This week's focus: Plaque Build-Up: Get the Facts

Note: This page discusses changes to diet/nutrition and lifestyle that published research has shown may support cardiovascular health. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about your options and before making changes to your everyday nutrition and self-care practices.

Overview

Arteries are major blood vessels that help blood circulate throughout the body, supplying oxygen and nutrients to the body's cells, and removing carbon dioxide and waste products, among other important functions. Atherosclerosis is hardening of the arteries, a common disease of the major blood vessels characterized by fatty streaks along the vessel walls and by deposits of cholesterol and calcium.

Healthy arteries and circulation, influenced by genetics but also diet and lifestyle factors, is particularly important to cardiovascular health. Atherosclerosis of arteries supplying the heart is called coronary artery disease. It can restrict the flow of blood to the heart, which often triggers heart attacks - a leading cause of death in Americans and Europeans. Hardening of arteries supplying the legs causes a condition called intermittent claudication, which is characterized by pain in the legs after walking short distances.

People with elevated cholesterol levels are much more likely to have atherosclerosis than people with low cholesterol levels. Many important nutritional and medical approaches to protecting against atherosclerosis are aimed at lowering serum cholesterol levels. People with diabetes are also at very high risk for atherosclerosis, as are people with elevated triglycerides and high homocysteine.

Top Tips for Healthy Arteries

Eat Right

Eat a high-fiber diet: Eating foods high in fiber, especially oats, psyllium seeds, fruit, and beans, may lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Eat more complex carbs: Choose whole grains whenever possible as a diet high in refined carbs, such as white flour, white rice, and simple sugars, appears to increase the risk of coronary heart disease, especially in overweight women.

Go vegetarian: A pure vegetarian diet (no meat, poultry, dairy or eggs), combined with exercise and stress reduction, has been shown to decrease atherosclerosis.

Skip the salt: Eating low or moderate amounts of salt may help reduce your risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association and other organizations advise people to limit their salt intake to the equivalent of no more than 1 teaspoon of salt (2.3 grams of sodium) each day.

Try a low-fat diet: The most important dietary changes in protecting arteries from atherosclerosis include choosing alternatives to meat and dairy, and eating foods without trans fats.

Add some flaxseed and canola oil: People who eat diets containing foods such as these will increase their intake of alpha-linolenic acid, which increases blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids and therefore may protect against atherosclerosis.

Eat more fish: Eating fish is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease in most but not all studies.

Get your garlic: Eating garlic is known to thin the blood and may reduce other heart disease risk factors.

Protect with produce: Most fruits and vegetables, and some nuts and spices, supply your body with disease-fighting nutrients.

Live Right

Reduce risk factors: Obesity, type A behavior (time conscious, impatient, and aggressive), stress, and sedentary lifestyle are all associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis; interventions designed to change these risk factors are linked to protection from this condition.

Get moving and stay trim: Aim for a healthy body weight to avoid problems with blood lipids and other heart disease risk factors. Work with your healthcare professional to start a regular program of aerobic exercise to maintain optimal blood lipid levels and lower heart disease risk.

Don't smoke: There is abundant evidence that cigarette smoking is directly linked to atherosclerosis and heart disease. Quitting smoking protects many people from atherosclerosis and heart disease, and is a critical step in the process of disease prevention.

Get support for excessive anger: Aggressive verbal or physical responses when angry have been consistently related to coronary atherosclerosis in numerous preliminary studies. A low level of social support, especially when combined with a high level of expressed anger has also been associated with accelerated coronary atherosclerosis.

Talk to you doctor: Certain medications and vitamin supplements can help keep your blood moving and manage diseases related to heart health, such as:

• "Statin" drugs from the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor family, to block the body's cholesterol production and to lower triglycerides.
• Alpha- and beta-blockers used to lower blood pressure and treat chest pain (angina) and support the heart after a heart attack.
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors: a family of drugs used to treat high blood pressure, some types of heart failure, and in some cases to improve survival after a heart attack.
• Calcium channel blockers used to treat angina and high blood pressure.

© 2008 Aisle7. All rights reserved. www.Aisle7.net For further information about this topic please visit walmart.com/wellness

Disclaimer: The information in this page was prepared by Aisle7 for educational purposes only; it is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Health claims are based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications, diet, or exercise habits. Aisle7, Walmart, and Pierce Promotions make no representations concerning the information contained in this article and disclaim any liability for such information and the decisions you make based on such information.