Green Tea – steamed leaves of Camellia sinensis contain high amounts of polyphenols. Matcha green tea even more so. Five cups per day has been shown to reduce heart attack risk & death from heart attack by 20%. Four cups/day has been shown to reduce systolic BP by 6% and left ventricular hypertrophy.
LDL cholesterol reduction of 7.2 mg/dL has also been determined in meta-analysis. Three cups or more/day have been associated with a 21% reduction in ischemic stroke.
One capsule/day of the products listed below will easily provide more polyphenols (EGCG) than 5 cups of green tea
Do not take Green tea extracts if you have liver disease. And do not exceed more than 750 mg daily. Dosages in excess of 800 mg per day have been associated with liver injury.
Magnesium – Less than half of the American adult population consumes adequate magnesium in the diet. Low magnesium levels may elevated blood pressure. Standard laboratory ranges are set too low. Levels < 2.0mg/dL have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk such as sudden death.
Flaxseed – Flaxseed – an omega 3 contains high amounts of alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and lignans which may prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer as well as alleviate menopausal symptoms. The Mediterranean diet is high in ALA. Flaxseed oil does not contain lignans
A double blinded placebo controlled trial over six months showed that flax seed consumption reduced systolic blood pressure by 15 mm Hg in patients who started the study with systolic BP > 140 mm Hg
Garlic – Aged garlic extract contains the active and stable component S-allylcysteine. A double blind placebo controlled trial showed that 480 mg of aged garlic/day (Kyolic brand) over three months reduced systolic blood pressure 11.8 mm Hg.
Plant Sterols – there is strong evidence that sterols reduce absorption of cholesterol from the gut and lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. They are most effective if taken at least twice daily (with meals) at 800 mg or more per dose.
