Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease with Natural Alternatives PLUS the Dangerous Side Effects of Prescription Drugs Can Be Avoided

High LDL cholesterol and high blood pressure don't necessarily cause heart disease, by they are indicators that heart disease is present.  Lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure can reduce your risk of heart disease, but can increase the risk of developing other problems.

Homocysteine and antioxidant levels are just as important as cholesterol and blood pressure.

Heart disease is a major problem in the U.S., because of our diet of unhealthy fats, carbs, and processed foods.  Americans who consume fish, fresh fruits and vegetables and eat less read meat have much lower rates of death from heart disease.

Aspirin can help prevent heart disease and colon cancer, plus it can reduce pain, fever and inflammation.  But, it can also lead to gastric bleeding, ulcers, macular degeneration and it reduces the ability of the immune system to work properly.  And, it has been shown that even a low dose doesn't reduce the risk of these problems.

If you use alcohol, such as wine, to improve your heart's health, please, be careful.  Low intakes of red wine reduces the risk of heart disease.  But, if you drink too much, your blood pressure can go up and it can cause deficiencies in other areas.

Garlic is a natural herb that reduces high blood fats, abnormal blood clotting and high blood pressure.  Raw garlic is the best, but any garlic is better than none.

Homocysteines come from methionine, an amino acid, and is associated with the narrowing of blood vessels.  A high homocysteine level is an accurate indicator of heart disease.  Even more so than high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  Too much homocysteine damages the blood vessels and may be the main cause of heart disease.  If you body is healthy, homocysteines will move quickly through the system.  But, if you are low in B vitamins or have a family history, your homocysteine level will rise as will your risk of heart disease.  High homocysteine levels will cause the linings of the arteries to deteriorated, become thinker and become less flexible.  They also cause the blood to clot more easily which leads to clogged arteries, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.

High homocysteine levels are also thought to lead to Alzheimer's.  This could be due to the blood vessels in the brain have deteriorated and can't move blood to the brain tissue as it should.

Drugs can cause high homocysteine levels. They often work against the folic acid which combats homocysteines.  Drugs that conflict with folic acid and increase homocysteine levels are usually prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, psoriasis, epilepsy and cholesterol reduction.

B12 and folic acid seem to lower homocysteine levels and decrease your chances of developing heart disease.

Antioxidants dramatically reduce bad cholesterol.  Antioxidants combat free radicals, which are oxygen molecules which lose an electron (electrons work in pairs) and become unstable.  Antioxidants can donate an oxygen molecule to this free radical.  Antioxidants are able to work in pairs or alone.  If the body runs short of antioxidants in the diet, the free radicals will spread.  Cancer is caused by free radicals.  Cancer rates are lower in people whose diets are rich in fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidants are found in teas, fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, meats, poultry, fish and vitamins.

The best advice, which comes from several authorities in cancer prevention, is to eat 5 servings of fruit or vegetables per day.