Heart

How To Clean Your Arteries With One Simple Fruit

Artery-Dilating Flaxseed Proven A Potent Healer

The future of cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment will not be found in your medicine cabinet, rather in your kitchen cupboard or in your back yard growing on a tree.

Pomegranate Found To Prevent Coronary Artery Disease Progression

A new study published in the journal Atherosclerosis confirms that pomegranate extract may prevent and/or reverse the primary pathology associated with cardiac mortality: the progressive thickening of the coronary arteries caused by the accumulation of fatty materials known as atherosclerosis.[i]

Mice with a genetic susceptibility towards spontaneous coronary artery blockages were given pomegranate extract via their drinking water for two weeks, beginning at three weeks of age. Despite the fact that pomegranate treatment actually increased cholesterol levels associated with very low density lipoprotein-sized particles, the treatment both reduced the size of the atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic sinus (the dilated opening above the aortic valve) and reduced the proportion of coronary arteries with occlusive atherosclerotic plaques.

Remarkably, the researchers also found that pomegranate extract treatment resulted in the following beneficial effects:

    • Reduced levels of oxidative stress

    • Reduced monocytie chemotactic protein-1, a chemical messenger (chemokine) associated with inflammatory processes within the arteries.

    • Reduced lipid accumulation in the heart muscle

    • Reduced macrophage infiltration in the heart muscle

    • Reduced levels of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and fibrosis in the myocardium

    • Reduced cardiac enlargement

    • Reduced ECG abnormalities

How can something as benign and commonplace as a fruit extract reverse so many aspects of coronary artery disease, simultaneously, as evidenced by the study above? The answer may lie in the fact that our ancestors co-evolved with certain foods (fruits in particular) for so long that a lack of adequate quantities of these foods may directly result in deteriorating organ function. Indeed, two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling argued that vitamin C deficiency is a fundamental cause of cardiovascular disease, owing to the fact that our hominid primate ancestors once had year-round access to fruits, and as a result lost the ability to synthesize it. [see Linus Pauling vitamin C lectureon GreenMedTV]

A promising new study published in the journal Hypertension titled, "Potent antihypertensive action of dietary flaxseed in hypertensive patients," reveals that dietary flaxseed may represent a powerful therapeutic intervention in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Canadian researchers at St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre, Winnipeg, conducted a human clinical trial in order to test whether flaxseed would produce measurable improvements in patients with peripheral artery disease (P.A.D), a condition in which atherosclerotic plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to the head, organs, and limbs.

The prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, included 110 patients who ingested a variety of foods that contained 30 grams (approximately 4 tablespoons) of milled flaxseed or placebo each day over 6 months. The purpose of their study was to "examine the effects of daily ingestion of flaxseed on systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in peripheral artery disease patients," as hypertension is commonly associated with P.A.D.

After six months, the results of the dietary intervention were impressive:

    • Blood plasma levels of the omega-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid and enterolignans increased 2- to 50-fold in the flaxseed-fed group versus the placebo group.

    • Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was ≈ 10 mm Hg lower in the flaxseed group

    • Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was ≈ 7 mm Hg lower in the flaxseed group

According to the study, "Patients who entered the trial with a SBP ≥ 140 mm Hg at baseline obtained a significant reduction of 15 mm Hg in SBP and 7 mm Hg in DBP from flaxseed ingestion."

The researchers also found that circulating α-linolenic acid levels correlated with SBP and DBP, and lignan levels correlated with changes in DBP.

The final summary concluded: "[F]laxseed induced one of the most potent antihypertensive effects achieved by a dietary intervention."

Discussion

Flaxseed's health benefits are as complex as the components of the remarkable seed itself. Each component, including its fiber, lignans and omega-3 fatty acids, possess unique health benefits. In fact, over the past decade, hundreds of studies have been performed on whole flaxseed and/or its parts, revealing their value in over 100 health conditions. Top on the list of clinically confirmed health benefits are its anti-breast cancer properties, but it also contains the following properties of value in cardiovascular conditions:

    • Cholesterol Modulation: Flaxseed may reduce circulating total and LDL-cholesterol levels,[i] [ii]and prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, which is what renders it atherogenic (heart-disease promoting).[iii]

    • Increased Blood Flow: Flaxseed consumption improves flow-mediated dilation of the arteries (brachial) and reduces blood pressure.[iv]

    • C-reactive Protein Reduction: Elevated C-reactive protein is often a marker for heart disease related inflammation and associated increased risk of cardiovascular events. A flaxseed-derived lignan supplement appears to reduce C-reactive protein in type 2 diabetics – a population a far greater risk for cardiovascular disease and associated events.[v]

    • Plaque Reduction: Dietary flaxseed accelerates the regression of atherosclerotic plaques in the rabbit model.[vi] It is believed that secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), a phytoestrogen present in flax, is responsible for this anti-atherosclerotic effect.[vii]

Other ways in which flaxseeds confer cardioprotective effects is through their anti-inflammatory activity, largely due to the abundance of omega-3 fatty acids they contain, and their fiber, which improves the elimination of oxidized lipids, cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins and hormone metabolites through its bile-binding action.

