It is believed that snuff causes approximately 100,000 deaths annually from cardiovascular diseases in the United States. In Spain, approximately 50% of men in middle age of life smoke compared with 16% of women of that age.

But he has noticed that in recent years is reducing the percentage of male smokers, whereas it is increased the percentage of women smokers, especially younger women beginning in adolescence.

Years ago, studies were conducted showing that mortality in nonsmoking patients was 166 cases per 100,000, while those who smoked a pack of cigarettes or more per 100,000 was 427.

The snuff also increases 10 times the risk in women taking contraceptives.

Smokers who are called passive, ie those on the side of people who smoke are at increased risk of cardiovascular death by 30% higher than those individuals who are not exposed to smoking environments.

On the other hand, the risk decreases as you stop smoking, so that after 2-3 years of having eliminated smoking, the risk is similar to those who do not smoke.

There are more than 3,000 chemicals in smoke snuff, so it is difficult to know which one has more harmful effects.

The final result is that not only must know who and how much they smoke, but also advised to give up smoking, help them use it and if necessary to those psychological programs, or agents that can facilitate the elimination of smoking as the use of nicotine gum or nicotine patches.

But how are consumed chia seeds against cholesterol? Of course, can be eaten as they are. Still, there are much more palatable alternative to be able to do so.

Chia seeds can be very good in juices and smoothies. In fact, the combined juice and fruit chia or this lemon juice and sage can be an excellent alternative to having to swallow them with water like a pill.

But you can also incorporate chia seeds without any problem inside your normal dishes.

They tend to sit very well in an oriental salad and chicken or chia in a good vegetarian rice chia. You can also prepare a tuna and sage pate or homemade bread with seeds.

Also, chia seeds can go for desserts. This nougat and this jelly are two clear examples of what we’re saying.

As you can see there are many ways far more fun to eat chia seeds that putting it in a spoon and taking them with a glass of water. In addition, they are all recipes that can coalesce perfectly with your anti-cholesterol diet.

Several studies prove that the black chocolate, consumed in moderation is an ally of cardiovascular health.

It is therefore possible to incorporate diet and occasionally eat tasty preparation that would reduce and control cholesterol. In this note I will bring a chocolate brownie recipe lower in fat. An ideal dessert for children and not so young.

There are several studies that confirm the properties of black chocolate to protect the heart and control risk factors like high cholesterol.

Although chocolate contains both saturated fatty acids as unsaturated, the latter a positive influence on increasing good cholesterol or HDL. It is therefore recommended its use 2-3 times a week.

Brownie recipe reduced fat chocolate

* Ingredients
Makes about 15 brownies.
or 250 grams of black chocolate.
or 150 grams of flour.
or 3 tablespoons of skimmed milk.

or 1 teaspoon of brewer’s yeast.
or ½ teaspoon of baking soda.
or 75 grams of powdered sweetener.
or 1 beaten egg.
or 60 grams chopped walnuts.

* Preparation
or Preheat oven to 180 º C.
or Grease a baking dish.
nonstick or lined with paper.
or reservation.
or addition to placing the pieces of chocolate in a double boiler container.
or Move constantly until melted.
o In another saucepan, add milk, chocolate, flour, egg, sweetener, baking soda and chopped nuts.
or Shuffle.
o Incorporate the mixture into the baking dish.
or Cook for 30 minutes or until cooked.
or Cool.
Cut into 15 squares or before removing from the source.

If you or your kids will crave sweet foods, but suffer from high cholesterol, do not feel bad, get a taste of chocolate brownies and prepares low-fat and ready to treat hypercholesterolemia.

Amaranth is a food that can be consumed in different ways, including through their tea or infusion. This is another natural alternative that you have to fight bad cholesterol or LDL.

Amaranth is a plant which can use both leaves and flowers and seeds. With each of these can be made various preparations, such as salads, soups, tortillas, among others.

