Nutrition Stop - Herbs - Heart Healthy Herbs

Heart Healthy Herbs

Essential fatty acids/omega-3 oils, including fish oil, flax oil(rich in alpha-linolenic acid), and evening primrose (rich in gamma-linolenic acid) lowers blood pressure and reduces heart disease risk.
Garlic contains a volatile oil composed of allicin and sulfur compounds plus high levels of antioxidant selenium. Regular consumption of garlic can protect against heart attacks and strokes. Many studies show that garlic effectively reduces LDL cholesterol levels, raises HDL cholesterol, lowers triglycerides and lowers blood pressure.
Ginger raises HDL and lowers cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.
Grapeseed extract antioxidants may protect the arterial lining, inhibit artery constriction, decrease platelet formation and reduce cholesterol levels and deposits.
Green Tea host a unique profile of phytonutrients, particularly a special polyphenol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which prevents lipid peroxidation. Numerous studies point out that EGCG is capable of almost totally inhibiting free radical damage to LDL cholesterol by hooking up with bile salts and emulsified cholesterol to form an insoluble substance. Green tea also lowers blood pressure by relaxing the endothelial blood vessel lining.
Hawthorn contains the active phytonutrient vitexin and cardiotonic amines that strengthens the heart's action and efficiency. Hawthorn naturally dilates coronary arteries by relaxing smooth muscle, enlarging the opening of the artery and improving blood supply. Phytonutrients in hawthorn increase the force of contraction of the heart muscle, which in turn increases the amount of blood flow per beat. Hawthorn also smoothes out rhythm disturbances that can occur in the heart's electrical cycle.