Juicing for heart disease? Can juicing prevent or even reverse heart disease? Some very astute people swear that a plant based diet can and does prevent and reverse clogged arteries but be that as it may …
Who wouldn’t be curious about studying a simple, easy and swift method of boosting their immune defense mechanisms, while improving their general health through increased nutrient absorption for just a few dollars per week? Many Americans have tried juicing with good results. Have you been thinking about juicing for better health?
If so a movie you need to see is: Fat Sick & Nearly Dead. Joe Cross believes juicing not only changed his life but saved it. Many others feel and think the same after taking up juicing for heart disease, cancer or other diseases linked to inflammation and a high fat diet.
Juicing is an extremely good way to prevent even reverse heart disease. Experts like Dr. Dean Ornish and Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., MD explain that a plant based diet is truly heart healthy. In fact a plant based diet can reverse heart disease characterized by clogged arteries. You may have nothing to lose by trying a plant based diet and everything to gain.
In The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell details the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The report also examines the source of nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities, and opportunistic scientists. The New York Times has recognized the study as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”
When Juicing For Heart Disease Vegetable Juice Is King
If you want to prevent, even reverse heart disease you should strongly consider buying a juicer and starting a daily regimen of drinking fresh, organic vegetable juice along with other strategies such as exercise, supplements and stress reduction.
A daily regimen of juicing, along with a plant based food diet may work wonders for you like it has for others. If you notice I said vegetable juice. The reasons I am so big on vegetable juice are:
- Less sugar
- Less calories
- More protein
- Lowers homocysteine levels associated with increased cardiac risk [1]
- An infusion of potassium (veggie juice can be potassium rich) can lower blood pressure [2], [3]
- Can help lower cholesterol [4]
- Veggies contain a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants (phytonutrients, polyphenol flavonoids) that are needed to lower high blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, fight arterial inflammation
I am not totally vegan or a total raw food promoter. Those who do strictly raw, plant based foods seem to encounter some issues even if they don’t recognize them. A complete vegan and/or raw food diet can cause vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 is only obtained through animal products. So a B12 supplement would be necessary. An ironic issue is that a completely raw food diet can actually increase homocysteine levels even though it lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides [5]. S0 …
It would seem to me that a happy balance is needed. One could achieve this balance by consuming fish.
TIP: If you decide to begin juicing for heart disease prevention or reversal, juice the vegetables and save the leftover pulp so you can use it to make heart healthy soup.
For example lentils are full of protein, fiber and B vitamins soup. I happen to love lentil soup so I juice tomato, celery, spinach, carrot, green pepper, onion and garlic. I prepare them first like I would for soup (washing and excising stems etc) and I keep the leftover skin and pulp to make soup! That makes my dollars go farther and feeds me too! If I want even more flavor and protein I add some white, skinless chicken meat (breast). Or you could use the same veggie concoction to make chicken and vegetable soup instead of lentil. You could use salmon or other fish for a tasty fish and vegetable soup.
Keep in mind that Japan has one of the lowest rates of heart disease, 3rd lowest in the world. The Japanese eat lots of veggies and fish. So take the hint! 🙂
What About Fruit Juice?
Whole fruit is awesome, in moderation. Fruit contains fructose, fruit sugar. ALL sugar is inflammatory, especially refined sugar. To much sugar seems to increase triglycerides and impair the clearance of very low density lipoprotein (vLDL) [6].
In the case of diabetics with heart disease the extra surge of sugar from juicing fruits, which literally strips many fruits of valuable nutrients found in their skins (apples, grapes, peaches, pears, etc) and leaves the higher concentrated fruit sugars, is something that should be avoided. Instead diabetics should get their fruit fix (vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients) from whole fruits which also contain complex carbohydrates that will help lesson blood sugar spikes versus fruit juice.
When Juicing For Heart Disease …
Stick to juicing vegetables for the best results. Use the leftover pulp for soups. Eat whole fruits. Ya know this could have been a lot shorter post if I’d just said those 3 short sentences! 😉
Reference Sources
1 – Vegan diet-based lifestyle program rapidly lowers homocysteine levels. Read abstract
2 – Role of dietary potassium in the treatment of hypertension. Read abstract
3 – Role of potassium in regulating blood flow and blood pressure. Read Abstract and article
4 – The Effect of a Plant-Based Diet on Plasma Lipids. Read article
5 – Long-Term Consumption of a Raw Food Diet Is Associated with Favorable Serum LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides but Also with Elevated Plasma Homocysteine and Low Serum HDL Cholesterol in Humans. Read abstract and article
6 – Sugar and Cardiovascular Disease. Read article