by Heidi Stevenson14 March 2010
(Repost from 8 September 2009)
That delicious bowl of Japanese miso soup might be the key to a healthy heart and circulatory system.
Don't be pressured into taking an aspirin a day to prevent heart disease—it doesn't work. However, a derivative from miso soup, nattokinase, will do your heart a world of good, and will do it without risk.
Pharmaceutical blood thinners, like aspirin and warfarin, act by preventing blood from clotting. This is why they can cause excess bleeding. They act indiscriminately to prevent the natural, and even life-saving, blood clotting process. Nattokinase doesn't prevent clots from forming in response to injury; rather, it supports the process of lysing—dissolving—them.
An element of blood, PAI-1 can be present in excessive amounts. Its function is to keep blood clots from dissolving, but is known to be an indicator of heart disease. Nattokinase interferes with PAI-1, thus allowing blood clots to be dissolved—and normal healthy blood flow can continue.
Miso soup is made from natto, which is soybeans fermented by the bacillus subtilis. The fermentation process creates natto. Miso is made from natto, and nattokinase is an enzyme derived from natto. The term, nattokinase, literally means "enzyme of natto".
Click here for a bit of information about the science behind nattokinase.
Nattokinase Use
An optimal dose of nattokinase has yet to be determined. A common standard is 2,000 FUs per day, which is usually one or two capsules. Of course, if you're a big fan of Japanese miso soup, it's probably the best way to get nattokinase. As a rule, food is the best source of any nutrient, since it generally comes in a synergistic combination with other nutrients. Miso may, in fact, be a particularly good example of this, since it contains vitamin K2, which is generally quite difficult to get in any other way, is significant in calcium metabolism, and important in both heart and bone health.
Overdosing has not been known to be a problem. However, virtually anything can be harmful at too high a dose. Therefore, unless further studies are done to find a maximum dose, it would be unwise to take much more than 2,000 FUs per day on an ongoing basis—but you can feel safe at that dosage level.
Source and Recipe for Natto
The process of making natto is lengthy and somewhat complex, but it isn't difficult. If you're interested in saving money by doing it yourself, or you like to prepare your own food, we have a recipe—but note that you must wait 6 months to a year before sampling it.
Click here for natto recipe.
Other Nattokinase and Miso-Natto Benefits
Nattokinase can be a significant factor in heart health. However, it's benefits extend well beyond the circulatory system. Studies have shown that it may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's; improving circulation may be the reason. Animal studies have shown that it may be protective against radiation. It is used by many people to prevent leg pain and embolisms while flying.
When miso is eaten, the benefits may be even greater. Nattokinase capsules contain the natto enzyme only, but miso also has other ingredients, including phytoestrogen, and selenium. The synergetic effects of these substances may account for information indicating an ability to prevent cancer, treat dysentery, and reverse male hair loss, along with an antibiotic effect and improved digestion. Including a delicious bowl of miso soup is not only good for your tastebuds, it may do wonders for your health.
In combination with exercise and good diet, nattokinase and miso can be significant factors in improving cardiovascular health. Why take bloodthinning drugs before trying nature's bonanza?
http://gaia-health.org/articles51/000086-Nattokinase-Heart-Disease.shtml
