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dilate, which lowers blood pressure. Phthalide also reduces stress hormones, which cause blood vessels to constrict.
Celery's potassium content and its diuretic effect also help prevent and reduce high blood pressure.
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STREET SMARTS
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"I always believed in the healing power of food as a mental as well as a physical thing," says Kate Pratt, a thirty-eight-year-old book editor. "Eating a bowl of my mother's chicken soup always made me feel better when I was sickit made me feel cared for. Now I know it's not all in my headat least in one sensebecause I know it really helps my stuffy nose, too. But to me that's secondary."
Calm Down
Hippocrates used celery to treat nervous patients, and he was no quack: research has shown that essential oils extracted from celery seed have a tranquilizing effect on the central nervous system.
Tips:
Don't neglect to eat the leaves: they contain the most vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. Cooked celery retains its nutrients; try sautéing it lightly to retain its crunch.
Chili Peppers
Lower cholesterol
Help prevent blood clots
Improve circulation
May help prevent heart disease
May reduce cancer risk
Act as decongestants
May help prevent ulcers
Most people associate chili peppers with super-spicy meals, not super-healthy ones. Maybe you never go near them because you don't enjoy a flaming tongue. If so, you're making a mistake: although chili peppers can be eye-poppingly hot, they are always a great addition to a healing diet.

 
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