For more information on flaxseed's remarkable heart-friendly properties, read our recent article "Evidence That Flaxseed Is A Heart Disease Reversing Food."

For additional research on clinically confirmed natural alternatives to blood pressure drugs, read "Garlic Compares Favorably To A Best-Selling Blood Pressure Drug."

[i] An Pan, Danxia Yu, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Oscar H Franco, Xu Lin. Meta-analysis of the effects of flaxseed interventions on blood lipids. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Aug;90(2):288-97. Epub 2009 Jun 10. PMID: 19515737

[ii] An Pan, Danxia Yu, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Oscar H Franco, Xu Lin. Meta-analysis of the effects of flaxseed interventions on blood lipids. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Aug;90(2):288-97. Epub 2009 Jun 10. PMID: 19515737

[iii] Rogelio U Almario, Sidika E Karakas. Lignan content of the flaxseed influences its biological effects in healthy men and women. J Am Coll Nutr. 2013 Jun ;32(3):194-9. PMID: 23885993

[iv] Sheila G West, Andrea Likos Krick, Laura Cousino Klein, Guixiang Zhao, Todd F Wojtowicz, Matthew McGuiness, Deborah M Bagshaw, Paul Wagner, Rachel M Ceballos, Bruce J Holub, Penny M Kris-Etherton. Effects of diets high in walnuts and flax oil on hemodynamic responses to stress and vascular endothelial function. J Am Coll Nutr. 2010 Dec ;29(6):595-603. PMID: 21677123

[v] An Pan, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Xingwang Ye, Zhijie Yu, Huaixing Li, Qibin Qi, Jianqin Sun, Yanqiu Chen, Xiafei Chen, Yong Liu, Xu Lin. Effects of a flaxseed-derived lignan supplement on C-reactive protein, IL-6 and retinol-binding protein 4 in type 2 diabetic patients. Br J Nutr. 2009 Apr;101(8):1145-9. PMID: 18775100

[vi] Andrew A Francis, Justin F Deniset, Jose A Austria, Renee K Lavallee, Graham G Maddaford, Thomas E Hedley, Elena Dibrov, Grant N Pierce. The Effects of Dietary Flaxseed on Atherosclerotic Plaque Regression. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2013 Apr 12. Epub 2013 Apr 12. PMID:23585134

[vii] Kailash Prasad. Natural products in regression and slowing of progression of atherosclerosis. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2010 Dec;11(8):794-800. PMID: 20874684

Discussion

This study adds to the already extant body of clinical research indicating that pomegranate can help unclog your arteries. For instance, back in 2004, the journal Clinical Nutrition published the results of a three year clinical trial in an Israeli population, finding that the daily consumption of pomegranate juice reversed carotid artery stenosis by up to 29% within 1 year. Remarkably, the blockages in the control group increased 9%, indicating that pomegranate's artery unblocking effects were even greater than at first apparent. [ii]

Pomegranate's value in cardiovascular disease is quite broad, as evidenced by the following experimentally confirmed properties:

    • Anti-inflammatory: Like many chronic degenerative diseases, inflammation plays a significant role in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis. There are five studies on GreenMedInfo.com indicatingpomegranate's anti-inflammatory properties.[iii]

    • Blood-Pressure Lowering: Pomegranate juice has natural angiotensin converting enzyme inhibiting properties, [iv] and is a nitric oxide enhancer, two well-known pathways for reducing blood pressure. [v] Finally, pomegranate extract rich in punicalagin has been found reduce the adverse effects of perturbed stress on arterial segments exposed to disturbed flow.[vi]

    • Anti-Infective: Plaque buildup in the arteries often involves secondary viral and bacterial infection, including hepatitis C and Chlamydia pneumoniae.[vii] Pomegranate has a broad range of anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

    • Antioxidant: One of the ways in which blood lipids become heart disease-promoting (atherogenic) is through oxidation. LDL, for instance, may be technically 'elevated' but harmless as long as it does not readily oxidize. Pomegranate has been found to reduce the oxidative stress in the blood, as measured by serum paraoxonase levels. One study in mice found this decrease in oxidative stress was associated with 44% reduction in the size of atherosclerotic lesions. [viii]

For additional research on pomegranate's heart friendly properties read our article: Research: Pomegranate May Reverse Blocked Arteries

Also, view our dedicated research section on reversing arterial plaque: Clogged Arteries

Resources

Research: Pomegranate May Reverse Blocked Arteries

While technically a berry, pomegranate "fruit" may be nature's answer to turning the tide against the #1 cause of death in the industrialized world: heart disease. Let's start with what it tells us simply through experiencing it...

