Munch on THESE to Cleanse Your Arteries
Your arteries are like superhighways carrying nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body.
You want these passages to flow like the Autobahn, but too often, they look like I-95 at rush hour.
This not only reduces blood flow but increases your risk for heart attack, stroke, and death.
And sure, there are medical procedures that can clean out your arteries.
But if you don’t want to resort to those extreme measures, try eating these artery-cleansing foods instead.
The best way to clean out your arteries is to eat foods that…
- remove plaque,
- reduce inflammation, and
- protect against oxidative damage.
And believe it or not, a couple of the TOP foods with these potent cleansing properties are the EXACT ones the mainstream warns you to stay away from for heart health.
The first is cheese. Yes, CHEESE.
Cheese from grass-fed cows contains bunches of vitamin K2, a key nutrient for preventing arterial calcification.
In one study, people who consumed the most K2 had a 52 percent lower risk of severe calcification of their arteries.
Next up is egg yolks. Yes, YOLKS!
The next time someone tries to convince you to go “egg whites only,” tell them that the yolks are chock full of heart-healthy nutrients like vitamin K2, protein, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin—which lower homocysteine, protect against oxidative stress, and lower blood pressure.
Eating eggs is NOT linked to coronary heart disease. In fact, indulging in eggs every day is tied to IMPROVED HDL cholesterol levels and antioxidant status.
Next, be sure to include plenty of extra virgin olive oil in your diet.
The monounsaturated fats in olive oil improve the cholesterol ratio in your blood and protect arteries from inflammation and oxidative damage.
Olive oil is rich in polyphenols, which improve endothelial function (the endothelium is the layer of cells lining the blood and lymphatic vessels).
Finally, there’s salmon. Brimming with omega-3 fatty acids, salmon reduces inflammation, lowers triglycerides, improves endothelial function in your arteries, and lowers blood pressure.
Of course, there are plenty of other delicious foods I can add to this list, including leafy greens, sauerkraut, nuts and seeds, avocados, and dark chocolate.
Bon appetit!
P.S. Snack secret SLASHES heart disease risk up to 25%.
SOURCE:
Hariri E, Kassis N, Iskandar JP, Schurgers LJ, Saad A, Abdelfattah O, Bansal A, Isogai T, Harb SC, Kapadia S. Vitamin K2-a neglected player in cardiovascular health: a narrative review. Open Heart. 2021 Nov;8(2):e001715. doi: 10.1136 / openhrt-2021-001715. PMID: 34785587; PMCID: PMC8596038.
