A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked. Blood carries the oxygen and nutrients that the organs need to work properly. Blood also carries carbon dioxide to the lungs and when a blockage occurs it can be fatal. The blockage is most often a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances and this is known as atherosclerosis or “hardening of the arteries.”
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Over time, the fatty material can build up inside the walls of the arteries and if it blocks the coronary artery and cuts off the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle, the heart may become permanently damaged.
Leading health experts suggest foods that help cleanse the arteries and these include asparagus, avocado, broccoli, fatty fish, nuts and watermelon.
There is also a cooking oil that comes highly suggested for helping reduce the risk of heart attacks and cleanse the arteries.
Food is directly involved in many of the risk factors for coronary heart disease and heart attacks.
Paying attention to what one eats is one of the most important preventative measures to take.
Saturated and trans fats in the diet tend to increase LDL cholesterol in the blood.
Common sources of saturated fats include animal products including butter, meat, chicken skin and full cream dairy foods and processed foods like pastries and biscuits.
The oil one cooks with could either help or hinder a person’s risk of developing a heart attack.
Olive oil
Olive oil has long been hailed as one of the best oils one can use for its many health benefits.
It is a staple in the Mediterranean diet and the heart-healthy benefits are well documented.
Olive oil is packed with antioxidants which relieve inflammation and decrease the risk of chronic disease.
It’s also rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and many studies have associated it with improvements in heart health.
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What the study says
One study in 7,216 adults at high risk for heart disease showed that those who consumed the most olive oil had a 35 percent lower risk of developing heart disease.
In another study with the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, olive oil intake was linked with a risk of cardiovascular disease.
Another large study also showed that a higher intake of olive oil was associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Medical News Today said: “There is a protein in our blood that rises after we eat. Now, new research reveals that it plays an important role in preventing a major cause of heart attack.
“This protein is called apolipoprotein A-IV (ApoA-IV) and evidence already suggest that higher blood levels of it are linked to lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.
“For the first time, scientists at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada, have shown that ApoA-IV stops blood platelets forming into blood clots.
“The researchers suggest that the rise in ApoA-IV blood levels following meals containing olive oil and other unsaturated fats reduces “platelet hyperactivity and bonding,” which, in turn, reduces inflammation and stroke and heart attack risk.”
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