2. Heart Disease
Heart disease is the number one leading cause of death in
the United States
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
Number of Deaths
Center for Disease Control and
Prevention
3. How unhealthy choices can
lead to heart disease
Fatty foods, high sodium, high
sugar, minimum fruits and
veggies, high alcohol consumption
Atherosclerosis, hypertension, high
cholesterol, high triglycerides, free
radicals, excess weight
HEART DISEASE
4. Common Heart Healthy Diet
Tips
• Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables
• Choose lean meats and poultry to
decrease fat
• Eat fish two times a week
• Choose whole grains over refined
grains
• Choose low fat or fat free dairy
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Cut back on high fat, and high sugar
foods
• Limit sodium intake
The American Heart Association
5. DID YOU KNOW?
Garlic has many wonderful properties that help in the
prevention of heart disease
Considered a functional food- this means it has added
benefits for health
6. Organosulfers
A phytochemical found in garlic
Phytochemical is a compound found in plants
Has many effects related to the prevention of heart
disease
Anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant, reduces
cholesterol, and reduces blood pressure
7. Garlic has affects on…
Hypercholesteremia
Hypertension
Antioxidant
Anti inflammatory
Reduced platelet aggregation
8. Hypercholesterolemia
Cholesterol can accumulate in the arteries as
plaque and cause blockage
This can lead to atherosclerosis, heart attack, or
stroke
11 studies have shown a cholesterol lowering
effect from garlic supplementation
In a meta-analysis, the average reduction in
cholesterol was 9%, LDL cholesterol 11%, and
triglycerides 9%
9. Hypertension
Hypertension is high blood pressure which can lead to
numerous aspects of heart disease
Garlic has been shown to reduce blood pressure
Acts as a vasodilator
Vasodilators lower high blood pressure by increasing the
diameter of the blood vessel which allows better flow of
blood
10. Other effects of garlic
Antioxidant- prevents damage done by free
radicals
Anti-inflammatory- garlic has properties that
reduce inflammation in endothelial cells
Inhibits platelet aggregation- this prevents
platelets from clumping up and causing clots
Heart disease is a big problem in the United States, with that being the number one cause of death in the US. That is one in every four deaths being related to heart disease! The most common type is coronary heart disease, which kills more than 385,000 people every year. Heart disease is a disease that has many modifiable risk factors, including diet.
All of these unhealthy food choices on the far left can lead to some form of heart disease. Fatty foods contribute to high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and excess weight. High sugar foods contribute to excess weight, which can also lead to diabetes, which can lead to heart disease. High sodium can lead to hypertension which is high blood pressure. Low amounts of fruits and vegetable consumption can cause a build of up free radicals in the body that are normally oxidized by antioxidants found in these foods. Lastly, high consumption of alcohol can lead to high blood pressure and excess weight. These all lead to some form of heart disease!
These are all common diet tips that are recommended by The American Heart Association. These tips provide an overall very healthy diet that really everyone should follow.
Functional foods do more than just provide energy, they provide additional benefits to enhance health and wellbeing. Some other examples of functional foods include blueberries, cranberries, tomatoes, spinach, and oatmeal. Garlic is a functional food that has shown benefits in preventing or reducing the risk of heart disease.
Organosulfers are phytochemicals that are found in foods like garlic and onions. They are responsible for giving them their strong odor, but they do more than that! Organosulfers have been shown to provide many benefits to the body in the prevention of heart disease.
All of these play a part in heart disease!
This picture shows what high amounts of cholesterol in the body can do to the arteries. Cholesterol forms plaque, which sticks to the inside of arteries and eventually results in plaque build up. This build up reduces the amount of blood flow, hardens the arteries, and can cause high blood pressure. Supplementation with different types of garlic have been shown to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the body.
In hypertension, the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated. This excess pressure puts strain on the heart, which can cause many other heart problems. While typically drugs are prescribed for hypertension, there are many dietary and lifestyle factors as well to reduce high blood pressure. Garlic has been shown to act as a vasodilator, which lowers blood pressure by expanding the diameter of the blood vessel. This allows for less pressure and more flow of blood.
Antioxidants are known to be found in many fruits and vegetables, but garlic also acts as an antioxidant. Free radicals are a small end part of metabolism, which unfortunately, can cause damage to healthy cells in the body. By consuming foods that are considered an antioxidants, such as garlic, these free radicals are reduced in the body, and cannot cause damage anymore. High levels of inflammation in the body are not good for anything, especially for heart disease. Endothelial cells are the cells that line the inside of the circulatory system. When inflammation builds up in these cells, it causes damage. Garlic can reduce inflammation in these cells.Lastly, garlic can inhibit platelet aggregation. Platelets circulate in the blood, and when they aggregate, they clump together and can cause blood clots, which in turn, can lead to decreased blood flow or even the cut off of blood flow. Garlic inhibits this from happening.
Here are some healthy recipes that incorporate heart healthy garlic to try at home! For more information, visit allrecipes.com , eatingwell.com , and rightathome.com !
