How to remove plaque in blood vessels?

Stroke and heart attack are the effects of blockage of the blood vessels of the brain and heart. This blockage of blood vessels is nothing but a pile of plaque that makes the blood vessels narrower, even closer to the point of closure. When it is closed, no oxygen-rich and nutrient-rich blood can be delivered to the brain or heart. Therefore, maintaining the condition of blood vessels from this plaque buildup is very important. So, how do you get rid of plaque in blood vessels? Can plaque in blood vessels be removed with a healthy lifestyle?

What is plaque in blood vessels?

Plaque is a mixture of fat, calcium, cholesterol and other waste products from the body's cells (yellow in the image above). This mixture can then stick to the walls of the arteries, causing the blood vessels to become clogged and narrow, even for a long time to close. This condition of narrowing of the blood vessels due to plaque is called atherosclerosis.

In fact, removing plaque that has built up in the blood vessels is very difficult. Therefore, before more plaque is formed, it is better to keep the blood vessels from forming more and more.

Removes plaque in blood vessels

There are many healthy life steps you can take to keep your blood vessels healthy. However, actually your lifestyle cannot immediately erode the plaque that has formed in your body.

To erode it, you still need certain drugs prescribed by a doctor. Or even to remove the blockage directly requires surgery by inserting a special tube so that the plaque is removed and blood flow becomes smooth again.

Even so, that doesn't mean you can only surrender to these medical actions. A healthy lifestyle is still needed to help remove plaque.

Therefore, a healthy lifestyle can prevent plaque formation. That way, the chances of increasing plaque forming will be smaller, and the blood vessels won't become narrower. Very helpful, right?

Healthy lifestyle for healthy blood vessels

1. Eat a healthy diet

Diet plays an important role in maintaining the health of your heart and blood vessels. With the right food, the risk of plaque forming is decreased.

These are the foods you should choose or should avoid for the health of your blood vessels:

• Choose foods high in healthy fats (unsaturated fats). Examples include olive oil, fish oil, fish (for example salmon or tuna), avocado, and nuts.
• Reduce the amount of meat and foods that contain milk and its derivative products. Even if you choose meat, choose meat that contains a little fat (not using skin).
• Eat more vegetables. Because in addition to being low in fat, vegetables are also a source of fiber which is very necessary to reduce cholesterol levels.
• Reduce the amount of sugar. Sugar can be found in processed foods such as cookies, ice cream, and sweetened drinks. These drinks or foods are not filling, but only high in added sugar.
• Avoid foods containing trans fats. Foods that contain trans fats, for example anything that is fried, instant packaged foods, cookies, biscuits, and margarine.

2. Regular exercise

Being overweight and obesity are among the main risk factors that lead to plaque buildup in blood vessels. Well, exercise can prevent someone from having excess body weight so that they are far from having blood vessel problems.

Regular cardio exercise can strengthen the heart and help ward off plaque buildup. Some cardio exercises that you can do are:

• Jogging
• Cycling
• Run
• Swimming
• Aerobics

To get maximum results, at least do cardio exercise for 30-60 minutes a day 3-5 times a week.

3. Drink herbal teas

Drinking herbal teas such as green tea, black tea, ginger tea, is the right choice for the health of your heart and blood vessels.

A study shows that drinking 6 cups of one of the herbal teas, namely rooibos tea every day, for 6 weeks can help reduce levels of bad cholesterol or LDL.

Other research also shows that green tea can also help reduce LDL levels in the blood. By decreasing LDL levels, it means that the risk of plaque formation will be smaller.

4. Stop smoking

As reported by Medical News Today, smoking is a major risk factor for clogged blood vessels. Cigarettes can directly damage arteries and can make fat deposits build up in blood vessels more quickly.

That's why you have to give up smoking to clear blockages in blood vessels. Quitting smoking will also increase good cholesterol, aka HDL, as well as reduce the amount of bad cholesterol or LDL.

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