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Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from your heart to the rest of your body, while their counterparts, the veins, carry blood back to the heart. This is known as our circulatory system, which supplies essential oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to your organs, muscles, and tissue cells.
Ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease, refers to the buildup of plaque in the arteries of the heart that could lead to a heart attack, heart failure, or even more severe, death. Heart disease is the 2nd leading cause of death in Canada, at 17.7% (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2022) after cancer, with 26.6% deaths in 2021, and it’s the leading cause of death in the US, as per the CDC. Heart disease affects men and women differently. Men are twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack than women are. Also, statistics show that men are also diagnosed with heart disease about ten years younger than women. (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2022).
The principal behavioral risk factors of heart disease are dietary deficiency, a sedentary lifestyle, tobacco smoking, and excessive alcohol. This can translate into higher risk factors in individuals, such as elevated blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, diabetes, overweight or obesity, and stress. Those that cannot be controlled (conventional) are age (as we get older, the risk factor increases), gender (men are generally at greater risk), genetics – family history and race (Hajar, 2017).
Atherosclerosis is defined as the thickening or hardening of the arteries, causing plaque buildup in the inner lining of an artery. Elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels can increase the rate of plaque buildup (Lusis, 2000a).
Although reverse atherosclerosis isn’t possible once it starts, there are things you can do to help fix the current situation. People can make fundamental lifestyle changes to slow or prevent more of it from accumulating and improve their heart health. Eat a well-balanced diet rich in omega-3 fats in cold-water fish, vegetables, and some low-glycemic fruits. They participated in regular exercise activities daily for at least 30 to 60 minutes. In severe cases, medical procedures or surgery can help relieve blockages within the arteries. Your healthcare provider can also prescribe medication, such as cholesterol-reducing drugs (statins) and ingesting an aspirin tablet daily as a preventative. This high risk of recurrent events is the result of the significant burden of atherosclerotic plaque, which, even if stabilized following statin therapy, may erode and result in acute coronary syndrome (Quillard et al., 2017).
A study done in 2019 by the Global Burden of Disease concluded that diet-related risk factors represent the second risk factor for cardiovascular disease mortality in both men and women (Murray et al., 2020). Research supports that a diet rich in specific foods can help clear arteries naturally. However, being proactive in consuming a healthy diet is essential to reduce the chance of accumulating plaque building up in the first place. Consuming a diet that emphasizes fish, fruits – berries, vegetables – cruciferous, beans and legumes, nuts, seeds, beverages – green tea, beet juice and plant oils like avocado, with limited consumption of meat and meat products is suggested (DASH Eating Plan, 2020).
Here is a list of 9 foods that can help manage and support arterial health:
- Cruciferous Vegetables
- Beans and Legumes
- Omega-3 Fats
- Berries
- Citrus fruits
- Beetroot
- Oats
- Flaxseed
- Avocados
Foods to avoid include those high in saturated fat, processed meats, refined carbohydrates, and sweetened beverages as well as trans fats.
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