“Reducing Inflammation: Foods to Fight Cardiovascular Disease and Increase Lifespan”

Vascular disease is a terrifying disease that endangers life and leaves great aftereffects such as paralysis of the body. Stroke (cerebral infarction – cerebral hemorrhage) and heart disease (angina pectoris – myocardial infarction) are typical examples. In the prevention of this disease, there are successive papers that control cholesterol as well as inflammation in the body are important. Let’s learn about foods that are good for blocking inflammation.

◆ If the level of inflammation in the body is high… 31% increased risk of cardiovascular disease and 168% increased mortality

The results of a study analyzing the relationship between inflammation in the body and cardiovascular disease were published in the international journal The Lancet. Representative indicators of the degree of inflammation are C-reactive substances (CRP) produced in the liver. After measuring the ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) level and CRP, which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, in 31,245 Americans taking cholesterol-controlling drugs, they were observed for about 5 years.

As a result, people with an LDL cholesterol of 90 or higher did not have a significantly higher rate of cardiovascular disease or mortality than those with an LDL cholesterol of 60 or less. On the other hand, people with a CRP of 0.45 or higher had a 31% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 168% higher mortality rate than those with a CRP of 0.11 or lower. It is said that you can suffer more because of inflammation by emphasizing only cholesterol levels.

◆ What foods are high in anti-inflammatory ingredients that fight inflammation?

Inflammation in the body can be aggravated by heart disease and stroke following arteriosclerosis, in which blood vessels narrow and harden. In addition to cholesterol management, care must be taken not to cause inflammation. It is helpful to take care of your lifestyle so as not to get infected and eat vegetables-fruits and unsaturated fatty acids with many anti-inflammatory ingredients that fight inflammation. Vegetables and fruits have a high antioxidant effect that reduces oxidation (damage) of the body, and unsaturated fatty acids have the function of helping to clean blood vessels, as opposed to saturated fatty acids that are common in meat fat.

◆ Whole grains, perilla oil-olive oil, nuts, seaweed, blue fish

To prevent vascular disease, you must first purify the blood. When ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) increases and triglycerides increase, it accumulates on the walls of blood vessels. Unsaturated foods such as whole grains (brown rice, barley, oats, etc.), perilla oil, olive oil, nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pine nuts), seaweeds (seaweed, kelp), and blue fish (mackerel, tuna, etc.) It has a lot of fatty acids and functions to ‘clean’ blood vessels. However, eating too much perilla oil, olive oil, and nuts can also lead to weight gain.

◆ Onions, garlic, green onions, ginger, mushrooms, apples

Allicin, which gives the spicy taste of garlic and onion, reduces the risk of blood clots by preventing blood vessels from hardening and clotting of platelets. Ginger roll, a spicy component of ginger, purifies the blood by reducing cholesterol and neutral fat. Shiitake mushrooms contribute to blood vessel health by lowering blood cholesterol levels due to the ergosterol component. A lot of dietary fiber in apples also helps prevent stroke. A lot of dietary fiber in vegetables and fruits has the effect of directly reducing cholesterol in the body.