Can we reduce vascular plaque buildup? - Harvard Health (2023)

FAQs

Can we reduce vascular plaque build up? ›

Yes, lifestyle changes, including diet, smoking cessation, stress management and exercise, can decrease the size of atherosclerotic plaques. They can also help to stabilize them so that they are less likely to break off and block blood flow, decreasing your risk of a heart attack.

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.

According to a recent study, drinking as little as two ounces of pomegranate juice daily has shown to lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol and cleanse plaque from arteries—all good news for your heart.

Eating specific foods cannot cleanse plaques out of the arteries, but a healthful diet can help manage and prevent heart disease. Over time, plaque buildup can lead to thickened or hardened arteries. This is a condition known as atherosclerosis.

The key is lowering LDL and making lifestyle changes.

"Making plaque disappear is not possible, but we can shrink and stabilize it," says cardiologist Dr. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard Medical School professor. Plaque forms when cholesterol (above, in yellow) lodges in the wall of the artery.

Changes to your lifestyle can help prevent and slow the progression of coronary calcification. These can include: Dieting (especially to limit cholesterol, fat and sodium) Exercising.

Plaque build-up in arteries is, unfortunately, a natural part of living. Even children and adolescents have early evidence of the process. However, diet and other lifestyle factors play an important role. High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking can all worsen atherosclerosis.

Allium Vegetables

Allium veggies like garlic, onions, leeks, chives, scallions, and shallots are all rich in organosulfur compounds, which, according to several studies, may help reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, inflammation, and platelet clumping — all of which are great for keeping arteries free and clear.

What Israeli drink cleans arteries? ›

Now, Israeli scientists have shown that the combination of pomegranate juice and dates along with their pits provide maximum protection against atherosclerosis (plaque buildup or hardening of the arteries), which can cause a heart attack or stroke.

Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation.

Berries. Berries include blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, and blackberries. These fruits are associated with an impressive amount of health benefits, including their ability to reduce inflammation and improve heart health.

Statins help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, in the blood. They draw cholesterol out of plaque and stabilize plaque, Blaha says.

Lemon acts as an antioxidant in the body and helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Lemon peels which contain citrus flavonoids play a role in the treatment of insulin resistance, and can help prevent clogged arteries.

In vitro (15–19) and animal (19–23) studies suggest biological mechanisms through which magnesium may prevent or reverse plaque formation and calcification.

You can “unclog” your arteries with natural methods, including diet, exercise, and stress management. Quitting smoking, if you smoke, can also help reverse plaque.

Completely reversing it isn't possible yet. But taking a statin can reduce the risk of complications from atherosclerosis. It fights inflammation, which stabilizes the plaque. For this reason, statins are often key to treating atherosclerosis.

In fact, a person can have high cholesterol and a zero CAC score. When both scores are high, a doctor may recommend taking statins to help lower cholesterol levels.

Because there are several modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis, it is not necessarily a normal part of aging. Plaque builds up inside the walls of your arteries and, over time, hardens and narrows your arteries, which limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body.

What is the average age for clogged arteries? ›

By the age of 40, about half of us have cholesterol deposits in our arteries, Sorrentino says. After 45, men may have a lot of plaque buildup. Signs of atherosclerosis in women are likely to appear after age 55.

The best way to remove the build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth is by brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Daily flossing and using an antiseptic mouthwash will help to keep bacteria at bay in hard-to-reach areas.

Promote heart health.

Multiple studies have found that apples effectively lower LDL (bad) cholesterol while simultaneously helping eliminate excess cholesterol from the veins and arteries – thereby helping prevent cardiovascular disease.

For example, the fiber in oatmeal can lower our blood cholesterol levels so that less gets stuck in our arteries, but there also are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant phytonutrients in oats that can prevent atherosclerotic build-up and then help maintain arterial function (see Can Oatmeal Reverse Heart Disease?).

Can lemon reduce plaque in arteries? MIAMI (AP) _ Eating citrus can reduce cholesterol plaque in clogged arteries and help reverse atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, researchers said Wednesday.

Calcification in coronary artery disease can be reversed by EDTA-tetracycline long-term chemotherapy. Pathophysiology.

Medical treatment, regular exercise, and dietary changes can be used to keep atherosclerosis from getting worse and stabilize the plaque, but they aren't able to reverse the disease.

Plaque build-up in arteries is, unfortunately, a natural part of living. Even children and adolescents have early evidence of the process. However, diet and other lifestyle factors play an important role. High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking can all worsen atherosclerosis.

What foods cause vascular calcification? ›

The study, published Aug. 13 in Science, suggests that consuming food rich in saturated fat and choline - a nutrient found in red meat, eggs and dairy products - increases the number of metabolites that build plaques in the arteries.

It has long been known from case series that vitamin D excess can lead to atherosclerosis and vascular calcification in humans. In the 1980s, ecological studies provided data that deficient human vitamin D status may also increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Through angioplasty, our cardiologists are able to treat patients with blocked or clogged coronary arteries quickly without surgery. During the procedure, a cardiologist threads a balloon-tipped catheter to the site of the narrowed or blocked artery and then inflates the balloon to open the vessel.

Plaques begin in artery walls and grow over years. The growth of cholesterol plaques slowly blocks blood flow in the arteries.