Pomegranate has a remarkable astringency, giving your mouth and gums that dry, puckering mouth feel. This cleansing sensation is technically caused, as with all astringents, by shrinking and disinfecting your mucous membranes.

Anyone who drinks pomegranate juice, or is lucky enough to eat one fresh, can understand why it is so effective at cleansing the circulatory system. Nature certainly planted enough poetic visual clues there for us: its juice looks like blood, and it does resemble a multi-chambered heart, at least when you consider its appearance in comparison to most other fruits.

But sometimes the obvious (in appearance and effect) is not compelling enough – certainly not for the hyper-rational, "evidence-based" folks in positions of medical and regulatory power today – so we have science to lend additional support and credibility, and perhaps even keep some of us from being fined or going to jail for stating the obvious, e.g. "This juice may be beneficial to your health."

Indeed, your mouth and your arteries are lined with the same cell type: epithelial cells. Together, they make up the epithelium, one of four basic tissue types within animals, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue, and which comprises the interior walls of the entire circulatory system. So, when you feel that amazing cleansing effect in your mouth, this is in fact akin to what your circulatory system – and the epithelium/endothelium lining the inside of your veins and arteries – "feels" as well. How do we know this for sure?

A remarkable study, published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, took 10 patients with atherosclerosis and measured their carotid arteries before and after one year of supplementing their diet withpomegranate juice. After one year, the plaque clogging their carotid arteries was reduced by up to 30%, while the control group's blockages increased by 9% - effectively reversing the disease process by up to 39% within one year. Additional "side benefits" included a 130% increase in their antioxidant status, with LDL susceptibility to oxidation (it is far more important to maintain the quality of the LDL, i.e. keep it from getting damaged, than to nit-pick about the "right number") being reduced 59%. Finally, systolic blood pressure was reduced 21% within the first year. Wow, right? But it only gets better....

Pomegranate actually has been studied to possess therapeutic properties in over 80 diseases or disease symptoms. You can view the entire spectrum of studies on our ("our" meaning yours too, as we are open access) Pomegranate Research Page.

Here are some additional highlights for cardiovascular health

    • High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): One of the identified mechanisms behind pomegranate'sblood-pressuring lowering properties is its ability to inhibit Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme, at least in the diabetic rat model. [1] But obviously, reversing the plaque build-up in the arteries is one way to disburden the heart, as well. Another is its ability to increase nitric oxide production in the artery (eNOS), which results in improving its ability to dilate – effectively, reversing endothelial dysfunction.[2]

    • Fighting Infection: While it is commonly overlooked, cardiovascular disease, and more particularly atherosclerosis, is connected to infection. Dentists know this, which is why they often prescribe antibiotics following dental work which releases bacteria into systemic circulation. Plaque in the arteries can also harbor viral pathogens. Pomegranate happens to have potent antiviral and antibacterial properties relevant to cardiovascular disease initiation and progression. It has been studied to combat the following infectious organisms:

[for first-hand citations visit our pomegranate page]

    • Reduces Oxidative Stress: Pomegranate has potent antioxidant properties, which reduces the likelihood that LDL will oxidize, becoming the atherogenic/cardiotoxic form known as ox-LDL, which can injure the lining of the arteries and deposit there as plaque. These antioxidant properties have also been identified to have potential anti-platelet implications, potentially reducing the risk for an obstructive clot.[3]

Pomegranate was upheld as a sacred fruit in many cultural traditions the world over. Whether Christian, Arab, Jew, Buddhist, or Hindu, pomegranate was perceived as a symbol and source of fertility and/or regeneration.

It is interesting to me that it is not religion, or any other cultural institution or artifact (except perhaps music), but a FRUIT, which binds us so closely together in the near-universal appreciation for what God/Nature provides as both a source of nourishment and a medicine of quite possibly unparalleled therapeutic properties for heart health.

For additional research on Unclogging Your Arteries, visit our research page on the topic which includes 129 substances of interest.

[1] Effect of pomegranate juice on Angiotensin II-induced hypertension in diabetic Wistar rats. Phytother Res. 2009 Dec 17. PMID: 20020514

[2] Effects of a pomegranate fruit extract rich in punicalagin on oxidation-sensitive genes and eNOS activity at sites of perturbed shear stress and atherogenesis. Cardiovasc Res. 2007 Jan 15;73(2):414-23. Epub 2006 Sep 1. PMID: 17014835

[3] Pomegranate juice consumption reduces oxidative stress, atherogenic modifications to LDL, and platelet aggregation: studies in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 May ;71(5):1062-76. PMID: 10799367