Lower Your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol With These Two Foods
By
Natalie Moore
Posted October 21, 2016
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
Does your doctor have you “watching your numbers”?
Are you worried about your blood pressure or your cholesterol?
Or maybe you’re even on medication for one of these heart-jeopardizing health issues?
If this sounds familiar, then you’re probably also watching your diet and increasing your exercise in hopes of lowering “your numbers” and decreasing your risk of heart problems.
And while stepping it up at the gym and cutting out processed foods and added sugars are all great ways to get your heart health on track, new research shows there are two foods you shouldn’t avoid if you want a healthy heart.
Bold and Sour Flavors Improve Your Heart
The foods are garlic and lemon juice.
And while garlic has long been touted as a heart-protective food, a new study published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine determined that lemon juice can amplify its heart-healthy powers.
In a clinical trial, 112 participants who were suffering from high cholesterol were randomly placed into one of four groups. The first group took 20 mg of garlic and one tablespoon of lemon juice daily. The second group took only 20 grams of garlic daily. The third group took only a tablespoon of lemon juice per day. Lastly, the fourth group had no intervention.
During the trial, all participants were instructed to avoid any changes in diet or exercise.
After eight weeks, the scientists re-evaluated the cholesterol levels of all four groups.
And to their surprise, they found that only one group had significant reductions in LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol — the lemon juice and garlic group.
Even more surprising, both the garlic and combination groups experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure when compared against the other two groups.
But perhaps the most shocking part — none of the participants made any other changes to their eating or activity habits.
This means adding simply adding fresh garlic to your diet may lower your blood pressure. And by coupling it with a bit of lemon juice, you could also improve your cholesterol even if you’re not making any other healthy changes.
What a tasty way to lower your numbers!
Of course, adding a little garlic and lemon juice to your meals doesn’t give you a free pass to indulge in bad foods or avoid exercise. You should still make efforts to improve your diet and increase your activity levels, even if you are adding these two heart-health boosters to at least a meal a day.
In the study, participants were given 20 g of garlic a day, which is about two or three cloves of average-sized garlic. For elephant garlic, this is typically an eighth or fourth of a clove, depending on size. (What’s elephant garlic? Tune in to Living Well Daily on Monday to find out more about this amazing plant and its surprising health benefits.)
As for the lemon juice, the researchers used one tablespoon.
It’s easy to add these two foods into your daily routine. Simply add the lemon juice to a glass of cold water for a refreshing beverage. The garlic could be added as seasoning to salads and vegetable dishes or even eaten on its own. Or you can combine the two to make a tasty dressing or marinade.
However you want to enjoy this delicious heath-health combo is up to you. Just make sure you’re eating it daily — for your heart’s sake.
Live well,
Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
Sources
Written By Natalie Moore
Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.
View More Free Articles
REAL Drug-Free Back Pain Relief
Recently, I’ve had several exasperated people ask me, “Is back pain something I just have to live with?” I battled chronic back pain for years, so I completely understand why some folks feel so hopeless about finding relief. In fact, I used to think I was doomed to a life of pain and limitations, too....
Mailbag: When to Worry About Memory Lapses
“I’ve been experiencing some memory lapses recently, and I’m worried it might be early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. My mother also had it. What symptoms should I look out for?” – Ann Hi Ann, It’s important to recognize that some degree of memory loss is a normal part of life. Our brains constantly process and...
The Unforeseen Link Between Your Gut and Your Waistline
As the weather warms up and summer approaches, many of us start thinking about shedding those extra pounds… We dust off our gym memberships, stock up on salad greens, and vow to finally fit into those shorts from last year. But what if I told you that the key to achieving a healthy weight might...
Defy Aging with the Sunshine Vitamin
If there’s one thing you absolutely must do for your health, it’s to maintain healthy vitamin D levels. I can’t stress this enough. And if you think vitamin D is only good for beefing up your bones, think again. Because while vitamin D is crucial for maintaining healthy bones, recent research has revealed that this...
Detox Your Drinking Water with a Microplastics Purge
We’re surrounded by plastics. They’re everywhere, from the obvious plastic shampoo bottle to the not-so-obvious clothing on our backs. From the moment we get up in the morning until we slide beneath the sheets at night, we are in contact with them. Heck, some bedsheets contain plastic fibers, so you may ALSO be exposed while...
The TRUTH About Word Finding Troubles
Picture this. You’re having a lively conversation with a friend, and suddenly, find yourself grasping for a word that’s just out of reach. You KNOW it’s in there somewhere, hiding in the recesses of your mind. But no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to pin it down. When you have trouble word...
FDA Finally Admits “BANNED” Soda Ingredient is Unsafe
I’m not a soda fan for MANY reasons. I wrote an entire book on the dangers of sugar, for example. And research links soda drinking to fatty liver disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer’s. And the diet stuff is no better. Fake-sugar-filled diet sodas cause “metabolic confusion,” and artificial sweeteners are...
Discover WHY We Accidentally Overeat (and How to Stop)
Picture this… You finish eating a nice meal feeling just fine. But then, 20 minutes later, you’re groaning and clutching your belly because you feel uncomfortably stuffed. If this sounds familiar, you’re in good company. Most of us have had this happen. Science reveals why accidental overeating occurs… and what we can do to avoid...
Find Exercise Exhausting and Painful? Try THIS Natural Fix
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: “You need to exercise.” And sure, you know how vital it is to healthy aging. But let’s be honest, sometimes it feels nearly impossible to get moving—especially when you know you’ll be sore for DAYS after. However, hold on to your seat because I’ve...
Mailbag: Unsteady on Your Feet? Now What?
“I’ve been having trouble with my balance lately and have fallen a couple of times. Could this be related to osteoporosis or another underlying cause?” – John Hi John, It’s always concerning when someone experiences balance issues or falls. While osteoporosis can contribute to an increased risk of falling, several other underlying causes should also...