In today’s day and age, more and more young people are falling prey to heart disease. Consumption of junk food, obesity and other
unhealthy lifestyle choices are just some of the reasons responsible for the rise of lifestyle-related ailments. One of the major culprits behind this is the rise in ‘bad’ cholesterol levels.
What is cholesterol?
Just like the fat you have in your body, cholesterol is also a fat/ lipid that is produced in the liver and its normal levels are necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
Why is it bad?
When cholesterol levels are in the normal range, in a healthy body, the blood flows freely through the veins and arteries. When the cholesterol levels are high, it starts forming clots (plaques) in the blood vessels causing hypertension (high BP), angina (chest pain), heart attacks, strokes and peripheral vascular diseases. (Read: Garlic: A natural pill for a healthy heart)
Try garlic to reduce cholesterol levels
Garlic has long been used in Indian kitchens to pep up spicy dishes; our ancestors appear to have known a lot about its medicinal value. Research now shows that garlic reduces LDL cholesterol, prevents a rise of blood pressure and also avoids the deposition of plaque on the walls of arteries, reducing chances of heart attack and stroke. Garlic contains sulphurous compounds that act as antioxidants and also help with expansion of the blood vessels, keeping blood pressure at a normal level.
What is cholesterol?
Just like the fat you have in your body, cholesterol is also a fat/ lipid that is produced in the liver and its normal levels are necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
Why is it bad?
When cholesterol levels are in the normal range, in a healthy body, the blood flows freely through the veins and arteries. When the cholesterol levels are high, it starts forming clots (plaques) in the blood vessels causing hypertension (high BP), angina (chest pain), heart attacks, strokes and peripheral vascular diseases. (Read: Garlic: A natural pill for a healthy heart)
Try garlic to reduce cholesterol levels
Garlic has long been used in Indian kitchens to pep up spicy dishes; our ancestors appear to have known a lot about its medicinal value. Research now shows that garlic reduces LDL cholesterol, prevents a rise of blood pressure and also avoids the deposition of plaque on the walls of arteries, reducing chances of heart attack and stroke. Garlic contains sulphurous compounds that act as antioxidants and also help with expansion of the blood vessels, keeping blood pressure at a normal level.
Health.India.com tip: Consume a few cloves of raw garlic every day or crush and add it into your curries and gravies if you cannot bear the taste of raw garlic. For maximum benefit, crush or chop garlic and leave it for 5 minutes to activate the beneficial compound called allicin – after this, even adding tamarind or lemon juice will not destroy the garlic’s action. Avoid microwaving or boiling entire garlic cloves because this can destroy the activity of the vital constituents.
Source: Yahoo!
