Garlic – proven fighter of heart disease

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We have all seen the movies where a character uses garlic to ward off vampires, and they may have been on to something. While vampires are imaginary, heart disease is not, and garlic has been proven to help keep heart disease at bay. It lowers cholesterol, specifically the LDL kind (linked to heart disease). (1)

Recent studies at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center revealed that heart patient participants with at least one blocked artery taking garlic extract daily had regression of arterial plaque. Conversely, the placebo group experienced an increase of plaque buildup. (2)

The study was led by cardiologist Matthew Budoff, M.D.

“We have completed four randomized studies to date,” said Dr. Budoff, “and all have led us to concur that aged garlic extract is both beneficial for slowing atherosclerosis and reversing the early stages of heart disease.”

Several studies demonstrate the relationship between increased garlic consumption and lower incidence of heart disease. In a study review, “Garlic and Cardiovascular Disease: A Critical Review,” published in The Journal of Nutrition, several factors previously studied involving heart disease were reviewed, including:

  • Cholesterol and lipid-lowering effects
  • Antithrombotic and anti–platelet aggregatory effects
  • Blood coagulation, fibrinolysis and circulatory effects
  • Blood pressure and vascular tone effects
  • Effects on endogenous antioxidant defenses
  • In vivo (clinical) studies

The conclusions about garlic’s role in preventing heart disease were promising: “In summary, evidence from clinical trials points toward garlic having a role to play in either preventing or delaying cardiovascular disease.” (3)

There are numerous other studies highlighting garlic’s potent powers and protections from heart disease.

For example, a study conducted by researchers at Emory University School of Medicine found that one component of garlic oil – diallyl trisulfide – serves as an adjunct treatment for heart failure, and is a protective component of the heart during cardiac surgery and following myocardial infarction (heart attack). (4)

While more in-depth studies are warranted, the current data is very promising.

You can include garlic in an endless amount of dishes, improving the flavor of many meals. Sautéed with onions (which are also good for your heart!), garlic releases a delicious aroma and adds a pungent, delicious kick to dishes.


Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. SUBSCRIBE here to get more from Raw Michelle!


If all other avenues have been exhausted, the information shared above could be very beneficial. Don’t believe all studies though. Please trust your own judgment, as we are authors and researchers sharing and citing studies that we find online that appear very hopeful, and we are connecting dots where we see them. We can’t be sure any of it will work for anyone. In fact we cannot ensure that any of the research is not financially or otherwise biased. Because of course, you can find studies supporting mainstream treatments as well.

Perhaps it’s more our own belief than anything else that helps “cure” any aliments anyway. If this notion seems reasonable to you, you can dive deeper into that idea here.

Maybe just choose the path of least resistance for YOU. But know for certain… we care about people, and we share this information for the exciting possibilities of a better life for the people we love and care about, which includes you. By emerging yourself into positive news on the topic of health, we feel that the answer that speaks to you the most will surface. While we don’t believe that an apple a day will keep the doctor away, we haven’t tested that theory either. Best of luck in your journey towards optimal health!

Sources for this article include:
(1) authoritynutrition.com
(2) www.newsmax.com
(3) jn.nutrition.org
(4) www.medicalnewstoday.com

Michelle Bosmier
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straightforward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general.

( http://www.rawfoodhealthwatch.com/ )