Is Your Diet Heart Healthy? Advice from the Encinitas Acupuncture Specialist

One would never expect the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist to provide valuable advice on a heart-healthy diet. However, one of the most important applications of acupuncture in Encinitas CA is in the reduction of one’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Having a healthy diet is one of the best ways to support your cardiovascular health and prevent heart disease, says this Encinitas Acupuncture specialist. So, without further ado, here are some suggested foods which will support your heart healthy lifestyle. Combined with acupuncture, you could reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by a staggering 80%!

1. A Healthy Heart with Acupuncture in Encinitas CA: Cruciferous Vegetables

Kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, radish, turnips and cabbages are a gold mine of antioxidants and other heart-saving phytochemicals. Make sure that cruciferous vegetables are part of your heart healthy diet every day, advises the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist.

2. A Healthy Heart with Acupuncture in Encinitas CA: Fish

Fatty fish such as salmon and anchovies are loaded with the omega-3 fatty acids that will help your heart maintain a steady rhythm. Having at least one serving of fish a week could reduce your risk of death from a heart attack by 52%, says the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist.

3. A Healthy Heart with Acupuncture in Encinitas CA: Flaxseed

Flaxseed is one of the most potent sources of heart health-promoting omega-3 fats, says the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist. Studies indicate that adding flaxseed to your diet can reduce the development of heart disease by 46%, while helping keep red blood cells from clumping together and forming clots that can block arteries. Sprinkle two tablespoons of flax-seed a day on your cereal or salad, advises the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist.

4. A Healthy Heart with Acupuncture in Encinitas CA: Fruit

• Oranges contain folic acid that helps lower levels of homocysteine, a heart attack risk factor.

• Grapes are loaded with flavonoids and resveratrol, says the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist, both of which are potent antioxidants that may discourage red blood cells from clumping together and forming an artery-blocking clot.

• Pomegranates are chock-full of potassium and polyphenols, which promote heart health and have been shown to help lower cholesterol. The latest studies are showing that the juice limits the genetic tendency toward hardening of the arteries, says the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist.

5. A Healthy Heart with Acupuncture in Encinitas CA: Garlic

Just one clove a day, or 300 mg three times daily, reduces the risk of heart attack in at least three different ways, says the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist: (1) It discourages red blood cells from sticking together and blocking your arteries, (2) it reduces arterial damage, and (3) it discourages cholesterol from lining the arteries and making them so narrow that blockages become likely.

6. A Healthy Heart with Acupuncture in Encinitas CA: Green Tea

Green tea contains several powerful antioxidants that reduce bad cholesterol and boost good cholesterol, improving an individual’s overall cholesterol profile, says the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist. Drinking green tea also seems to enhance cardiovascular health by improving the consistency of platelets in the blood and may even lower blood pressure.

7. A Healthy Heart with Acupuncture in Encinitas CA: Nuts

Studies have found that those who eat more than five ounces of nuts a week are one-third less likely to have either heart disease or a heart attack. Just don't overdo it, says the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist, as nuts can pile on the pounds!

8. A Healthy Heart with Acupuncture in Encinitas CA: Red Wine

Now here’s something to be happy about! Scientific studies overwhelmingly show that a daily glass of wine can reduce your risk of a heart attack, says the Encinitas Acupuncture specialist! Both plant compounds called saponins and antioxidants in the "fruit of the vine" work to protect arteries. Researchers have found that red wine is much more effective than white wine for improving heart health, which makes that cheeky glass with dinner all the more satisfying.

Having a healthy diet is one of the best ways to support your cardiovascular health and prevent heart disease, concludes this Encinitas Acupuncture specialist