factory animal farming is ecologically, morally and nutritionally iffy | As fresh as possible. Aging, drying and over-frying damages or oxidizes fats and cholesterol. Such damaged fats make the basically good LDL go "bad", and are best limited. Aging softens muscle from beef. Other meats are almost never 'aged'. Fish evidently never is -because of its fast spoiling -smelly- omega-3 content! | ||
| Water | Lots -within reason | Keeps things fluid & may cut bladder cancer by ½. Jan. 24 2012
|
[Diabetes & Weight] [Where] [Cholesterol] [Why] [More on Causes] [31 Tips & Info] [Index]