Curry Spice Cuts Stroke Damage
The heart is like any other muscle, requiring oxygen and nutrient-rich blood for it to function. The coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle spread across the surface of the heart, beginning at the base of the aorta and branching out to all areas of the heart muscle.
The damage that results from stroke can be life-altering and currently there is only one drug that has been approved for ischemic stroke. An ischemic stroke is where a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain, often resulting in speech, memory and motor impairments. The drug that is currently approved for treatment of an ischemic stroke is tissue plasminogen activator. tPA is injected into the person having a stroke with the purpose of dissolving the clot and restoring normal blood flow to the brain. It may possibly help to reduce stroke damage by lessening the speech, memory and motor impairments that can result from stroke – if it is given to the patient quick enough.
Tomato-based curries are a great source of lycopene. This extremely powerful antioxidant is far more prevalent in cooked tomatoes than raw ones.
Research shows that eating cooked tomatoes three or more times a week can lower the risk of prostate, lung, stomach, pancreas, bowel and breast cancer.
Regular consumption of cooked tomatoes also prevents the formation of blood clots – lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes by as much as 48 per cent.
Many spices, such as curry powder and hot paprika, and the herb thyme, may also help to cut the risk of heart disease as they contain salicylic acid.
Scientists believe this compound may stem inflammation in the blood vessels that could otherwise lead to hardening of the arteries.
Curcumin, an ingredient in the curry spice turmeric, may help prevent heart failure.
That’s according to two new studies done on rats, not people.
In both studies, researchers gave curcumin to rats. The rats then got surgery or drugs designed to put them at risk of heart failure.
The rats that got curcumin showed more resistance to heart failure and inflammation than comparison groups of rats that didn’t get curcumin.
Also, in one of the studies, the researchers saw signs that curcumin treatment reversed heart enlargement. The other study didn’t include that experiment.
Together, the studies suggest that curcumin short-circuited the heart enlargement process, though it’s not clear how it did that.
Both studies showed no sign of side effects from curcumin.
Even though researchers are developing new drugs to treat heart disease and stroke, it is important to take preventative steps to avoid these problems. Adding heart healthy foods, including a variety of herbs and spices, to your diet is a proactive and simple step that you can take to protect yourself from heart attack and stroke. Some heart healthy foods include: fruits and vegetables and whole grain products. Not only should you increase the amount of heart healthy foods that you eat, you should limit unhealthy food options including saturated, trans-fat and cholesterol as well as sodium. Additionally, even when eating heart healthy foods it is important to monitor your portion sizes in an effort to avoid overeating. The Heart and Stroke Foundation has many recipes on their website that incorporate heart healthy foods that will help to protect againstheart attack and stroke.
And remember, you can always get more natural health advice, the latest alternative health breakthroughs and news, plus information about nutrition, alternative remedies and cures and doctors health advice, all free when you sign up for the Bel Marra Newsletter. Visit http://www.belmarrahealth.com now to find out how to start your free subscription.
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