Foods That Keep Blood Vessels Healthy

Subject: Foods That Keep Blood Vessels Healthy Sat Oct 08, 2011 1:51 pm

Healthy blood vessels means the vessels have a good elasticity, flexibility and retractility. Healthy blood vessels keep the smooth transportation of blood everywhere and get away from cerebrovascular diseases. Then what foods can keep blood vessels healthy?

Eat more fish: fish rich in methionine, lysine and proline can improve the elasticity and compliance and promote the discharge of sodium salt. Besides, fish oil contains much W-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which can protect endothelial cells of vessels, reduce the deposit of lipid and improve the fibrinolytic function.

Eat more foods rich in arginine: they can regulate the vessel tension and help the synthesis of nitric oxide which restrains the platelet aggregation and helps vasodilation. Thus, vascular trauma is reduced. Such foods include sea cucumber, loach, eel, sesame, Chinese yam, gingko, bean curd shin and sunflower seeds.

Eat foods rich in folic acid: if diets lack folic acid, vitamin B 6 and vitamin B 12, homocysteine in the blood is increased. Thus, endothelial cells of vessels can be damaged and atheromatous plaque can be formed. But folic acid can reduce the coronary disease and stroke. Therefore, experts suggest old people, especially who have coronary diseases o eat more foods rich in folic acid, such as red amaranth, spinach, asparagus, beans, ferment food, apple and oranges.

Take more natural lipid- lowering foods: such foods help reduce myocardial infarction and ishemic stroke. Black fungus restrains the platelet aggregation and prevents thrombus. Foods that contains pyrazine also have the same function, such as garlic, onion, welsh onion, crowndaisy chrysanthemum, mushroom, strawberries and pineapple. Tomatoes, red grapes and oranges contain some salicylic acid which is anticoagulant. Natural lipid- lowering foods include spirulina, celery, carrot, hawthorn, sea weed, walnuts, olive oil and sesame oil.

The above foods are recommended to eat more, but as for the following foods, people should eat less.

Eat less acidic foods: people’s blood is alkalescent. Thus if people eat acidic foods for a long time, carbon dioxide and lactic acid raise a lot in the blood and cause the aging of vessels. Meat, egg and sugar belong to acidic foods while fruit, vegetables belong to basic foods. If people take too much meat, eggs and sugar in daily life, they need to change their diet habits.

Eat less salty foods: for human beings, salt is essential. But excessive salt can result in the raise of blood pressure and stress for vascular walls. Thus, medical scientists suggest everyone take 6 grams salt every day. However, nowadays, almost everyone take as many as 15 grams salt every day and this is one of reasons for why we have so many people suffering from high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.