Arteries become clogged over time from the buildup of LDL, or bad, cholesterol forming fatty streaks along your artery walls. Certain diets contain a mixture of nutrients that not only produce lower LDL levels, but also work to remove fatty streaks before they become hardened and permanently clog your arteries. It is important to consult your physician before making dietary changes to treat any condition you have.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes a high intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, beans, whole grains, olive oil and fish to maintain and promote a healthy body. Greece is the origin of the Mediterranean diet and few Greek people eat red meat, which is implicated in raising cholesterol levels and promoting heart disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, dieters average nine servings of fruits and vegetables. This is the leading reason why Greek people on average exhibit a lower risk of heart disease and clogged arteries. Another key component of the Mediterranean diet is a high intake of unsaturated fats, specifically monounsaturated fats, from olive oil and nuts. This fat promotes higher HDL, or good, cholesterol levels. The higher this level, the more efficient your body is at removing fatty streaks that clog your arteries. Monounsaturated fats also contain linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that promotes healthier blood vessels. It decreases the tendency of red blood cells to adhere to artery walls, a key factor in clogging them.
Low-Fat Diet
The low-fat diet has a proven success rate in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, but for women, it poses a threat with lowering HDL levels too. This is critical for a post-menopausal female because her risk for developing heart disease equals a man of the same age. In defense of the low-fat diet, author Linda Ojeda states the type and quantity of fat needs to be examined in an effort to unclog your arteries. Consuming more plant oils, such as olive, canola, peanut and walnut, as part of the low-fat diet can minimize the reduction and may raise HDL levels. The low-fat diet restricts saturated fat intake, which comes from animal food sources that increase LDL cholesterol production and lead to clogged arteries. Your fat intake stays below 30 percent of total calories on the low-fat diet, with saturated or animal fat being limited to 7 to 10 percent of your daily fat calories. Lowering saturated fat from animal sources is critical in protecting your arteries from becoming clogged by the plaque that results from easily oxidized cholesterol.
Low-Carbohydrate Diet
Low-carbohydrate diets have become popular over recent years and made even more popular by Dr. Robert Atkins. Intitially, low-carbohydrate diets focused on increasing your intake of all protein sources, such as high-fat meats, bacon, butter, heavy cream, full-fat cheeses and low-carbohydrate dairy products. Your carbohydrate intake is restricted to fibrous vegetables that includes salad greens, broccoli, asparagus and cauliflower, while limiting your fruit and milk consumption. The excessive intake of carbs may limit your body's ability to deplete body fat stores to promote weight loss. Cardiac surgeon Donald Miller recommends adopting a 10 to 15 percent carbohydrate restriction to maintain your weight and promote healthier cholesterol levels to prevent clogging your arteries. In addition to the carbohydrate limit, Miller states eating saturated fat from animals naturally fed without pesticides, antibiotics and hormones, along with eating whole eggs, increases your omega-3 fat intake; he recommends eliminating all processed foods from your diet to unclog your arteries. Dr. Miller promotes the consumption of saturated fat from animal sources, despite other health organizations recommending limiting this type of fat to promote healthier cholesterol levels and prevent clogging your arteries.
