Hardening of the Arteries - What is it and What Can Be Done to Reverse Hardening Arteries?
A person's coronary system includes a complex network of veins and arteries that carry blood and oxygen from the heart to other parts of the body.
Without a constant and free flow of blood racing through this life giving highway a myriad of health problems can occur including heart attack or stroke.
Hardening of the arteries is the primary reason for conditions such as these to occur.
In this article we will describe the how's and why's of hardening of the arteries along with a few ideas to slow and possibly reverse this potentially deadly condition.
What is hardening of the arteries? First, it is important to point out that the best defense against hardening of the arteries is prevention.
Nevertheless, if you are reading this article you likely either already have hardening of the arteries or suspect it is a possibility.
Hardening of the arteries is also known as atherosclerosis and is a disorder where blood vessels become narrowed because of fat deposits which over time build, harden, and eventually calcify.
As these obstructions continue to grow more and more blood flow is reduced to both vital and non vital areas of the body.
If allowed to continue the obstruction (also known as a plaque deposit) may eventually block the artery.
This will cause tissue death due to lack of oxygenated blood.
The most well known examples of this are heart attack or stroke.
One other point I believe is very important to point out is even if you take steps to halt hardening of the arteries you may have placed yourself on a dangerous downhill slope on the way to deteriorating health.
The reason is that as we age our heart starts to lose its pumping power.
In fact, by age 80 the resting heart only has half of the pumping power it did when a person was in their 20s.
This fact could explain why many heart attacks happen in the very early hours of the morning while the heart and body are in a resting state.
Turning the tables on hardening of the arteries So as you now know in order to turn the tables on hardening arteries we will need to take steps to eliminate arterial obstructions and keep our heart muscle as strong as possible for as long as possible.
Let's explore a few at home ideas that might be able to help us do this.
*Exercise regularly: Exercise is tricky and you should work with your doctor to find age suitable exercise routines that fit your physical challenges.
For instance, water aerobics are great if you have joint problems.
One extra bit of advice is to stay away from activities that put pressure on your joints such as golf and jogging on a concrete surface.
The American Heart Association suggests exercising at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
*Supplements: Two types best supplements for hardening of the arteries are fish oil and natural cholesterol reduction supplements.
The fish oil works as an anti-inflammatory in the body and seems to heal and strengthen the interior lining of the arteries.
Natural cholesterol reduction supplements are able to remove dangerous cholesterol from the body before it has a chance to either add to an existing plaque deposit or cause another to begin.
What else? Other suggestions to reverse hardening arteries is to eat a low saturated fat diet; restrict salt intake if hypertension is problem; eat a diet rich in soluble fiber, fruits, and vegetables; watch your weight; and by all means don't smoke.
Without a constant and free flow of blood racing through this life giving highway a myriad of health problems can occur including heart attack or stroke.
Hardening of the arteries is the primary reason for conditions such as these to occur.
In this article we will describe the how's and why's of hardening of the arteries along with a few ideas to slow and possibly reverse this potentially deadly condition.
What is hardening of the arteries? First, it is important to point out that the best defense against hardening of the arteries is prevention.
Nevertheless, if you are reading this article you likely either already have hardening of the arteries or suspect it is a possibility.
Hardening of the arteries is also known as atherosclerosis and is a disorder where blood vessels become narrowed because of fat deposits which over time build, harden, and eventually calcify.
As these obstructions continue to grow more and more blood flow is reduced to both vital and non vital areas of the body.
If allowed to continue the obstruction (also known as a plaque deposit) may eventually block the artery.
This will cause tissue death due to lack of oxygenated blood.
The most well known examples of this are heart attack or stroke.
One other point I believe is very important to point out is even if you take steps to halt hardening of the arteries you may have placed yourself on a dangerous downhill slope on the way to deteriorating health.
The reason is that as we age our heart starts to lose its pumping power.
In fact, by age 80 the resting heart only has half of the pumping power it did when a person was in their 20s.
This fact could explain why many heart attacks happen in the very early hours of the morning while the heart and body are in a resting state.
Turning the tables on hardening of the arteries So as you now know in order to turn the tables on hardening arteries we will need to take steps to eliminate arterial obstructions and keep our heart muscle as strong as possible for as long as possible.
Let's explore a few at home ideas that might be able to help us do this.
*Exercise regularly: Exercise is tricky and you should work with your doctor to find age suitable exercise routines that fit your physical challenges.
For instance, water aerobics are great if you have joint problems.
One extra bit of advice is to stay away from activities that put pressure on your joints such as golf and jogging on a concrete surface.
The American Heart Association suggests exercising at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
*Supplements: Two types best supplements for hardening of the arteries are fish oil and natural cholesterol reduction supplements.
The fish oil works as an anti-inflammatory in the body and seems to heal and strengthen the interior lining of the arteries.
Natural cholesterol reduction supplements are able to remove dangerous cholesterol from the body before it has a chance to either add to an existing plaque deposit or cause another to begin.
What else? Other suggestions to reverse hardening arteries is to eat a low saturated fat diet; restrict salt intake if hypertension is problem; eat a diet rich in soluble fiber, fruits, and vegetables; watch your weight; and by all means don't smoke.
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