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.
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 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.
In the groups receiving high-dose vitamin K1 or K2 (MK-4), not only was there no further arterial calcium accumulation, there was a 37% reduction of previously accumulated arterial calcification after six weeks. After 12 weeks, there was a 53% reduction in accumulated arterial calcium deposits.
Taking a daily vitamin K2 MK-7 supplement is an action people can take to prevent arterial calcification. K2 has even been shown to reverse existing calcification and restore flexibility and elasticity to vessels.
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.
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.
Brushing and flossing twice a day is the best way to remove plaque and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Although it isn't possible to remove plaque from your arterial walls without surgery, you can halt and prevent future plaque build-up. Research does not support that specific food items can help clear arteries naturally, but a healthier diet is essential to reduce the chance of it forming in the first place.
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.
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.
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.
People in the aged garlic group saw a reduction of a specific kind of plaque in the deposits in their arteries, compared with those who took a placebo during the same time period, who did not see a reduction.
A. If you have the gumption to make major changes to your lifestyle, you can, indeed, reverse coronary artery disease. This disease is the accumulation of cholesterol-laden plaque inside the arteries nourishing your heart, a process known as atherosclerosis.
In a new study, scientists have presented powerful evidence that vitamin K2 can reduce the progression of atherosclerosis, the “blockage” of the arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
A subgroup analysis of the study observed that vitamin K2 MK-7 (720 µg/day) and D (25 µg/day) supplementation for two years helped slow the progression of coronary plaque development in individuals at high risk of developing coronary artery calcification with no prior identified ischemic heart disease.
Some studies -- though not all -- suggest that vitamin C can slow down the progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It helps prevent damage to LDL ("bad") cholesterol, which then builds up as plaque in the arteries and can cause heart attack or stroke.
Accordingly, subjects in the Rotterdam Study with the highest vitamin K2 intake consumed more total and saturated fats and also had lower total cholesterol values and higher levels of heart-protective HDL cholesterol.
In contrast, vitamin K2 is associated with the inhibition of arterial calcification and arterial stiffening. An adequate intake of vitamin K2 has been shown to lower the risk of vascular damage because it activates matrix GLA protein (MGP), which inhibits the deposits of calcium on the walls.
Tartar is hardened plaque. If you don't remove plaque regularly, it will turn into tartar. At this point, you can't brush or floss it away. Only a dentist or hygienist can remove it.