According to the American Heart Association, one in three adults suffers from some form of cardiovascular disease. Your cardiovascular system is composed of your heart, arteries and veins. Arterial plaque can build up and cause inhibited blood flow to your brain and heart, for example. Peripheral arterial disease causes poor blood circulation to your appendages. In many cases, you will need to take medication to improve your arterial health. Supplementing this treatment with artery-cleaning foods may also prove beneficial.
Step 1
Eat high-fiber foods to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Low-density lipoprotein significantly contributes to arterial plaque. Foods high in soluble fiber, such as oats, oranges, pears, Brussels sprouts, carrots, barley, psyllium, beans and whole-grain wheat act to absorb cholesterol for elimination, thereby reducing arterial buildup.
Step 2
Use vegetable oils instead of solid fats. Dietary fat is an essential component of a healthy diet, as fat-soluble vitamins require this compound for proper absorption. Vegetable oils such as olive, safflower, canola and rapeseed oil are high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Unlike their saturated counterpart, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats help to reduce overall cholesterol levels that can lead to arterial blockage. In fact, the chemical structure of these fats helps to scrape off plaque buildup. Nonetheless, these oils are still fats and require moderation -- total fat should not exceed 25 to 35 percent of your daily calories, with saturated fat being less than 7 percent.
Step 3
Consume fatty fish at least twice a week to reduce your risk of stroke by as much as 50 percent. Fatty-fish varieties such as herring, tuna and salmon are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are naturally anti-inflammatory, which can reduce your risk of heart disease. They also work to increase high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol, that cleans your arteries.
Step 4
Add paprika to your dishes. Not only does this spice add kick to your food, it may help to clean out your arteries. A December 2009 study published in "The British Journal of Nutrition" found that the carotenoid capsanthin in paprika increased high-density lipoprotein in rats.
References
- American Heart Association: Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2006 Update
- Merck Manuals: Coronary Artery Disease
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
- National Cholesterol Education Program: High Blood Cholesterol -- What You Need to Know; June 2005
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- "British Journal of Nutrition"; Dietary Capsanthin, the Main Carotenoid in Paprika -- Capsicum Annuum -- Alters Plasma High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels and Hepatic Gene Expression in Rats; K. Aizawa and T. Inakuma; December 2009
