Blueberry–A Natural Vascular Scavenger That Helps Prevent Heart Disease

For those facing heart disease or suffering other common maladies such as obesity and high blood pressure, blueberries offer a delicious addition to a healthier lifestyle

Studies have found that people who consume blueberries have lower lipid peroxidation in their blood lipids, and fewer inflammation responses. Shutterstock

A longtime friend of mine suddenly died of a heart attack while using the bathroom at home. I wondered: What caused his heart attack, and why did it come on so suddenly and viciously? How should we deal with this disease? Can diet help us to reduce the risk of heart disease?

My friend was a wonderful person who took his work very seriously. He became busier as he got better at his job and was promoted to higher positions, often working until very late at night. When I visited him at his home, I often noticed the presence of bread, instant noodles, and all kinds of snacks piled up on the table.

He was obese, beset with stress, and had an unhealthy diet, which may have led to his various health problems. People with his lifestyle generally have higher blood lipids, blood sugar, and blood pressure. For many people who lived like my friend, heart disease arises from atherosclerosis, an underlying cause of death for millions of people each year.

Causes and Consequences of Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease in which there’s a buildup of plaques inside arteries. It’s principally a lipid-driven process initiated by the accumulation of low-density lipoprotein and remnant lipoprotein particles and an active inflammatory process in certain areas of arteries, particularly at branch points in the arteries, where blood flow is disturbed.

Atherosclerosis is considered a primary cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease resulting in heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of about 50 percent of all deaths in Western society.

Ways to Prevent Atherosclerosis

Steps to fighting this disease include exercise, an improved diet, and stress reduction. Those with a family history of heart disease should be especially proactive.

Taking these steps can help to prevent heart disease by properly regulating blood sugar, blood lipids, blood pressure, and weight.

Once the blood vessel wall has been damaged, platelets, clotting factors (such as fibrinogen and prothrombin), and cholesterol accumulate at the site, resulting in blockage of the blood vessels. Myocardial infarction (heart attack) occurs when the heart’s blood vessels are constricted. A blocked blood vessel in the brain is a cerebral infarction, which causes brain tissue death.

Fortunately, eating berries can help clear blood clots. A variety of berries—including strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries—lower cholesterol and improve arterial function. Blueberries, in particular, are rich in vitamins, fiber, trace elements, and antioxidants such as polyphenols that can have healing effects.

Blueberries Lower Inflammation and Prevent Heart Disease

A study on blueberries and cardiovascular risk factors in obese men and women was published in 2010 in the Journal of Nutrition. In the study, one group of subjects was given blueberry juice made from 50 grams of frozen blueberries and 350 grams of fresh blueberries every day for eight weeks. The control group was given water instead. At weeks four and eight of the experiment, the researchers measured the participants’ blood glucose, blood lipids, and various inflammatory markers. The data showed that the blueberry drinkers had lower lipid peroxidation and lower inflammation responses.

Why do blueberries have such a beneficial effect? Scientists have found that blueberries can reduce inflammation through their antioxidant effects and reduce the accumulation of cholesterol in blood vessels by affecting the metabolism and transport of cholesterol. Blueberries also can protect endothelial cells by affecting the function of vascular endothelial cells.

Damage to endothelial cells is the main cause of infarction—once the blood vessel wall is broken, anything can be deposited in it, not just cholesterol.

High blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic inflammation can damage the blood vessel walls. The good news is that blueberries can improve all of these conditions.

Blueberries can also improve the role of intestinal flora, the beneficial microbes sometimes called the gut microbiome. Blueberries act as a probiotic to help adjust the flora of our intestines. The health of our intestinal tract is very important. An imbalance of the intestinal flora can cause intestinal leakage, allowing toxins to enter the bloodstream.

Add blueberries and other berries to your diet to improve the health of your heart.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.