In our youth, as we strive to achieve as much as we can, we often indulge in what they call ”fast life”.  Trying to balance between social and private lives every and each of us turn into Speedy Gonzales.  However, rushing through everyday activities frequently takes a toll on our health, especially our eating habits.

It didn’t take long for many to notice how our lives have changed. Therefore, those people came up with the idea of fast-food restaurants, places where you can take a quick bite and advance to the next thing on your to-do list.

The bad cholesterol we consume with each bite of a hamburger or pizza may not seem that harmful at first. However, it will gradually build up in your arteries and create plaque. The condition of hardened arteries is also called atherosclerosis, and it results in heart attacks and strokes. Some disappointing and utterly alarming statistics show that new patients who suffer from coronary diseases are younger by each year. In the following paragraphs, we’ll introduce you to some of the ways to unclog your arteries by yourself and minimize the chances of sudden death.

HEALTHY DIET

The very first advice of every doctor and nutritionist out there for preventing any clots in your arteries from appearing would be to change your diet. Supermarkets’ shelves are full of delicious and appealing foods but, in fact, their producers put a lot of hazardous chemicals to keep these foods tasty and long-lasting. The change you would have to endure may seem harsh at first, but it doesn’t have to be all that bad.

Start off by gradually adding veggies to your meals. The elements they get from the soil convert into nitric oxide during digestion that puts a stop to plaque build-up and reduces the possibility of a heart stroke. Garlic is widely known to reduce blood pressure which is a direct consequence of clogged arteries. It contains compound allicin that lowers both diastolic and systolic pressure and cleans up all the clots. Carotenoid lycopene from tomatoes is responsible for their red color and decreases oxidation of bad cholesterol, blocking atherosclerosis. Spinach is just one of the veggies rich in fibers, potassium, and folate that lower the opportunity for development of cardiovascular diseases.

Although we’ve all heard that seasoned food is not so beneficial for us, there are quite a few seasonings we can use to enrich our foods both flavor-wise and nutrition-wise. For instance, and Indian spice named turmeric whose polyphenol decreases bad fats in our blood makes an incredible asset to your meals. Adding cinnamon to your pies will make them twice as delicious! Not only does it lower the blood pressure but it is also a powerful antioxidant that boosts our immune system. Ginger is a potent seasoning with anti-inflammatory elements that makes our blood flow go uninterrupted. A teaspoon of cayenne pepper combined with hot water has the power to improve your blood circulation. Compound capsaicin from the pepper will inhibit oxidation and cut down LDL and bad cholesterol.

Fruits are also an inseparable part of healthy diet. Apples are rich in pectin that lowers blood cholesterol by 40 percent. Avocados and pomegranates are also good at sweeping away the fat from your blood and lowering both LDL and HDL.

Besides changing the things that you eat, you should also change what you drink. Soda is your worst enemy! Sugary drinks cause diabetes and obesity, major factors that contribute to cardiovascular diseases. Supplement your daily diet with green, black or oolong tea. If you drink 3 cups of tea a day, you’ll see a substantial improvement in your blood pressure.  Reasonable daily intake of coffee with no sweeteners could have the same advantages as tea! The effect of alcohol plaque in arteries and overall blood pressure is debatable. A glass of wine for women and two glasses of wine for men per day is pretty harmless. Doctors still preach against alcohol, especially if the patient has a history of alcoholism or a liver disease. The effects of vine on blood pressure aren’t clear, which is why avoiding wine and other alcoholic drinks are the best option.

Fats are not as detrimental to our health as we think. Fish contains omega 3’s that lessen inflammation, heart rhythm disruptions, triglyceride levels, and high blood pressure. Eating fish twice a week is enough to absorb enough nutrients that contribute to the rise of the good cholesterol.  All types of fish are pretty much desirable to eat except for swordfish as it is usually high in mercury.  Red meat can also be safe to eat although the media is trying to claim the contrary. If the animals fed on grass and natural foods, eating their meat should not leave many consequences. We can also try baking and cooking meat for a change instead of frying it. Fried foods, in general, are full of elements injurious to our health, such as trans fatty acids.

EXERCISING

Many jobs nowadays require you to be stuck in the chair for hours. Such jobs, however, are not an excuse for not being physically active at all. Sedentary life plays one of the key roles in high blood pressure as it leads to obesity and poor blood circulation.

If you’re not so keen on exercising, go and grab some water every hour or have a short, relaxing walk.  Walking up and down the stairs or simple mowing can prove to be enough physical activity for the day. Should you decide to exercise, make the activities suitable for your physical abilities.  Doctors usually advise their patients a total of 150 minutes of exercise per week. However, it all depends on how strenuous exercising is. If the activities are exhausting, 75 minutes per week will suffice. On the other hand, you can make 30 minute daily exercising a routine. You can either do it all at once or divide it into three 10-minute long parts and breaks in between.  Regular exercising can lower your blood pressure by 9 millimeters of mercury which makes it as successful as some pressure medications.  You will also lose some weight, which will further prevent your arteries from clogging and you’ll be at a much less risk of getting a cardiovascular disease.

Strangely enough, weight lifting is also an option when it comes to fighting high blood pressure. Your blood pressure will peak at some point when you lift, but it will be helpful for a long-term period if you do it at least twice a week. While weight lifting is beneficial, there are quite a few rules you have to follow to do it successfully. First of all, learn to do it properly so as not to inflict any injury on yourself. You also have to breathe during the endeavor since your blood pressure will skyrocket if you hold your breath. Start with lighter weights and try to find your limit! Once you start feeling tired, dizzy or chest pain, stop the exercising right away. It is also desirable that you consider consulting your doctor before you start weightlifting, especially if you are overweight, have a family history of cardiovascular diseases, have high blood pressure or anywhere between the ages of 45 and 55.

QUIT SMOKING

It goes without saying that smoking is bad for your health on so many levels. It accelerates aging, sets you up for getting lung cancer and finally has a devastating impact on your blood pressure. Nicotine narrows and hardens your arteries which make your blood clot.

REDUCTION OF STRESS

Stress is unavoidable. We worry about numerous things on the everyday basis: the lack of money, the death of a loved one, exams, etc.  When we’re upset, our body releases cortisol, a hormone that is responsible for high levels of triglyceride, plaque build-up, and blood-pressure. Therefore, try to keep stress away and lower your chances of getting a heart attack or stroke.

CONCLUSION

The ways of removing the plaque from your arteries are numerous. Gradually change your diet and daily activities, and the results will be visible. It is important to know that you should expect the positive outcome instantly. If you abide by the rules, your arteries will be plaque-free in a long term period.