Antiaging Food Facts - P
Parsley
This green edible is rich in apigenin, a type of flavonoid
that appears to slow the growth of prostate cancer cells
in lab studies. Parsely is one of many different kinds
of flavonoids.
Peaches
Dried peaches help keep your blood pressure (BP) in
the safety zone.
Like banana, dried peaches and dried apricots are a
super source of BP-friendly minerals.. Ounce for ounce,
dried peaches [or dried apricots] deliver nearly six
times the potassium as bananas. This mineral helps control
blood pressure.
Your body relies on minerals like calcium, magnesium,
and potassium to regulate blood pressure.
Pistachios
We all know that the cholesterol battle is won by increasing
the good fats [HDL] and lowering the bad fats [LDL].
Cholesterol lowering super foods both decrease the HDL
and increase the LDL. Pistachio nuts are one of such
foods.
This is great news for your heart. Pistachios not only
boost HDL but also can move cholesterol ratios (HDL
to total and HDL to bad) in positive directions when
the nuts are used as a replacement for high-fat snacks.
Pistachios can even improve apolipoprotein B levels.
Polyphenols
The antioxidant action of polyphenols, such as those
found in red grapes, help protect the heart. Polyphenols
can be found in:
- Red Wine - resveratrol, quercetin, and catechin.
- Whole red grapes
- Red grape juice.
High intake is associated with as much as a 40 percent
drop in heart disease risk.
The key health benefits of Polyphenols are:
- keep blood cells from sticking together and forming
clots
- prevent free radical damage better than vitamins
C and E,
- counter inflammation of blood vessel walls.
- inhibit a biochemical change within heart cells
that leads to heart rhythm disorders and heart failure.
For adequate polyphenols, aim for five servings of
vegetables and four servings of fruit daily, particularly:
- Catechins - grapes, chocolate,
and berries.
- Resveratrol - peanuts
- Quercetin - apples, grapefruit,
onions, and black tea.
Potassium
Potassium has a positive effect on blood pressure,
the right foods may help bring it down. Both Potassium
chloride, found in some blood pressure medications,
and potassium citrate, the all-natural form in fruits
and vegetables, both significantly lower blood pressure
in people with hypertension.
The extra potassium brought the study participants'
systolic blood pressure (the top number) down by about
13 points and lowered their diastolic blood pressure
(the bottom number) by about 5 points.
Other potassium-rich fruits and juices include: cantaloupe,
honeydew melon, watermelon, orange juice, and grapefruit
juice.
Protein
Protein is essential for muscle growth and arterial
walls. Just one week without adequate protein will impact
the rate of age related muscle deterioration. In a world
of high-protein diets and meat-laden meals, it is hard
to believe that many adults fail to get sufficient protein.
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