Harvard researchers discover a simple way to lower blood pressure and the number of heart attacks and strokes.
According the cdc.gov site, “About one out of three U.S. adults—31.3%—has high blood pressure. In 2010, high blood pressure will cost the United States $76.6 billion in health care services, medications, and missed days of work.”
But for the Kuna Indians living on a group of islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama, the average blood pressure for Kuna Indian islanders after age 65 is a perfect 110/70 mm Hg.
It is not because they eat less salt than people in the U.S. Kuna Indians who move away from home are just as likely to suffer from high blood pressure as anyone.
Harvard researchers found out that “the very high flavonoid intake taken by virtually all Kuna Indians residing in their indigenous home area.” The reason Kuna Indians have high flavonoid intake is because they drink about 5 cups of cocoa each day.
According to Healthnews.com article, “Researchers suspect that the flavonols stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which increases blood flow and acts as a blood thinner.”
Bayard V, Chamorro F, Motta J, Hollenberg NK. Does Flavanol Intake Influence Mortality from Nitric Oxide-Dependent Processes? Ischemic Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes Mellitus, and Cancer in Panama. Int J Med Sci 2007; 4:53-58. Available from http://www.medsci.org/v04p0053.htm
