Purpose: Every organ and every body cell must be supplied with sufficient nutrients and oxygen. Oxygen-rich blood must be "delivered" and old, used blood is transported back to the heart. The heart and blood vessels together form the cardiovascular system.

Our heart can adapt its performance in various ways to the higher blood demand during physical exertion. To be able to perform these incredible feats, we should protect and strengthen our cardiovascular system.

Heart-healthy living:

• less stress
• exercise regularly
• Freshness, variety and diversity on the plate
• eat a low-salt and low-fat diet
• drink plenty of water
• no addictive substances
• get enough sleep
• Normal weight

Healthy nutrition - not only for the heart

By eating a balanced and wholesome diet, you yourself can make a big contribution to your general health and well-being. Don't worry, heart-healthy cuisine also tastes delicious and fills you up!
Simply put, our diet should be fresh, low in fat, mostly plant-based and calorie-dense.

Try to eat as many vitamin- and fiber-rich foods as possible each day, such as fruits and vegetables (e.g., raw salads or potatoes). Recommended daily servings are 3-5 or 400 grams.
Avoid fatty foods and eating meat or sausages too often. If you want to eat meat, it is best to take light, lean meat or poultry. In your cooking, prefer vegetable fats such as olive or canola oil before turning to animal fats. Vegetable oils are rich in valuable unsaturated fatty acids. By the way, a handful of nuts or seeds are also a good source of healthy fatty acids.
Sea fish are also important for a heart-healthy diet. They are a good source of the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and contribute to normal heart function. Fish should therefore be on the menu twice a week.
Are you already a herb lover? Good thing, because with fresh herbs and spices we save salt. Unfortunately, we consume far too much salt, which can have an unfavorable effect on our blood pressure.
Last but not least, if you pay attention to your fluid balance, you have done a lot for your health. 2-3 liters of water, tea or unsweetened fruit spritzers are preferable to high-sugar and high-calorie fruit juices and sodas.

Garlic - prevents arteriosclerosis

Garlic (Allium sativum) belongs to the leek genus and is known as a vegetable, spice and medicinal plant almost everywhere in the world. The garlic plant has been used in medicine for about 5000 years. Even the ancient Egyptians were supported with garlic during the construction of pyramids, so that they remained in good health and performance.
Even today, garlic is appreciated for its valuable contribution to vascular health and is widely used to prevent general hardening of the arteries.

Fresh garlic has many uses in international cuisine:

• Whole clove: For larding roasts
• Fine slices: Raw or sautéed for flavoring. Garlic sautéed briefly is slightly milder in flavor.
• Mash: Crushed garlic cloves are great for mashed potatoes or hearty soups
• Juice: Fresh garlic juice can be added to many dishes with a press

Attention: Do not heat garlic too much, because high temperatures destroy valuable ingredients. Therefore, add garlic only shortly before the end of cooking.

By the way, the best-known ingredient of garlic is a sulfur-containing amino acid: alliin. By peeling and crushing the garlic clove, the ingredient alliin is converted into allicin. Allicin is also what gives garlic its typical odor and serves as a defense substance in the nature of the plant.

Doppelherz Garlic Capsules with Mistletoe + Hawthorn 60 mg/ 24 mg/ 54 mg, enteric-coated soft capsules. For adults. Active ingredients: Garlic bulb extract, mistletoe herb extract, hawthorn fruit extract. Indication: Traditional herbal medicinal product used to prevent general hardening of the arteries (general arteriosclerosis) exclusively on the basis of long-term use.
For risks and side effects, read the package leaflet and ask your doctor or pharmacist. Status 03/2018

Hawthorn - for an efficient heart

The hawthorn, which belongs to the rose family, is also a long known and proven medicinal plant. In the vernacular, the hawthorn is also called "hawthorn" or "flour berry" because of the mealy taste of the fruits. The genus name "Crataegus" is attributed to its strong wood (Greek "krataios" = strong, firm).

Already in the Middle Ages, the beneficial effect on heart and circulation was appreciated. Even today, preparations made from hawthorn are popular for use in cases of declining cardiac efficiency - especially in old age.
The active ingredients of hawthorn are contained in the red berries as well as in the leaves and flowers. Dried quickly and gently, they are rich in valuable plant substances such as procyanidins and flavonoids.

Hawthorn coated tablets. For adults. Active substance: 190 mg Hawthorn leaves with flowers powder. Indication: Traditional herbal medicinal product used to support cardiovascular function exclusively on the basis of long-standing use. Warning: Contains sucrose (sugar). 
For risks and side effects, read the package leaflet and ask your doctor or pharmacist. Status 05/2019