olive oil

Bust artery plaque with this one diet addition

It's practically a miracle.

There's a DELICIOUS addition to your meals that goes with everything -- I even know people who put it on ice cream -- and that has the power to CLEAR out your arteries, STOP junk from building up, and PROTECT you from heart problems.

And odds are, it's something that's in your own kitchen right now.

It's olive oil, one of the main ingredients in the healthy Mediterranean diet you've heard me praise so often.

Now, the latest research shows WHY this diet -- and this ingredient in particular -- is so effective at protecting you from heart attack, stroke, and an early death.

Olive oil has the power to enhance HDL cholesterol, or the "good" cholesterol that travels through your blood and helps prevent and remove the plaques that build up inside your arteries.

In the study out of Spain, seniors were assigned to follow one of several diets -- including a Mediterranean diet both with and without extra olive oil, as well as a low-fat diet.

Folks on the low-fat diet saw their LDL levels fall, but that's nothing to write home about. LDL levels alone don't tell the full story.

What REALLY matters is what cholesterol does while it's in your blood.

That's where olive oil sets itself apart, because seniors on either version of the Mediterranean diet had vast improvements in how the HDL operated inside the arteries.

And the biggest improvements of all went to the folks who had the extra olive oil each day.

Their HDL practically turned into a plaque-busting machine!

It became more efficient and more effective at clearing out the junk, leading to better overall cardiovascular health and a lower risk of serious problems.

You can see these same improvements yourself. It's easy enough, since the folks in the study didn't drink gallons of olive oil, make special olive oil smoothies (or sundaes), or swallow any special capsules.

They were given just 4 tablespoons per day of extra virgin olive oil, the same stuff you can buy in any decent grocery store.

That's easy enough to work into your recipes, add to your salads, or use in any other way you want.

Just don't pinch pennies here. There's a significant difference between extra virgin olive oil and the cheap stuff -- and if you want the age-fighting, disease-beating benefits, you'll have to pay a little extra for the EVOO.

This stuff will help even if you're not on a Mediterranean diet. But for the best results, make the switch. It's worth the effort: The Mediterranean diet (whose basic version already incorporates a lot of olive oil into your meals) is proven to cut your risk of heart attack, stroke, and even death.

The ‘kitchen cure’ that can fight the damage of aging

It’s amazing when you think about it.

Tthe REAL secrets to a longer, better, and healthier life are often much simpler than anyone would ever believe.

They’re not expensive new drugs or ridiculously tough-to-follow diets. And they’re not even in getting the right mix of supplements (although good nutrition will always help).

No, the keys to longevity are often hiding in plain sight…and some may be right in your own kitchen…like the olive oil in your cupboard and the thyme in your spice rack.

And now, the latest research shows how this delicious combo can do more than set your taste buds on fire.

They can protect your DNA!

According to the new study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, nothing will help you fight oxidation – the process that damages your DNA over time – quite like olive oil and thyme.

Age-fighting antioxidants are so healthy because, as their name implies, they fight this very process. Olive oil and thyme specifically do it by reducing your levels of something called 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, often abbreviated as 8-OHdG.

Over three weeks, volunteers between the ages of 35 and 80 saw their levels of 8-OHdG plunge when they were given olive oil blended with the polyphenols from thyme.

The reduction in this key marker of stress was 10 TIMES higher than in folks given plain (but still healthy) extra virgin olive oil.

More specifically – and more importantly – the study finds that this blend can fight the oxidation of lipids such as cholesterol.

Most docs will tell you that your cholesterol levels are an important marker of health, but they’re really not. The true problems strike not when your cholesterol is high, but when it oxidizes.

So instead of blindly taking a med to cut cholesterol, you’re actually much better off working to stop it from oxidizing – and olive oil and thyme can do just that.

Olive oil and thyme won’t just work wonders for your DNA. They’re can also perform miracles in your frying pan, with a sprinkle of EVOO and a dash of thyme able to turn lifeless vegetables into a side dish that’ll have everyone begging for seconds.

Even better, that same olive oil can help enhance the beneficial compounds in all your vegetables, boosting the effects of age-fighting compounds called phenols.

If you don’t have them, get them. And once you have them, put them to work – make sure you use them so often that you’re replacing them regularly.

Learn more about the benefits of cooking with olive oil – and the best way to do it – in this free report from my House Calls archives.