An alternative preparation, but not least is the amaranth tea, through which you can get all its properties to lower cholesterol naturally.

Amaranth allows you to combat cholesterol through the active ingredients and which act directly:

* Reducing LDL cholesterol.
* Increasing the synthesis of good cholesterol or HDL.
* Strengthening the artery walls.

* Ingredients
or 2 tablespoons of amaranth leaves or flowers
or 1 liter of water.

* Preparation
o Boil water.
o Place the flowers or leaves of amaranth.
o Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
o Remove from heat.
o Allowed to stand.
o Serve.

* How amaranth tea to lower cholesterol

You can drink up to three cups daily after meals.

Remember to reduce your cholesterol level, and amaranth tea, you must perform a diet low in fat and rich in fiber and antioxidants. In addition to implementing physical activity daily.

1. Prevent arteriosclerosis
In recent years various studies have highlighted the possible role of the antioxidant substances present in the unsaponifiable residue in relation to the development of atherosclerosis.

Olive oil has a differential effect over other vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fatty acids, being very similar to the mechanism of action of omega-3 acid. They all lead to a decrease in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), while only olive oil prevents cholesterol-lowering HDL (good cholesterol).

However, it is only virgin olive oil which inhibits the oxidation of LDL due to its high content of antioxidant compounds, particularly tocopherols and phenolic compounds.

Finally, there has been an immunoregulatory effect of arteriosclerosis in virgin olive oil, can modulate the processes of inflammation in the artery wall by inhibiting the production of cytokines, adhesion of leukocytes to the arterial wall and platelet aggregation .

2. Reduces blood pressure
Olive oil, through the oleic acid and its antioxidant components, affect various processes related to development of thrombosis. Thus, oleic acid reduces blood pressure, protects the endothelium of the artery and dampens the inflammatory process.

As to the phenomena of platelet aggregation (encouraging the appearance of a thrombus), olive oil reduces the same: increased concentration thresholds for compounds that induce its aggregation as collagen and adrenaline reduces the release of thromboxane A2 (key in platelet aggregation), and decreased levels of von Willebrand factor (vW Factor) that makes platelets adhering to the vessel wall.

Also involved in the clotting process. Reduces the procoagulant factor VII, Tissue Factor Inhibitor (TFPI), a substance essential in modulating the effect of Tissue Factor (TF), the main prothrombotic component of the ruptured plaque.

1. What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease and stroke) is caused by lack of blood supply to certain organs and are the principal manifestations of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Currently, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in industrialized countries like ours.

2. What are the risk factors?
Risk factors for these diseases can be classified into:

• Personal factors coded

Non-modifiable personal factors: sex (male), age (45-55 years) or a positive family history.

• Risk factors that can be corrected

Risk factors that can be corrected: notably elevated blood levels of total cholesterol and LDL or “bad” cholesterol, low levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and type of food.

Other factors that are influencing the physical inactivity, obesity or stress.

3. The diet influences health
Despite the importance of controlling these risk factors, diet is perhaps the one on which you can exercise greater control and is clearly proved that his amendment would affect a very important part of the other factors involved.

4. What is the heart-healthy diet?
The diet should be as balanced as that of a healthy person, trying to maintain or achieve a healthy weight: the base must be comprised of foods such as bread, potatoes, pasta and rice and at least twice a week, legumes.

The day is important to consume two or more servings of vegetables or salad and three pieces of fruit, plus 1.5 or 2 liters of water.

