Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory cardiovascular condition, affects the inner walls of arteries making them stiff, clogged, therefore, dysfunctional. Atherosclerotic plaques consisting mainly of cholesterol and cellular debris blockthe vital flow of oxygen-dense and nutrients-dense blood to the tissues and organs throughout the body.
Diseases Related to Atherosclerosis
- Coronary artery disease:The impaired blood flow to the heart muscle results in chest pain and increased risk of a heart attack.
- Brain Stroke:The impaired blood flow to the brain and blood clots cut off the blood resulting in a brain attack.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity (sedentary lifestyle)
Natural Prevention of Atherosclerosis
Lifestyle Changes
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and regular exercising – they are a must in the process of lowering the risk of cardiovascular events, heart attacks and strokes.
Follow Healthy Diet
Healthy whole foods diet will helps achieve and maintain a perfect weight. Also, it improves the blood lipid profile. For example:
Pomegranate has been found effective in
1) Lowering blood pressure
2) Fighting infection caused due to bacteria and viruses (inside plaque in arteries)
3) Preventing cholesterol oxidation
4) Reducing inflammation
Garlic has been found effective in
- Reducing the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques.
Other foods,just to name a few, include whole grain cereals (oatmeal and oat bran), kidney beans, lentils, and chick peas.
Physical Activity
Increased physical activity has been found of great help in preventing atherosclerosis. Even 60 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic activity per week can make a big difference in cardiovascular health, not to mention losing weight and reducing stress level.
Nutritional Arterial Cleansing
There are also strictly nutritional measures that can help halt, regress and reverse the atherosclerotic processes in the body, the nutritional arterial cleansing being a perfect example. More in-depth information about this method can be found at: www.full-health.com.