Cardiovascular disease is our leading cause of death by disease; quercetin is one of your best defenses against it. Quercetin is a type of antioxidant polyphenol called a flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables. Research confirms its ability to prevent heart disease and promote overall health. Large population studies have found that diets high in quercetin are associated with reduced risk of developing heart disease. Further research has found that quercetin helps prevent heart disease in these eight ways. Quercetin supplementation in humans lowers total and LDL cholesterol while raising HDL. Laboratory and animal research indicate that quercetin triggers removal of cholesterol from artery walls leading to plaque regression.   LDL cholesterol doesn’t form dangerous plaque unless it becomes oxidized. It has recently become possible to get a blood test showing your level of oxidized LDL through standard laboratories.  We encourage everyone to ask for this test…

. . .  drugs just aren't cutting it. The poor drug industry has been hard put to come up with a drug for hypertension that doesn't significantly reduce quality of life with side effects like dizziness, nausea, arrhythmias and sexual problems, and in addition contribute over time to chronic disease. The new angiotensin receptor blockers were recently linked in The Lancet Oncology with developing prostate, breast and lung cancers. It's also been hard for them to come up with drugs that do the job. In a 2008 Canadian Family Physician, Richard Nahas, MD, CCFP, says only about 1/3 of those taking hypertension meds achieve optimal blood pressure control. Therefore it's not surprising, although refreshing, to see some serious attention being paid in medical journals to non-drug therapies. Recently, in The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, two MDs discussed the value of the low-sodium DASH diet (see my article on the DASH diet for a description), exercise, weight reduction, moderate a…

Because high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke, many doctors are quick to prescribe blood pressure-lowering medications. But there isn’t one that doesn’t have disturbing side effects, and most of the time they’re unnecessary. Eating a good diet that’s high in fruits and vegetables and low-to-moderate in carbohydrates; taking heart-healthy supplements like CoQ10, vitamin E, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, garlic, hawthorn, taurine and curcumin; making sure you get 8 glasses of pure water a day; minimizing salt intake; learning to manage stress; losing weight if you’re overweight; and regular exercise will all help to lower your blood pressure if it’s over the ideal 120/80 or below. But scientists are wondering if particular foods may also help. It started when a study done at Queen Mary University in London, England, found that drinking a little over 8 ounces of beet juice decreased systolic blood pressure by about 5 points. Systolic blood pressure is th…