This balanced diet for any healthy person should have some restrictions in the event of a cardiovascular disease:

• Reduce fat intake in general and especially the consumption of animal and vegetable preferably, especially olive oil.
• Try cooking with minimum fat as possible, preferring cooking, roast or grilled to fry.
• Try not to eat meat and fish in excess and preferably more fish than meat, including blue.
• Consume best birds like chicken and turkey or rabbit red meat.
• The sausages are rich in saturated fats, so we need to moderate their consumption.
• Do not take more than 2 or 3 egg yolks a week. Consumption is clearly limited, so we can mix the yolk with two whites for omelets, scrambled eggs or sauces.
• Prefer the skimmed milk to whole milk, cream, butter and derivatives, suitably supplemented by consuming low fat dairy and eating fresh cheese instead of fat.
• The drinking never exceed 30 g per day (two glasses a day). Always prefer wine to other alcoholic beverages, for its antioxidant properties.
• It is very important physical exercise because it helps them lose weight and is good for health. Should increase the performance in activities of daily living (taking the stairs instead of elevators, public transportation instead of the car …) and at least walk, if possible, an hour a day, always follow your doctor’s instructions .

If a person is overweight or are pursuing an unbalanced diet (with a high intake of saturated fat, simple sugars and alcohol), the concentrations of triglycerides in the blood may be elevated. This results in a thickening of the blood which can encourage the development or progression of damaged arteries.Multiple factors trigger cardiovascular disease … We have to distinguish the modifiable uncontrollable factors.

Uncontrollable factors:

Age: the older, increases the risk.

Gender: male, higher risk than females, except for postmenopausal women who equate their risk to man (this can be reduced with estrogen replacement therapy).

Heredity: There are certain types of hypercholesterolemia that are inherited and cause a disproportionate increase in LDL cholesterol in blood, this occurs by a reception failure in tissue, by increasing their production or disposal errors. Some of the family hypercholesterolemia also tend to produce high triglycerides and low HDL. People suffering from these diseases have high cholesterol levels, regardless of their diet. This can be reduced partially with certain changes in lifestyle.

Family history of cardiovascular disease.

Diabetes: the peaks high blood sugar (glucose) tests may favor the progressive deterioration of the inner walls of arteries, contributing to the formation of atherosclerosis. This is especially acute when there is a good control of the disease.

Modifiable factors:

Smoking: Nicotine and other substances that enter the body with cigarettes, assists in the development of atherosclerosis.

Overweight and obesity: the further away a person of ideal weight range, the greater the chances of having high LDL, low HDL and diabetes and / or hypertension.

Hypertension: when not well controlled, blood is pumped with a force that may damage the artery walls, increasing the risk of formation of atheromas (plaques of atherosclerosis). These accumulations can be dragged to other locations, creating the obstruction of other arteries. High level of stress in these circumstances and without the individual being perceived, the body produces an amount of stress hormones (like cortisol and adrenaline) in a very negative influence on blood pressure and resistance of the immune system.

Sedentary: promotes overweight and deprives the body of the benefits of physical activity.

Dietary factors:

-Consumption of foods high in cholesterol.
“Excessive intake of foods rich in saturated fats. It has been shown that this type of fat contributes to increased LDL (bad)
-Consumption of foods rich in trans fats, which are harmful to raise bad cholesterol, in addition to lowering the good.
-Follow a diet low in fiber, the benefits of cholesterol lowering expand later on.
-Incorporate more calories than we need, favoring the occurrence of overweight.

How to prevent cardiovascular disease?

• Decreasing the consumption of foods high in cholesterol, saturated and trans fats.
• Controlling the body weight to avoid the undesirable effects caused by the overweight
• Eating a source of omega 6 is found that the omega 6 can help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), but its excess can also reduce HDL (good).
• Including diet foods rich in omega 3.

This type of fat has many benefits:

• Reduce levels of triglycerides and LDL and increase HDL.
• Lowering blood pressure and improve blood flow.
• Owning an important anti-inflammatory effect, improving the symptoms of diseases such as lupus, ulcerative colitis and Cronh disease, among others.
• There must be a balance between intake of omega 6 and omega 3. The ideal relationship established for the consumption of omega 6 and omega 3 is 5 to 1 (5 n-6 every 1 omega 3). Being a relationship tolerable 10 to 1. In this way the two types of nutrients can fulfill their roles and are better utilized by the body.