Some of the tools available for reducing artery plaque may also prevent further plaque buildup and improve overall heart health. The cardiovascular system weakens when damage to the blood vessels---often caused by smoking, poor diet or high blood pressure---leads to the deposit of fatty substances in the damaged areas. The fatty substance is plaque. Plaque buildup consists of cholesterol, fats, calcium and other substances found in the body. Lifestyle changes can reduce the formation and accumulation of plaque in the arteries and decrease the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Step 1
Consume no more than 25 to 30 percent of your daily calorie intake from any source of fats. There are three types of fat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats are healthy fats that help reduce plaque buildup in the arteries. Penn Medicine recommends consuming no more than 10 percent of daily calorie intake from saturated or polyunsaturated fats, and up to 15 percent of daily calorie intake from monounsaturated fat.
Step 2
Participate in an aerobic activity for 30 minutes every day or at least five days each week. Losing excess weight can reduce fatty deposits in the body, including the arteries. Exercise also makes the heart stronger and less vulnerable to blood vessel damage, thereby reducing the cause of plaque buildup as well.
Step 3
Quit smoking and reduce exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking contributes to the condition of atherosclerosis, in which fatty substances layer the inner artery lining and cause artery narrowing. Health Day cites a 2010 study in the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology" showing that a smoker's arteries stiffen and narrow at approximately twice the speed of those of a nonsmoker. Quitting smoking reduces damage to blood vessels and prevents further narrowing of the arteries. Additionally, more oxygen and nutrients become available to cells for repair and optimal functioning.
Step 4
Eat red or brown rice. Researchers at the Department of Clinical Nutrition at the Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences in Guangzhou, China, published a study in the "Journal of Nutrition" that focused on the effects of rice on plaque formation and reduction. The study found that red and brown rice increase levels of healthy cholesterol while lowering levels of harmful cholesterol---the cholesterol responsible for plaque buildup---more than white rice does.
Step 5
Eat pomegranates or drink pomegranate juice. A joint study conducted at the University of Naples, Italy, with the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the polyphenols, also called antioxidants, in pomegranates may slow artery hardening and reduce cholesterol levels. Moreover, the study showed that pomegranates had an effect on atherosclerosis that was greater than that of other heart-healthy drinks, such as red wine and orange, cranberry and blueberry juices.
Things You'll Need
- Low-fat foods
- Exercise plan
- Smoking cessation plan
- Red or brown rice
- Pomegranates or pomegranate juide
References
- Vascular Web: Carotid Artery Disease, Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attacks
- Penn Medicine: Fat in Your diet
- Health Day: Arteries Age Twice as Fast in Smokers
- Journal of Nutrition: Red and Black Rice Decrease Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation and Increase Antioxidant Status in Rabbits
- PubMed: Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation.
