"Nopal: The Ultimate Solution for High Cholesterol - Benefits, Recipes, and Exercises"

2023-05-25 01:54:53

modern life

This food has multiple benefits for the human body.

25/5/2023

The United States Library of Medicine (Medline Plus) indicates that the main cause of people having high cholesterol levels is that they do not have a healthy lifestyle, emphasizing that it is quite important to have a balanced diet.

Health professionals currently recommend several foods to control this waxy molecule in the human body, among which the nopal stands out.

This plant, which was quite relevant in the Aztec culture, has several benefits thanks to its medicinal properties, so it is ideal to include it in the diet. Also, it is a low calorie herb.

“The nopal was a plant of great importance in the Aztec culture, thanks to its medicinal properties and its resistance to arid climates. Our ancestors realized the multiple benefits of nopal that it offers to health”initially indicated the portal Vital Kitchen.

Then he added: “The nopal is a low-calorie food, 100 grams of nopal give you 17 calories. Prevents much of the cholesterol from being absorbed, preventing it from accumulating in veins and arteries. Its LDL (low-density lipoprotein) content acts on the liver, eliminating cholesterol that the body retains in excess.

The nopal, in the same way, serves to reduce blood sugar levels, since it increases the amount and effectiveness of insulin. It also decreases glucose and triglyceride concentrations.

“Its natural antibiotics also inhibit the growth of various bacteria. The vegetable fibers and the mucilage control the excess of gastric acids and protect the gastrointestinal mucosa from ulcers and other ailments”. emphasized the Mexican website.

Other benefits of Nopal

* Avoid liquid retention

As mentioned above, including nopales in the diet can contribute to the health of the body. There are different recipes that help facilitate its consumption. Here we present two.

your health explains that this drink is rich in antioxidants, and is diuretic so it helps detoxify the body.

Blend a cactus stalk together with pineapple chunks, 1/2 cucumber, the juice of 2 oranges, and 2 sprigs of parsley.
After its preparation, serve in a glass and consume.

In this recipe, the following steps must be followed:

Wash the nopal leaves, and remove their spines with a knife. Later cut it into squares.
in a boiling pot place 1/2 onion, the nopal squares, 2 garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt.
Let boil for approximately 20 minutes.
Strain the preparation and leave the food to cool in a container other than the pot.
Then, chop 1/2 onion, cheese, tomato and avocado.
Mix all ingredients.
Chop coriander.
Finally, place a little oil and salt.

exercises to lower cholesterol

According to specialists, four of the most recommended exercises or physical activities to control cholesterol levels and other conditions are as follows.

Although it is likely that walking does not offer the same benefits as running, since the intensity is lower, the truth is that this physical activity stands out as a useful aerobic alternative to treat high cholesterol, according to a publication in the magazine Mejor con Salud.

It is a practice that anyone can do. The ideal is to take 30-minute walks a day at any time. One option is, for example, to walk to work and return home in the same way.

When a person does not like going to the gym or going for a walk, a viable alternative is to dance to lower cholesterol. The recommendation is to take it as a constant and moderate activity, as this helps to mobilize body fat and eliminate glycogen, which is extra glucose that is stored in the liver and muscles.

This practice is favorable, but a moderate intensity should be maintained for at least 30 to 60 minutes. The advice of the experts is not to overexert yourself. Scientific analysis indicates that cycling helps reduce bad cholesterol levels and increase good cholesterol. As with swimming, it is a physical activity that does not overload the joints and with which different parts of the body are exercised.

Other habits to keep in mind

According to the Mayo Clinic, in addition to exercise, there are other habits that are favorable for reducing cholesterol levels or preventing them from increasing.

Quitting smoking improves HDL cholesterol level. The benefits come quickly. Within 20 minutes of quitting, blood pressure and heart rate recover from the cigarette-induced peak. Within three months of quitting, blood circulation and lung function begin to improve, and one year later, the risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker.