Olive oil This is the principal fat in the Mediterranean diet. It is a monounsaturated fat that lowers 'bad' LDL cholesterol levels and raises the good HDL levels. Olive oils antioxidants also keep LDL from damaging arteries with plaque. It helps reduce blood pressure and regulates blood sugar, and is known as the longevity food.
Fish Although it is more and more difficult to get fish that has not been contaminated by pollution in the sea and rivers, fish is a source of omega3 fatty acids that protect against heart attacks. It is better to stick to cold water fish but it is important to check which fish are good for you to eat.
Red Wine The French and Italians enjoy a glass or a bottle of red wine with their meals and this can help reduce the risk of heart attack by 50% according to recent research by Oldways Symposium. Red wine, not white, can increase the good cholesterol and fight off LDL, the bad one. After all this 4,000 year old remedy does contain antioxidants that can help substantially to reduce the blood's tendency to clot. A garlic and red wine combination offers even more health benefits.
Fresh Vegetables These together with fresh fruits offer a bounty of protective phytonutrients including soluble fiber, antioxidants, carotenoids, flavonoids, lycopene and indoles, as well as protective vitamins and trace minerals. Broccoli, chard, mustard greens, cauliflower, bitter greens like dandelion, hard squash, sweet potatoes and carotene-rich carrots are wonderful to eat.
Herbs These also contribute to health as they contain many essential essences. They also enhance the taste of food greatly but do try to buy organic herbs which have not been sprayed with chemicals. I love scattering fresh dill on top of my tomatoes together with a little sea salt. I do the same with fresh thyme which I love above all herbs. Medicinally, thyme was a good all-round cure in Nicholas Culpeper's day, used as a digestive and for whooping cough and hangovers, as a purge for catarrh and for any lung-connected illnesses. Today as a tisane, it is still considered beneficial for coughs and digestio.
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