The process of atherosclerosis is actually accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the blood vessels, which causes their narrowing and restricted blood flow. Impaired blood flow decreases amount of oxygen for important organs of the body such as the heart and brain and affects their functions. Cholesterol in the arteries may harden and cause symptoms of clogged arteries, including some conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, peripheral artery disease and stroke.
Atherosclerosis is a very common medical problem, responsible for over a half of a million bypass surgeries and more than 400.000 of coronary angioplasties in the United States every year. However, surgical procedures cannot cure atherosclerosis or prevent accumulation of fats in arterial walls.Many doctors believe that atherosclerosis is reversible. Balanced diet, regular exercise and proper supplements may reverse this process in your body, so consult your doctors and start with these measures.Proper Diet
To reverse atherosclerosis you must eat healthy. Change your eating habits today and avoid all the things that are wrong for you. So, limit or completely avoid any junk food and high processed food. Anything that has been in the refrigerator for several days is also bad for you. Try to eat regularly, have at least three meals per day and always have breakfast.
Incorporate food rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids in your menu. In order to achieve that eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, oatmeal and also flax seeds, salmon and tuna. Diet low in cholesterol is also known to be good for people who want to reverse atherosclerosis. Make effort not to eat anything that contains saturated fats and choose food rich in unsaturated fats. Fish, olive and canola oil, almonds, walnuts, peanuts and hazelnuts are always healthy options.
Many people will benefit from eating food containing plant sterols and stanols, since these substances are proven to work against atherosclerosis. These can be found in tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, brown rice, pumpkin seeds, whole wheat and different nuts as well. There are also different food products enriched with plant sterols and stanols.
Supplements of vitamin B3, vitamin E, vitamin K, fish oil or some garlic tablets may also be beneficial and help you reverse atherosclerosis.
Regular Exercise
Proper amount of physical activity is extremely important for everyone who wants to reverse atherosclerosis and be healthy. Walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, some aerobic exercises or anything else performed on regular basis is proven to work efficiently against accumulation of fat in the walls of your arteries. Regular exercise can also lower the “bad” (LDL) and raise the “good” (HDL) cholesterol, helping you destroy already accumulated fats.Stress Management
Stress is something you cannot avoid these days. However, you can learn how to deal with it and avoid hormonal changes and consequent clogging of arteries. You can listen to some calming music, read a book or try some meditation or yoga, whatever works best.
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