Did you know that air pollution damages your heart?
Particulate matter in the air is linked to asthma, autism and cardiovascular disease.
Microscopic particles from diesel fuels increases inflammation in our tissues and causes blood vessels to build up plaque which hardens and increases your risk of blood clots. You can integrate one simple dietary change to protect your heart against air pollution damage and lower blood pressure. Good unsaturated fats in olive oil, nuts and avocados and vegetables contain high levels of nitrates. Not to be confused with nitrites in processed meats. When you combine spinach, celery and carrots with good fats the combination forms nitro fatty acids. Nitro fatty acids lower blood pressure and incidence of stroke, heart failure and cardiac events.
American researchers found that eating olive oil reduces the health impact of air pollution. Participants were given three grams of olive oil or fish oil per day or neither for 4 weeks. They were exposed to two hours of filtered air. On the second day they were exposed to two hours of polluted air. Blood vessels were measured with ultrasound before, immediately after exposure and 20 hours after the first exposure.
Surprising results. The olive oil group showed an increase in a protein that breaks down blood clots after air pollution exposures.
