As you might know, heart disease is the number one killer in the entire U.S. It kills more people than cancer, car accidents, and many other things. Poor diets and a lack of exercise are partially to blame for this, but they are not the only reasons why this occurs. Unfortunately, this is a serious health issue that many of our elderly loved ones face. The good news is that researchers are learning more and more about it, and things are still being discovered that can help people.
Recently, researcher found that a chemical compound in green tea may hold some potential for helping to reduce the risk of a heart attack. The chemicals in the tea are thought to be able to break up plaque that develops around the heart, reducing the risk of a blood clot around the heart and minimizing the chances of a heart attack. The build up of this plaque is referred to as atherosclerosis, and it reduces blood flow to the heart. When this occurs, a large number of health issues, including death, can occur. Breaking up this plaque can help prevent this from happening.
Green tea already was well known because of the antioxidants that it contained, but this is an even bigger health benefit than what green tea was once thought to hold. The chemical is called epigallocatechin-3-gallate. However, the amounts needed to realize the health benefits that it has would include drinking an unhealthy or even harmful amount of green tea. Researchers are working on a way to help people ingest this compound without any sort of health complications.
Heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S., but a chemical in green tea might reduce this risk.
The interesting thing about all of this is that this compound was already being looked at as a possible help in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. The positive impact that it has on heart health was found accidentally. Still, it is a good thing, regardless of how it was found. Sometimes, that’s how things work in the world of medicine. But even accidental discoveries can benefit others, and hopefully that is exactly what we will see here, too.
In the meantime, our loved ones have a lot to gain from continuing to practice healthy habits. Heart disease can be crippling or even life threatening. Something like a stroke can cause permanent disability, and the need for senior care can be created well before you thought it might be a necessity. If there are small steps like a better diet, getting exercise, using the right supplement, or having an occasional glass of green tea, then these are things that should be done. There’s still a lot of research that needs to be done on green tea to see if this really is effective, but it is a big step in the right direction.
To be clear, green tea should not be drunk in large quantities. However, if it is all right with your physician, then a glass here and there can be helpful. It does contain caffeine and can cause heartburn, so it’s not right for everyone. If you have questions, get in touch with your doctor for more information.
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