Combatting Atherosclerosis With Good Nutrition (part 2)

You will have to make your own mind up on whether cholesterol or omega 6 is to blame for atherosclerosis. The argument is similar to the dieting difficulty: do you believe in the old-style fat-reduction, high carbohydrate diet or the newer, Atkins' high fat low carbohydrate diet?

It is very confusing for the layman, but that is how experts sell books. You pay your money and take your choice or you only go along with your physician.

However, both factions of nutritionists agree that fish oil is healthy for you and in particular is good for reducing LDL cholesterol and omega 6 overdose. Omega 3 is best found in oily, cold water fish like salmon, herring and mackerel.

They contain relatively high levels of omega 3 essential fatty acids. Another source of omega 3, but different ones from the fish, is from meat that has been raised on grass.

Garlic is well-known for being an antiseptic but it is also useful for reducing cholesterol. It seems to have a lethal impact on LDL (bad) cholesterol, but leaves HDL (good) cholesterol alone. One clove a day is said to be enough to have a beneficial effect.

Fibre and roughage are essential for decent general health. These components are to be discovered in fruit and vegetables (particularly the leafy green ones); grains, lentils, legumes and nuts. Roughage and fibre will help eradicate LDL cholesterol and prevent constipation. They also help avoid bowel cancer which is on the increase in the West.

Some nutritionists say that LDL is not perilous, but is just a threat and it becomes perilous when it has become damaged. One form of damage is oxidization. Therefore, anti-oxidants will reduce your danger from cholesterol and atherosclerosis. The next question ought to be: what are major anti-oxidants?

There is a huge array of anti-oxidants ranging from the fun to the boring. I do not know what you find boring, but flavonoids are a useful anti-oxidant and they are present in high volumes in red wine. Besides red wine, other anti-oxidants include: Vitamins Ce and E and beta carotene.

These are accessible in peppers, citrus fruit, strawberries, cantaloupe melons, broccoli, white carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, mangoes and green leaf vegetables. Other good sources are wheat, oats, nuts and seeds.

Mono unsaturated fat is one of the best sources of oil you can get. Mono unsaturated fat comes best from olive oil, which is one of the reasons why the so-called Mediterranean Diet is so good for individuals.

Mono unsaturated fat has another beneficial impact: eating it lowers hunger for a longer time than you would expect for the calories involved. This makes it a useful substance for dieters. The same is true of roughage, fibre and eggs.

Mono unsaturated fat is one of your best friends in the fight against atherosclerosis. However, it is not just present in olive oil, it is also in avocados and nuts, particularly pecan nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds.

Last but not least is ginger. Ginger has a high amount of phytochemicals known as gingerol and shogaol which are also antioxidants. Ginger not merely lowers LDL cholesterol, but it also assists prevent the oxidization of LDL

If you can just implement a few these alterations to your diet you may be able to stave off arteriosclerosis and sidestep having to take drugs like statins for ever.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a number of topics, but is now involved with omega 3 arthritis. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Omega 6 9