The Best Food Group for Cardiovascular Health

by: ecochuck

Nutrition experts know that the best group of foods for
preventing and fighting cancer is the cruciferous
vegetables or cabbage family vegetables. They include
cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale
and collard greens. Cancer is the second leading cause
of death of Americans. The best food group for helping
with cardiovascular health is berries.

The botanical definition of a berry is a simple fruit
produced from a single ovary, such as a grape or a
tomato. However, in everyday English, a berry is a term
for any small edible fruit. I will use the everyday
English meaning. Heart attacks and strokes are the first
and third leading cause of death among Americans.


The first thing is the Doctrine of Signatures. This
states that an herb, botanical or plant food sometimes
gives a clue about what it is good for by its appearance
like ginseng root looking like a human body or a walnut
looking like a brain.

Berries are the color of blood. Blood that is very
oxygenated is red, but blood without oxygen can appear
blueish or purple. Just look at the veins of someone
with varicose veins. One newer red berry that is great
for cardiovascular health is goji berries. Here is what
webmd.com says about goji berries:

"Research shows that eating berries -- like blueberries,
acai berries, cranberries, strawberries, and cherries --
offers some definite health benefits. Berries like the
goji berry are filled with powerful antioxidants and
other compounds that may help prevent cancer and other
illnesses, including heart disease."

Strawberries are said to help lower high blood pressure
(hypertension) Another good example of the Doctrine of
Signatures is the strawberry. It is red and is shaped
like a heart. Please note that berries have different
anthocyans (a group of phytochemicals) that strengthens
the inner lining of the arteries. Common problems with
arteries include angina, congestive heart failure,
intermittent claudication, peripheral arterial disease
(PAD), strokes and heart attacks.

Superfoods Rx (2008) by Steven Pratt, M.D. says (p 28)
"The anthocyans also work synergistically with vitamin C
and other key antioxidants. They strengthen the
capillary (tiny blood vessel) system by promoting the
production of quality collagen-- the building block of
tissues. This important subclass of flavonoids also
promotes vasodilation (widening of arteries) and has an
inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation-- an
aspirin-like effect on blood clot formation." Please
note that aspirin are drugs and berries are foods.

If you look these things up, you will see that they are
also effective for preventing cancer. A recent study
from the University of Michigan reveals that new
evidence links cherries (a red berry) to heart health
benefits. The study found that a cherry enriched diet
lowered total weight, body fat (especially the important
belly fat), inflammation and cholesterol-- all risk
factors associated with heart disease. According to the
American Heart Association, being overweight or obese,
in particular when the weight is concentrated in the
middle, is a major risk factor for heart disease.

There are other red berries like cranberries and then
there are the other darker color berries. Some that have
attracted a lot of attention for health benefits are
acai berries, yumberries and aronia berries that are
said to improve circulation and strengthen blood
vessels.

There is a red berry that is great for cardiovascular
health. But I have not seen it sold as a berry. I have
only seen it sold in capsules or as a tea. Herbalists
know that it is the best herb for heart health or
cardiovascular health. It is the red hawthorn berry.
Berries are a good example of Natural Cures with foods.

Prescription for Herbal Health (2002) by Phyllis Balch
says " A large body of scientific research has shown
that the fruit, leaves and flowers of various hawthorn
species dilate the blood vessels, lower blood pressure
and dissolve cholesterol. Hawthorn fights
atherosclerosis, in which cholesterol forms plaques on
blood-vessel walls. in two ways." It increases the rate
that the liver converts bad LDL cholesterol into good
HDL cholesterol. It "also fights atherosclerosis by
providing antioxidants, which prevent plaque formation."