Hi all,

I just received the article below by Marilyn Pokorney and thought I would share it with you.

Eating raw celery is an excellent and healthy way to reduce high cholesterol blood levels. According to tests by researchers at the University of Chicago, celery reduces cholesterol levels by as much as 7 points with as little as 2 stalks a day.

Not all the cholesterol that causes problems comes from food. The liver manufactures up to 75 percent of the cholesterol in the body. It is in the liver that cholesterol is manufactured and broken down by special enzymes to be removed from the body. Celery aids this process by increasing bile acid secretion. Laboratory studies also indicate that butyl phthalide, a chemical in celery, may help reduce high cholesterol.

Medical experts say that celery is good for people with circulation problems because celery fights fat. Serious circulatory problems can be caused by too much cholesterol in the blood. Heart attacks and strokes are the two most common complications caused by hardening and blockage of the arteries. Celery contains chemicals that stimulate the elimination of fat throughout the body says a physician at the University of Italy in Milan.

Celery is high in calcium. High calcium intake invigorates the endocrine system which releases hormones that break down fatty buildup in cells. The adrenal and thyroid glands secrete the hormone adrenaline and thyroxine respectively,which help to burn accumulated fats in the body cells. The pituitary gland secretes at least nine known hormones which influence body weight gain and loss.

By aiding the body's processes in dissolving already accumulated cholesterol on the interior walls of the arteries, known as plaque, and helping the liver to metabolize and prevent additional formation of cholesterol, celery is an excellent food for cholesterol control.

For more information about celery and cholesterol and other health benefits visit: http://www.apluswriting.net/health/celerych.htm

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
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