doubt. (That’s what bypass surgery is. We’re bypassing the damaged area and
taking blood on a different route around the accident.)
However, if you’re looking to strengthen your heart and even reverse damage
before surgery or a life-threatening incident happens, you can use food to
improve blood flow, quiet inflammation, and restore order on your arterial
highways.
How? You eat foods that will minimize the chance that plaque will build up
along the arterial walls and rupture. Remember, much of that damage is done by
high blood pressure and excess sugar floating around in the blood—both usually
caused by overeating in general, and piling on sugar and refined carbs in
particular. Follow the FIXES approach, and you give your heart and arteries
plenty of protection. You can also eat foods that will help stabilize existing jams
so they don’t hurt you. We know that HDL cholesterol (the good kind) helps
keep arteries clear, and that a variety of foods, such as fatty fish, foods rich in
vitamin B, and foods with fibre, are good at raising your HDL stores. A diet rich
in plants will cover many of these bases. Also, you want to eat healthy fats—or
my “F” foods, Fats with benefits—because of their artery-clearing functions.
These, remember, are found in olive oil, nuts, and fish (the whole list of sources
is on Fats with Benefits). And fun fact: If you have the choice, it’s slightly better
to get those oils from foods themselves—from actual olives, avocados, or nuts.
Why? Essentially, the fibre provides a slower drip into your bloodstream as your
body pulls the oil from the foods. Slower drips, you remember, are better for
your food-processing system than open taps.
Fresh Apples. All apples have stores of potential disease fighters, with different
kinds—Fuji, Red Delicious, Idared, Granny Smith, Jonagold, you name it—
boasting various star compounds. Whether an apple’s skin is ruby red, pale
green, or yellow is less important than making sure you leave that natural
wrapper on. It contains a good portion of the fruit’s plant power and about half
its fibre.