Prevent Vascular Disease with Tomatoes
Tomatoes have been linked to several different health benefits, including cancer prevention, lower cholesterol levels, reduced blood pressure, and decreased heart disease risk.
Nutritional Value of Tomatoes
The carotenoid lycopene has been extensively studied to determine antioxidant and cancer preventing properties.
Tomatoes are also rich in many nutrients, such as vitamin C and vitamin A. In addition, they provide a good source of fiber, which is know to lower high cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar, and prevent colon cancer.
Tomatoes and Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
If your blood pressure stays consistently elevated you may be diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure). High blood pressure is known as the ‘silent killer’ because you may have high blood pressure and not even know it. Usually there are no symptoms. That is why it’s some important you monitor your blood pressure on a fairly regular basis.
If you do not take steps to control high blood pressure you risk long term consequences that can be fatal.
How does high blood pressure impact your body?
Let me give you a brief idea of what’s going on within your body when your blood pressure is elevated.
Heart Disease & Antidepressants
According to the results of a recent study men using antidepressants may be at increased risk for atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis increases risk for heart attack or stroke.
According to this small, preliminary study, antidepressants were associated with a 5 percent increase in thickness of the carotid artery. The carotid artery carries blood to the brain.
Study Participants
Researchers looked at 513 middle-aged male twins. Out of the 513 individuals, 16 percent were taking antidepressants. Of this 16 percent, 60% were using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro.
Muffin Tops & Heart Disease
Are you familiar with the apple versus pear body shape references?
If you carry excess weight around your waistline/belly you have an apple body shape. If extra fat stores tend to deposit around your hips and thighs you’re described as having a pear body shape.
A new study published in the May 10th issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology shows that even a small ‘beer belly’ or ‘muffin top’ may put people with coronary artery disease risk at high mortality risk.
Heart Disease & Low Blood Sugar
Did you know that hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) increased heart disease risk?
What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia occurs when blood glucose (also know as blood sugar) drops below normal levels.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia include:
Heart Disease Risk Factors You Control
There are risk factors for heart disease that you have no control over, such as:
Age
Male sex
Family History
Post-menopausal
Race
You cannot do anything about the above risks, so there is no need to waste time dwelling on them. If you want to take action and reduce your risk of developing heart disease there are several controllable risk factors.
These include:
