But the good thing is that you can cut your risk of stroke. If you want to avoid suffering from stroke, living and eating healthy are two of the best ways to do that.

As far as practicing healthy eating goes, eating fruits and vegetables comes at the top of the list. A study by Harvard’s Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study showed that the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the lower your risk of having a stroke.

The list below shows you five of the best vegetables that can help lessen the risk of stroke. Add them to your daily diet and see its effects on your overall health.

1. Tomatoes – they contain lycopene which among other things, reduces blood clots. Blood clots may cause stroke which is why tomatoes can be very beneficial in preventing this condition. Aside from that, tomatoes are known to reduce the risk of cancer. Thus, you’re getting a one-two punch for your health if you include tomatoes in your diet.
2. Broccoli – this vegetable is a rich source of vitamin C which can significantly cut your risk of having a stroke. Scientists attribute this to the antioxidant qualities of vitamin C. Antioxidants are molecules that slow down your cells’ aging process. And if you have diabetes, broccoli can also help reverse its negative effects on your body. So, try to eat as much as you can of this vegetable.
3. Spinach – this green leafy vegetable is high in folate. In fact, spinach is one of its best sources. What can folate do to help prevent stroke? Folate reduces your risk of having atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries which may lead to stroke. Thus, a healthy amount of folate in your body can prevent you from having this condition.
4. Carrots – they are rich in beta carotene which gives these vegetables their distinctive orange color. But more than just a pigment, beta carotene can cut your risk of having stroke significantly. This is what a study by Harvard medical school’s Joan Manson found when she looked into the diet of 87,245 female nurses. Those who ate a minimum of five servings of this vegetable in a week were 68% less likely to have a stroke than those who had fewer servings.
5. Potatoes – a potassium-rich diet is important in preventing stroke. Potatoes are one of the most potassium-rich foods. In fact, potatoes contain more potassium than bananas which are traditionally considered as the best source of this mineral.

The list shows only some of the best foods that can help cut your risks of having stroke. But you can reduce your risks further by having a healthy lifestyle. Exercising daily and not smoking are just some of the ways by which you can do this.

Indeed, diabetes is a serious problem faced by many people today. But broccoli may hold the answer to fighting this disease. This article will show you how broccoli can help reverse the negative effects of diabetes.

But first, let’s have a look at the story behind diabetes. It will help you understand better how broccoli comes into play in this condition.

What Diabetes Is And What Causes It

In general, diabetes is defined as the condition wherein a person has high levels of glucose, also known as blood sugar. It is classified into two categories depending on what causes it.

First is called Type 1 diabetes. This type of diabetes happens when the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed. Because of this, glucose levels become unregulated, which in turn may cause a spike in a person’s glucose levels.

Then there’s Type 2 diabetes. This happens when body cells that normally react to insulin do not respond to the hormone. The condition is called insulin resistance.

Why It Is Important To Combat Diabetes

Genetics is the main reason why some people are more prone to diabetes than others. However, obesity can also trigger diabetes in people who are not genetically predisposed to this condition.

If left untreated, diabetes may cause a host of problems such as blindness and heart problems. In worst cases, some parts of the body may have to be amputated.

How Broccoli Helps Reverse the Effects of Diabetes

In a 2008 study conducted by the University of Warwick, it showed how a compound found in broccoli can help reverse the effects of diabetes. The team led by Professor Paul Thornalley found that sulforaphane – the compound found in broccoli – reverses the damage to the blood vessels caused by diabetes. The destruction of these blood vessels is the main reason why diabetes causes heart problems.

Sulforaphane does its wonders by protecting the blood vessels and reduces the levels of molecules that can also damage these vessels.

Caveat

But those who expect a miracle drug from sulforaphane may have to wait before it becomes a reality. The results found by Professor Thornalley’s team just came from laboratory experiments and still needs to be tested in real life situations.

For now, there are several things that you can do to prevent, or at least reduce the effects of diabetes in your body. For Type 1 diabetes, there are insulin injections and pumps that could help regulate your body’s glucose levels. On the other hand, exercising regularly, eating healthy and taking medication helps if you have Type 2 diabetes.

If you experience these symptoms, then you’re most likely suffering from migraine. Its characteristic symptom is the concentration of the pain in a single area of the head. It may last several hours to several days. Add nausea and sensitivity to light and sound to an already throbbing head and you can imagine the severity of this condition.

What Causes a Migraine?

Several things could cause migraine in different people. There’s stress, alcohol and hormonal changes especially in women. Women who are menstruating, ovulating or are currently taking birth control pills may experience migraine since these things create significant changes and even imbalances in their hormone levels.

Then there’s food. People who consume foods they are allergic to may experience migraine. This is because allergic reactions cause the release of serotonin which is a common trigger for a migraine attack.

Migraine Statistics

You are not alone if you suffer from migraine especially if you’re a woman. Statistics show that women are three times more likely to have migraines than men. Again, this could be attributed to the hormonal changes that women experience.

What Should You Do When You Have a Migraine?

When you are having a migraine attack, your first instinct of course is to reduce and eliminate the pain immediately. Since painkillers aren’t usually enough to do the job, you should look for more effective ways of dealing with the pain.

Vegetables and How They Help You Deal with Migraine

The good thing is that you don’t have to go to the pharmacy to find a cure for the pain. The solution could be found right in your refrigerator’s crisper. Yes, there are certain vegetables that could help stop the pain. Vegetables that are rich in niacin could do the trick. Some of these vegetables include tomatoes, cabbage and other green leafy vegetables.

And vegetables aren’t only good for stopping the pain caused by migraine. They’re also effective in dealing with migraine itself.

vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals that could cure migraine. One such vitamin is riboflavin or vitamin B2. A study conducted by researchers at Berlin’s Humboldt University found that riboflavin can be effective in curing migraine. Again, green leafy vegetables are good sources of this vitamin.

Aside from riboflavin, magnesium found in vegetables could also hold the key to curing migraine. Studies have found a possible connection between the frequency of migraine attacks and the amount of magnesium a person has in his/her body. People who are deficient of this mineral are more likely to suffer from migraine than those who have healthy amounts of it.

So the next time you have a migraine attack, don’t go to the pharmacy just yet. Vegetables hold the promise of a cheap and effective cure to the condition that’s been the headache of humanity for generations.

The truth of the matter is that your body contains and needs cholesterol whether or not you eat foods rich in it. Your body needs this form of fat (called a lipid) in building up cell membranes, producing some hormones and vitamin D.

What then makes cholesterol so bad? Cholesterol only becomes bad for your health when you have excessive amounts of it in your arteries. When you have too much cholesterol, it blocks the normal flow of blood to your brain, among other places. When this happens, you become at risk of having a stroke. And stroke can disable you for life, or worse, kill you.

What Causes an Increase in Your Cholesterol Level?

Several things come into play when it comes to your cholesterol level. It includes the food that you eat, the kind of lifestyle you have and your genetics.

Your cholesterol level rises when you eat foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Also, if you are not physically active, then you are more likely to have a high cholesterol level as well. And finally, if any or both of your parents have high cholesterol, then you become genetically predisposed to have that trait as well.

These things can make you prone to having high cholesterol which also puts you at greater risk of suffering from stroke or heart problems.

How Vegetables can Reduce Your Cholesterol Levels

Sure there are already many medications that could help stabilize your cholesterol level. However, they could cost you a lot of money in the long run. Ask for your doctor’s advice and he/she could advise you to change your diet by adding vegetables in your menu.

Vegetables can help reduce your cholesterol levels in several ways.

You probably know that vegetables are good sources of fiber which can aid your bowel movement. But more than just curing constipation, fiber found in vegetables – soluble fiber to be exact – can help reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in your body. Green leafy vegetables such as cabbage, as well as carrots and sweet potatoes provide you with a good amount of soluble fiber.

Here’s the part that’s supposedly easy to understand but people tend not to follow. The thing is that when you switch your diet from eating fatty and cholesterol-rich foods to eating vegetables, your cholesterol level is sure to go down.

Why? Simply because vegetables contain no cholesterol. By eating vegetables, you don’t just get rid of cholesterol that’s already in your system, you also don’t add any more cholesterol.

So, try introducing more vegetables to your diet. You’re sure to live healthier and longer. And don’t forget to exercise regularly and watch your weight.

But more than just giving you healthy eyesight and helping ward off common illnesses, vegetables can also help prevent you from having cancer. This bit is of course very important because cancers can be fatal.

Currently, there is no known cure to cancer. That is why doctors often advice patients to take steps in preventing it before anything else. And eating vegetables is one way to do that.

Below is a list of ten of the most effective cancer-fighting vegetables. Read on and learn more.

1. Tomato – is probably the best-known cancer-fighting vegetable. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitaminn E which effectively fight free radicals which are known to increase the likelihood of developing cancer. And there’s an additional benefit in having tomatoes in your diet. They are also rich in lycopene which helps prevent heart disease.
2. Garlic – sure, garlic isn’t the vegetable of choice if you want to have sweet-smelling breath, but it does its job well if you want to prevent cancer. Garlic is known to slow down the development of tumors which is good in combating cancers early. Aside from that, it can help prevent certain cancers such as breast and colon cancers.
3. Carrots – ever wondered why Bugs Bunny never suffered from lung cancer? That’s because he didn’t smoke and he always eat raw carrots. Kidding aside, carrots can be very effective in fighting common cancers such as cancer of the lungs, prostate and breast. They are more effective when eaten raw as nutrients are lost when carrots are cooked.
4. Broccoli – a study conducted by the University of Pittsburg Cancer Institute suggests that broccoli and other similar cruciferous vegetables can stop the growth of prostate cancer cells. And as a plus, this vegetable may also reverse the effects of cell damage caused by diabetes.
5. Sweet Potato – this vegetable contains beta carotene (also found in carrots) which can fight certain cancers. And since this is also rich in fiber, it promotes good bowel movement which may then reduce the risk of colon cancer.
6. Red Cabbage – this vegetable’s distinctive color comes from the component called flavonoids. These flavonoids are known to be good antioxidants. And because of this, it can help reduce the risk of developing cancers in your body.
7. Spinach – this vegetable that’s closely associated with the cartoon character Popeye provides real benefits to your health. Spinach is rich in beta carotene and vitamin C which are powerful antioxidants that help prevent cancer.
8. Red Beet – its color comes from flavonoids which is also found in red cabbage. Again, this component has good antioxidant properties which fight cancer.
9. Peppers – not only add spice to your food but also to your health. Peppers are rich in vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene, all of which are known to have strong antioxidant properties.
10. Onion – is one pungent preventive of cancer. It contains many compounds that blocks cancer-causing agent such as nitrosamines and aflatoxin.

Both of these conditions happen when blood supply is restricted or blocked in particular areas of the body. Heart attacks occur when blood cannot pass through the artery leading to the heart muscle. Meanwhile, a lack of blood supply to the brain can trigger a stroke.

The clogging of the arteries happens slowly. It may take several years for fat to build up inside the walls of arteries before they completely block the blood flow. An unhealthy diet of fat and cholesterol-rich foods causes the clogging.

Detect If You have Clogged Arteries

The sooner you detect clogged arteries, the better your chances of reversing its effects. There are simple means of detecting clogged arteries. Below are some of them.

1. Checking the blood pressure – this is probably the most common and most straightforward means of detection. A blood pressure above 119/79 is a good indicator that you have clogged arteries. Your risk for related conditions (e.g. stroke, heart disease) rise when you reach 140/90 and above.
2. Blood test – a blood test reveals your cholesterol level, among other things. Naturally, the higher cholesterol level you have, the higher your chance of having clogged arteries.
3. Angiogram – dye is injected into the arteries which reveals areas that are clogged.

How to Stop the Clogging of Arteries

Imagine a pipe that’s been clogged by dirt. How would plumbers normally solve the clogging problem? In the past, they would have used mechanical devices to do the job. But today, chemicals can do the trick. Either way, the problem is solved by removing the thing that disrupts the flow of water along the pipe.

The same principle applies to when your arteries are clogged. Your doctor has methods to do the job. Worst cases may require surgery, but for milder ones (i.e. those that aren’t yet in a critical stage), a change in diet helps.

We mentioned earlier that a diet of fatty foods and foods that are high in cholesterol raises the chance of your arteries being clogged. So to reverse its effects, your diet should consist of foods that help remove the clogging and prevent fat from getting into your arteries again.

How Vegetables Fight Clogging

Vegetables are the best food group that can address the clogging problem. They can effectively remove fats that clog your arteries because they contain soluble fiber. This type of fiber is that which flushes out bad cholesterol from your body.

Also, since vegetables contain no cholesterol, you don’t add any more cholesterol into your body when you eat them. Thus, it keeps your arteries from being clogged again.

But of course, you should realize that eating healthy is just a part of the equation. There are other things that you must do to prevent clogged arteries and the problems associated with it. You also have to exercise regularly, keep yourself from worrying too much and quit unhealthy vices such as smoking. Your body will thank you for doing these things.

What is Constipation?

Constipation occurs when you are having difficulty moving your bowels. One of the most common causes for this condition is when your colon absorbs too much water from the food that you eat. It causes your stool to harden which is associated with constipation.

Other causes of this condition include severe dehydration, childbirth and stopping from smoking (nicotine in cigarettes can induce bowel movement).

What You Should Do If You’re Constipated

The treatment you need depends upon your case of constipation. However, if you’re suffering from a common case of constipation (i.e. you’re suffering from it not because of medical problems) you can cure it by combining an increased intake of fluids and dietary fiber.

Water is generally enough to help ease constipation. Add to it a regular consumption of vegetables and your constipation will stop in no time. Why vegetables? Because they are rich in fiber and fiber helps you move your bowels easily.

How Fiber Helps Relieve Constipation

Fiber found in most fruits and vegetables help you form a soft stool which prevents you from getting constipated. Having a soft stool means you can move your bowels more easily.

So if you’re constipated, your best bet to relieve it would be to consume fiber-rich vegetables. The list below gives you some vegetables that are high in fiber.

A List of Fiber-Rich Vegetables

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrot
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber
• Okra
• Spinach

Raw or Cooked Vegetables?

Some sources would tell you that you should consume raw vegetables instead of cooked ones. According to them, raw vegetables provide more relief to constipation compared to when you cook them.

However, the proof to back up these claims are lacking. The bottom line is that vegetables are rich in fiber and so you should eat plenty of them if you want to relieve constipation.

Other Benefits of Eating Fiber-Rich Foods

If you regularly consume fiber-rich foods, then you’re doing your body a favor more than just relieving constipation. For one, they can prevent you from getting constipated again. Another thing is that they can have huge benefits on your overall health.

Having a healthy bowel movement cuts your risk of suffering from colon cancer. Also, a fiber-rich diet can reduce your risk of having heart problems. And for weight watchers, fiber makes you feel full longer which wards off temptations that would make you want to eat more.

What Should You Do If Vegetables Don’t Work?

If you notice that you’re still constipated despite eating a lot of vegetables and drinking lots of fluids, then you should see your doctor.

He or she may recommend you to take in laxatives if fiber from vegetables don’t work. In worst cases, an enema may be used if vegetables and laxatives prove ineffective.

But heart attacks can be prevented, or at least your likelihood of having it. That, we will discuss later. For now, let us look into how heart attacks occur.

How Heart Attacks Occur

A heart attack happens when oxygen-rich blood fails to reach the heart muscle due to a blockage. This commonly occurs when there is a build up in the artery leading to the heart muscle which prevents blood from reaching that area.

But the story goes deeper than that. The blockage of the artery happens when fat (called plaque) builds up in the artery walls and the inside of the arteries hardens. This commonly happens to people with high cholesterol levels.

Now when the plaque bursts, a blood clot may form which could completely prevent the blood flow. This is when a heart attack happens.

So you see, a heart attack is actually the culmination of a series of changes in your body. That is why it’s important that you take preventive measures before a heart attack actually hits you.

A Healthy Diet to Prevent Heart Attacks

We mentioned earlier that the common cause of a heart attack is the blockage of the arteries due to fat build up. These fats are most likely to block arteries when you have high cholesterol levels. Thus, it is important that you change your diet to one that is low in fat.

The best option you have is by introducing a good amount of vegetables into your diet. Why vegetables? Because vegetables are rich in fiber. And a type of fiber called soluble fiber can help flush away bad cholesterol from your system.

And it doesn’t end there. Now that you have flushed bad cholesterol away from your system, you can prevent taking in unhealthy amounts of cholesterol by having vegetables in your diet. That is because vegetables don’t contain any cholesterol.

So which vegetables in particular are good at preventing cholesterol build up? Cabbage, carrots and sweet potatoes are just some vegetables that are rich in soluble fiber. Again, soluble fiber flush out unhealthy cholesterol from your body.

If you’re unsure of the amount of vegetables to have in your diet, refer to the so-called DASH eating plan. An acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension’, the eating plan recommends that you have 4-5 servings of vegetables every day. You have, of course, to supplement it with other healthy foods such as fruits, poultry, fish, etc.

How You can Prevent Further Risks of Heart Attack

We already mentioned having a healthy diet, but it’s actually just a part of the things that you can do to prevent heart attack. You should also have a healthy lifestyle. Not smoking, exercising regularly and keeping yourself from getting stressed are recommended ways of cutting down your heart attack risks.

Learn how obtaining your phlebotomy certification can lead to a rewarding career in the health field.

