If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. There are no quick fixes for melting away plaque, but people can make key lifestyle changes to stop more of it accumulating and to improve their heart health. In serious cases, medical procedures or surgery can help to remove blockages from within the arteries. A doctor may also prescribe medication, such as aspirin , or cholesterol-reducing drugs, such as statins. Plaque is a mixture of fat, calcium , cholesterol , and waste from the cells in the body.
This mix can stick to the walls of the arteries, making these blood vessels narrower. When this happens, it is called atherosclerosis. Clogged or blocked arteries can stop fresh blood from reaching parts of the body, which can put a person at risk of a heart attack , heart failure , or stroke. In many cases, people can prevent a plaque buildup and atherosclerosis. Some medical treatments are available to help clear the arteries, but they are invasive. The best treatment is usually prevention, as removing plaque is much more difficult than preventing it from occurring.
Eating a heart-healthful diet and regularly exercising can be powerful tools for preventing clogged arteries. These disciplines also make a person feel better as time goes on.
The type of fat a person eats can affect plaque in the arteries. This is because these kinds of fats contain high levels of LDL cholesterol, which is the main material of plaque in the arteries.
Along with trans fats, saturated fats may also affect heart health, though the evidence for this is mixed. Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, such as beef, pork, and dairy, but also in coconut oil and palm oil.
One review of scientific studies found there was a small but possibly important reduction in the risk of cardiovascular issues when people cut down on saturated fats and replaced them with unsaturated fats.
Another review study suggests that people should avoid saturated fats because they increase LDL cholesterol in the body, which is a direct cause of heart issues. Unsaturated fats are the good fats. They contain HDL cholesterol, which can help to take bad cholesterol from the arteries before it turns into plaque. According to the AHA, unsaturated fats may help improve blood cholesterol when eaten instead of trans or saturated fats. Drinking teas, such as green or black tea, rooibos tea, or ginger tea may be good heart-healthy substitutes for other beverages.
A study from found that drinking 6 cups of rooibos tea per day for 6 weeks helped to lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood in adults who were at risk for heart diseases. Green tea can also help. A review reported that green tea and its extracts could lower LDL cholesterol in the blood, though this did not affect HDL cholesterol. Ginger supplementation may also improve significant markers that can lead to cardiovascular events, according to a study.
Ginger root can be found as a supplement, but people can also brew it in hot water, and drink it as a tea. Managing a moderate weight can lower your risk of developing complications due to atherosclerosis. A surgeon may either remove plaque from an artery, put in a stent, or redirect blood flow around the blocked artery.
Your healthcare professional may determine during a regular physical exam if you have risk factors for atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis tends to occur more commonly in people with a history of smoking or conditions such as:. Talk to your doctor about your best options. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which cholesterol, calcium, and other substances, collectively referred to as plaque, clog your arteries….
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But does it actually work? Schwartz, Jordan S. Pober, Thomas W. Chittenden, George Tellides, Michael Simons. Nature Metabolism , ; DOI: ScienceDaily, 26 August Yale University.
Promising approach to reducing plaque in arteries. Retrieved November 12, from www. Further, the new research shows that While high saturated fat levels in red meat have long been known But by studying the genetic makeup of people who maintain clear arteries into old age, researchers have identified a
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