Regular exercise helps arteries by boosting the endothelial cells' nitric oxide production. And research suggests it may even do more. In mice, exercise stimulates the bone marrow to produce endothelial progenitor cells, which enter the bloodstream to replace aging endothelial cells and repair damaged arteries.
Vitamin C helps vitamin E work better in your body. It also improves the way your arteries work. Together, these two vitamins help protect your arteries from oxidized cholesterol. They also help your arteries relax and open up more.
Eat a balanced diet that's high in heart-healthy fruits, vegetables, and fish. Exercise for at least 30 to 60 minutes a day. Stop smoking, cause that's really bad news for your arteries. If your cholesterol is high, ask your doctor whether you should take cholesterol-lowering medication.
Regular exercise helps arteries by boosting the endothelial cells' nitric oxide production. And research suggests it may even do more. In mice, exercise stimulates the bone marrow to produce endothelial progenitor cells, which enter the bloodstream to replace aging endothelial cells and repair damaged arteries.
“About 20% of aortic aneurysms have a genetic component.” Other factors that can weaken the walls of arteries and lead to aneurysms include smoking, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries), infections and trauma, such as a car crash. Age and gender also contribute to risk.
Ginger tea is also an excellent choice, since ginger has specifically been found to improve blood flow. It is considered a vasodilator, which means it widens blood vessels and thus enhances blood flow.
High in potassium, foods like bananas can stop fatal blockages from occurring and inhibit the hardening and narrowing of arteries.
Optimal Vitamin K2 intake is crucial to avoid the calcium plaque buildup of atherosclerosis, thus keeping the risk and rate of calcification as low as possible.
Your veins and arteries are not just pipes. They expand and contract. They grow and shrink. They repair themselves.
Your arteries, skin, liver, lungs, and digestive tract, and certain parts of your brain. They're all continually refreshed—if you're healthy. "It's called maintenance regeneration. It's kind of like working on your car," says Stocum.
Can atherosclerosis be reversed or slowed down? The disease is progressive, and, unfortunately, current treatments can't melt it away. However, there are things that can be done to slow its development and dramatically reduce the chances of a heart attack or stroke.
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.
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.
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.
Magnesium supplementation can inhibit atherosclerotic plaque formation in animals on high-fat diets. More recent human studies have revealed strong associations between low magnesium levels and higher heart disease risks. This demonstrates that magnesium can be a powerful protective measure to maintain heart health.