There are numerous studies that support each camp. And it can be quite difficult to decide which of them you should believe since both sides have enough proof to support their case. This article presents you the argument of each side and a suggestion on where you should stand on the issue.

Raw Vegetables Retain Their Anti-Cancer Properties

Proponents of this camp say that eating raw vegetables is more effective in fighting cancer because it retains the anti-cancer components that make them effective in the first place. Cooking only disintegrates or deactivates these anti-cancer components, according to them.

That’s what happens in the case of broccoli. A 2000 article showed that broccoli is less effective as an anti-cancer vegetable when cooked. According to the article, the enzyme in broccoli called myrosinase releases antioxidants that fight cancer when you chew raw broccoli. Microwaving this vegetable deactivates the myrosinase which makes broccoli less effective. Cooking broccoli reduces its potency by a third, according to the same article.

Cooking Vegetables Make Them More Effective In Fighting Cancer

Then there’s the camp that says that cooking vegetables make them more effective in fighting cancer. Some studies that support this claim show that cooking breaks down the cell walls that contain antioxidants and other nutrients found inside the vegetable. It then makes these healthy and cancer-fighting components easier to absorb by the body.

An example is a study that compared the difference between raw and cooked carrots in terms of the amount of carotenoids absorbed by the body. Carotenoids is a class of phytochemicals which include alpha and beta carotene, and that which gives plants and fruits their colors (e.g. the red in tomatoes, orange in carrots, etc.). The study found that the body absorbs as much as 15% of carotenoids when carrots are cooked compared to only 5% in raw carrots.

Which Camp Should You Belong To?

Confused already? Looking at the examples from each camp seems to suggest that some vegetables are better consumed raw than cooked, and vice versa. Now do you really have to know which vegetables are better eaten raw and those that are better when cooked? Well, not really because that would be very time-consuming and impractical.

So what should you do then? What we suggest is that you create a balance between eating raw and cooked vegetables. For example, eat raw broccoli for lunch and snack on steamed carrot sticks. Balancing raw and cooked vegetables ensures that you are getting the best of both worlds.

Aside from that, you should always include vegetables in your daily diet. Eating vegetables is better than not having them in your diet at all. Reduced anti-cancer properties or not, the effectiveness of vegetables in fighting cancer cannot be discounted.

How Do You Know That You Have High Blood Pressure?

A simple blood pressure test done by a doctor or nurse will determine if you have high blood pressure or not. Or if you have a device to check it at home, you can do that too. A reading below 120/80 is considered normal blood pressure.

Once your blood pressure hovers over the 120/80-139/89 level, then you have what is called prehypertension. You don’t have high blood pressure yet, but unless you take steps to lower it, then your chances of having it will increase in the future.

Finally, if you reach the 140/90 level and above, then you already have high blood pressure. You should now take serious steps to normalize it. Otherwise, you run the risk of suffering from heart diseases and stroke, as we mentioned earlier.

How Can You Lower Your Blood Pressure?

Changing your diet is one of the first steps you should take to lower your blood pressure. This is especially the case if you are accustomed to eating foods that are high in fat and cholesterol since these two things contribute a lot to having hypertension.

There’s a diet plan called DASH which stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”. This diet plan involves eating foods that are low in saturated and total fat, and cholesterol. Also, people under this plan are required to eat whole grains, fish, poultry, fruits and vegetables, among other healthy foods.

Eating Fruits and Vegetables to Combat Hypertension

Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the most effective ways of dealing with high blood pressure. Why? Because these foods are effective in flushing cholesterol out of your system. Aside from that, they do not contain cholesterol. Thus, you don’t add more cholesterol to your body when you eat fruits and vegetables.

Vegetables that are Effective Vs. Hypertension

If you’re looking for vegetables that should be a part of your diet, then refer to the list below.

1. Spinach – this green leafy vegetable is a rich source of fiber which helps flush out cholesterol from your blood stream. High cholesterol levels contribute to hypertension because it clogs your arteries, making your heart work harder to pump more blood through these narrow arteries.
2. Sweet potatoes – are also a good source of fiber so always have them on your menu to counter hypertension.
3. Tomatoes – are rich in potassium. Although the relation between potassium and lower blood pressure is only suggested and not completely established, potassium-rich foods such as tomatoes are still widely considered to prevent hypertension and stroke.

How You can Fight Hypertension Effectively

Of course, it isn’t enough that you just eat healthy in the hopes that it will lower your blood pressure. You should also combine it with regular exercise and healthy living to maximize your chances of putting up a better fight against hypertension.