Medical Keywords - Everything you need to know about health.

Herbal Remedies that Help Your Heart

LDL cholesterol may be one of your biggest obstacles to good health. Many Americans suffer from too-high LDL cholesterol, the result of too little exercise and eating too many fatty foods. Having high level of LDL cholesterol can severely increase a person's risk for developing a heart attack or stroke. In many cases, your doctor may prescribe a strong prescription drugs, but with people who suffer from only mildly elevated levels of LDL cholesterol, there are many herbal remedies that can help detoxify the body's arteries. Here are a few natural herbal remedies that can help you fight heart disease and lower your risk of developing a stroke.

Garlic: The poor man's penicillin has been shown to be one of your greatest allies against developing heart disease. In a recent study at Penn State University, garlic was found to lower the total cholesterol of research subjects by seven percent. Other research studies have shown that every one percent drop in cholesterol levels corresponds to a two percent drop in the risk of developing coronary diseases. The bottom line is that there are enough medical studies circulating out there to tell us that garlic can play an important role in controlling cholesterol levels and improving overall heart health. In most studies, half of garlic clove to one whole garlic clove each day have been used. The best results have come from chewing whole garlic cloves raw. You can follow this by chewing on parsley to deodorize. However, if the idea of chewing on a garlic clove does not appeal to you at all, you can always consume commercially available deodorized garlic supplements. One whole garlic clove equals roughly four grams of garlic. One important side effect of ingesting high doses of garlic on a regular basis is impaired blood clotting. If you notice increased skin bruising, you should stop taking garlic and consult your doctor immediately. However, if blood clotting is not an issue for you, you can take garlic everyday.

Psyllium: Psyllium is derived from the seed of the plantain plant. It is a good herb for helping cleanse the gastrinal intestine tract. The soluble fiber found in psyllium can also be helpful in reducing cholesterol. In a recent University of Kentucky study, research subjects were given 5.1 grams of psyllium two times a day along with a modified healthy diet. After more than 25 weeks, the subject's serum and LDL cholesterol levels were lowered significantly. Another study found that regular use of psyllium might lower blood sugar absorption in type 2 diabetics. Psyllium has not been shown lower LDL cholesterol levels as much as prescription statin drugs, but it can still be very useful as part of a cholesterol-reduction program. Psyllium should be taken with plenty of water. Follow the label for complete directions. Herbal Tea: Most herbal teas are high in antioxidants, which can be instrumental in preventing heart disease and different types of cancers. In one study, the research subjects were given five daily servings of tea, and their LDL cholesterol were shown to drop by 6.5 percent. Both black and green teas are shown to be effective against preventing heart disease.