How to keep inflammation, plaque and blood clots away?

How to keep inflammation, plaque and blood clots away?

“Inflammation is a build-up of fatty, cholesterol-rich plaque in blood vessels and this has been noticed as a big event towards a heart attack build-up, as over time plaque hardens and narrows the arteries. As the body perceives plaque as abnormal and foreign when it comes in contact with blood, it may trigger a blood-clot formation and block the passage of blood and oxygen. This combination of plaque and blood clots cause the majority of heart attacks,” explains Dr Gupta.

Food fixes(remedies)

Salmon

“Salmon is super healthy because it contains high protein, high omega-3 fatty acids, and high vitamin D content. It is excellent for the heart’s health as the good fats in it keep the body’s lipid levels healthy,” explains Karuna Chaturvedi, chief dietitian, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. “But the bigger benefit is that the omega-3 in it keeps inflammation in check, thus keeping heart attacks at bay,” she adds. 

Quick recipe: Place salmon in a foil pouch. Add a sprinkle of any herbs like dill, paprika, oregano or rosemary, a dash of pepper and a touch of white wine. Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.

Garlic

“Garlic contains sulphide compounds which not just reduce cholesterol, but also prevent and remove clots. It also helps clear out clogged arteries because it widens blood vessels and encourages good circulation,” explains Dr Chaturvedi. “How much garlic does the trick? Just a clove a day is good enough,” she says. 

Quick recipe: Marinate pressed garlic in olive oil and use this flavoured oil in dressings. Purée fresh garlic, beans, olive oil and lemon juice to make a quick and easy dip. Or simply pop one pod every morning.

Olive oil

Olive oil can almost halve the risk of getting heart disease, concludes the study, ‘Olive Oil Intake And Mortality Within the Spanish Population’, published in July in ‘The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’. According to the study, olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, compounds that can dampen inflammation in the body and possibly reduce the risk of clots.

The researchers recruited a total of 40,622 participants aged 29–69 from five Spanish regions in 1992–96 and analysed the association between olive oil and overall and cause-specific mortality (cardiovascular disease or CVD, cancer, and other causes). They found a 44% reduction in CVD mortality. For each increase in olive oil consumption of 10g , there was a 7% decreased risk of overall mortality and a 13% decreased risk of CVD mortality. They suggested 2 tbsp a day of olive oil to halve (decrease by 44%) the risk of dying from cardiac problems.

 

Quick recipe: Toss some olive oil into fresh greens, or drizzle it over warm pasta tonight. It is great over roasted potatoes too.