Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (101 page)

AVOID

Rubbish, and you know what that is: cakes, pies, pastries, and foods containing trans-fatty acids. These foods do not keep blood-sugar levels stable.

Red meat, milk, and cheese.

Butter and margarine.

Refined oils in plastic bottles. Use olive oil for cooking and cold-pressed oils like flax and hemp in dressings.

HERBS

Add ginger to your meals.

The herb astragalus can keep macrophages from creating plaque once the artery walls have been damaged.

Turmeric may have a salutary effect on heart health.

Cayenne pepper is known as an artery saver, as it can help to dilate arteries.

Ginkgo biloba herbal fluid extract.

Hawthorn leaf tea is a must. Hawthorn contains flavanoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It also helps the liver to convert bad LDL cholesterol to good HDL.

Siberian ginseng tea.

SUPPLEMENTS

Take 2 tablespoons of flax oil daily for its beneficial omega-3 content. Squirt a little bit of lemon into the flax to make it more palatable.

Sprinkle lecithin granules over salads and into soups. Lecithin, a source of cholesterol-busting phosphatidylcholine, helps to break down fat and remove cholesterol deposits.