Arteriosclerosis Treatments and Remedies

What is atherosclerosis? What are the causes of atherosclerosis? What are the symptoms of arteriosclerosis? How to prevent arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries?

Atherosclerosis is a medical term that describes a condition in which there is a buildup of plaque in the inner wall or lining of the artery. An artery is a blood vessel that carries oxygen and other nutrients from the heart to other parts of the body. The plaque consists of fat, cholesterol and other substances found in the blood. When the plague deposits on the lining of the wall of the arteries, overtime it will harden. The plague will narrow the blood vessel and will cause a reduction of blood flow to the organs and tissues.

There are many branches or arteries in the human body. Each artery supplies oxygen rich blood and nutrients to vital organs. If the hardening of the arteries occurs in the blood vessel that supplies oxygen and nutrients to the heart, it can lead to angina which is a symptom of coronary artery disease. If the plague ruptures and cause the formation of blood clot at the coronary artery causing blockage of blood flow, it may lead to a heart attack. Blocked arteries leading to the brain will cause stroke and blockage of arteries to the legs can cause difficulty in walking that can eventually lead to gangrene.

By the time you suspect something is amiss and the possibility that you have developed hardening of the arteries, about 40% of your artery may have already been clogged with plaque. The signs and symptoms of arteriosclerosis depend on which part of your artery is blocked or where the blood flow has been reduced or restricted.

If your coronary artery is blocked for example, you may experience chest pain with a heavy or crushing sensation, abdominal, back, neck, jaw, shoulder or arm pain, weakness, sweating or shortness of breath after a physical activity. If you notice dropping face muscles, slurred speech or loss of balance, this could indicate that the arteries leading to your brain is blocked. The symptoms of blocked arteries to the legs include a sudden numbness weakness in your legs which makes it difficult for you to walk.

There are many causes of the buildup of plaque. High levels of bad cholesterol and low levels of good cholesterol, high blood pressure, high homocysteine levels, being overweighed, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and bad eating habits are some of the causes blocked arteries. Heredity is another factor and so is aging. So, even if you lead a healthy lifestyle, you may also develop atherosclerosis.

One of the first things to do if you notice arteriosclerosis symptoms is to see a doctor for a diagnosis, advice and medications. This list of arteriosclerosis treatments is meant as additional suggestions to reduce further buildup or prevent further damage. Please consult your doctor first if you are taking prescription medication.

Arteriosclerosis treatments No. 1 - Lifestyle changes

The first thing to do as home treatment for arteriosclerosis is to make a few lifestyle changes to reduce high blood pressure, lower high level of bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol level.

If you are overweight, you must start losing the excess in order to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol as well as prevent diabetes. It entails that you start an exercise program and healthy eating habit. Doing aerobic exercise such as brisk walking between 20 to 30 minutes daily would really help you burn the calories. It is beneficial to include strength training exercises to burn fat and build muscles.

Treatment for arteriosclerosis includes quitting smoking because cigarette contains more than 500 additives and the smoke produces more than 4000 chemical compounds which will eventually damage your arteries.

Your diet must also change. Stop eating junk, processed and oily foods and reduce meat consumptions because it may increase homocysteine levels which may lead to hardening and narrowing of arteries. Start eating fresh fruits such as papayas and pomegranate and juices such as carrot juice and orange juice. Eat lots of vegetables such as artichokes and spinach.

Switch to eating 3 servings of whole grains a day such as brown rice, corn and oatmeal. Include foods that are high in dietary fiber to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Some examples of high fiber foods are apples, artichoke, almonds, barley, broccoli, lentils, raspberries and rye bread.

Arteriosclerosis treatments No. 2 - Dietary supplements and vitamins

Take supplements that help reduce or prevent high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A supplement that is beneficial for heart health is alpha linolenic acid or ALA which is found in borage oil and flax seed oil. The other supplement that is recommended is cod liver oil which contains EPA and DHA. These fatty acids have the ability to support healthy cholesterol levels and blood triglycerides as well as prevent blood clots in the arteries.

Include homocysteine defense or homocysteine support supplement to reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis, heart attack and stroke. Vitamins that are beneficial are niacin or vitamin B3, vitamin C, and vitamin D. When combined with vitamin D, calcium will reduce cholesterol and support a healthy heart.

Arteriosclerosis treatments No. 3 - Herbs for arteriosclerosis

One of the herbs that have been tested and shown to dilate coronary arteries and increase blood flow is hawthorn berry extract. Psyllium seed husks have scientifically shown to help reduce bad cholesterol level. Eating fresh garlic or taking garlic supplement may help improve circulation and support healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Other herbs or herbal extracts that you can try as arteriosclerosis treatments are butchers broom, cayenne, grape seed extract, motherwort, mistletoe extract and parsley.

Additional Resources

1. The Great Cholesterol Lie
   
   
2. Get The High Blood Pressure Remedy Report
   
   
3. 128 Creative Cooking & Recipes for 6 Week Body Makeover

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