How to Naturally Clean Plaque From the

Arteries

Last Updated: Aug 16, 2013 | By Heather

Topham Wood

A healthier diet can clean plaque naturally

from the arteries. Photo Credit

Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

An artery becomes clogged when a buildup

of plaque forms on the inner walls. Plaque

consists of calcium, fat, cholesterol and

cellular waste. If you have clogged arteries

due to poor diet and lifestyle choices, you are

at an increased risk of having a heart attack,

stroke or suffering from heart failure.

Medications, stents and balloon surgeries are

treatments used to clear arteries and prevent

further accumulation. However, speak to

your doctor about natural ways to clean the

arteries and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Step 1

Eat healthy fats. All fats are not created equal. To clean arteries out naturally, your daily fat

intake should come from healthy sources that are high in monounsaturated fats and omega-3

fatty acids. Food examples to incorporate in your diet are fish, nuts, avocado, seeds and olive

oil.

Step 2

Get rid of foods from your diet high in saturated fat. Eliminate vegetable oil, fried foods, fast

food, crackers, pastries, cookies, fatty cuts of beef and gravies from your diet. Review food

labels and avoid items that state the item includes hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated

oils.

Step 3

Meditate on a daily basis. According to Reader's Digest, practicing meditation for 20 minutes

per day was found to lower plaque levels in individuals. Yoga can also be done to naturally

lower plaque buildup by causing you to relax for a set period of time.

Step 4

Stop smoking. If you want to clean the arteries naturally, quit this unhealthy habit. Smoking

causes severe damage to the arteries.

Step 5

Exercise on a daily basis. Cardiovascular exercise can be part of your lifestyle changes to

naturally get rid of plaque in the arteries. Most days of the week, you should exercise a

minimum of 30 to 60 minutes. Some activities you can participate in are jogging, brisk

walking, cycling, swimming, tennis and step aerobics

10 foods to keep your arteries clean

Adding these to your diet will ensure

you keep multiple medical conditions

associated with clogged arteries at

bay.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)

are gripping the world like wild fire.

Nutritionists believe that they are

'The Plague' of the 21st century.

One of the key risks for developing

CVD is clogged arteries. This is not

an overnight occurrence, but a

series of wrong choices in food and

lifestyle.

Your arteries are blood vessels that

carry oxygen and nutrients from

your heart to the rest of your body.

They go to your brain as well as to

the tips of your toes. Healthy

arteries are flexible, strong, elastic

and clear of any deposits -- blood

flows through them easily. But as

you age, deposits of fatty

substances, cholesterol, cellular

waste products and calcium are formed on the inner walls of the arteries. This arterial plaque

can reduce blood flow or, in some instances, block it altogether.

As plaque deposits grow, a condition called atherosclerosis results. This condition causes the

arteries to narrow and harden. Clogged arteries in different parts of the body can lead to

multiple medical conditions, including reduced blood flow to the lower legs and other

extremities (due to clogging of peripheral arteries); angina (chest pain), heart disease or heart

attack (due to clogging of coronary arteries); and stroke (due to clogging of carotid arteries

that supply oxygen to your brain).

The main cause behind your clogged arteries is eating a lot of processed foods, added with

saturated fats, chemicals and toxins. But you will be amazed to know that just as there are

foods that will clog up your arteries, there are a few foods that will clean them as well. So if

you are experiencing shortness of breath and pain in the chest, you should add them to your

diet. Move on to the following pages to know what will make it to your list.

Garlic

Garlic has been used to treat heart diseases and

hypertension since ancient times.

According to a study published in Preventive

Medicine, it can inhibit coronary artery calcification

(the result of calcium deposition in the coronary

arteries, which serves as a marker for plaque

formation).

Another study conducted by a German scientist

Professor Guautnter Siegel, found that powdered

garlic reduced the formation of nanoplaque (the first building blocks of plaque) by up to 40

percent and reduced the size of the nanoplaque that has already formed by up to 20 percent.

Image: Garlic can inhibit coronary artery calcification

Grapes

The benefit of grapes comes from flavonoids that give

them, their juices and wines that vibrant purple colour.

The flavonoids, quercitin and resveratrol, appear to be

most concentrated in the skins, stems and seeds of

grapes rather than their juicy middle sections. These

flavonoids have been shown to prevent the oxidation of

LDL cholesterol ('bad' cholesterol) that leads to the

formation of plaque in artery walls.

They can also lower the risk of developing the blood

clots that lead to heart attacks.

Image: Flavonoids in grapes prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol

Berries

Berries (such as strawberries, raspberries,

blueberries and blackberries) are rich in

antioxidant flavonoids (such as anthocyanins)

that can help prevent artery hardening and help

to scour plaque from the walls of the arteries.

Image: Berries can help prevent artery

hardening

Apples

Apples contain 'pectin', a soluble fibre that lowers

cholesterol, probably by interfering with the intestinal

absorption of bile acids, which forces the liver to use

circulating cholesterol to make more bile.

They also contain quercetin, potassium and magnesium

which help keep your blood pressure under control.

Other pectin-rich fruit include pears and citrus fruit.

Image: The pectin in apples lowers cholesterol

Spinach

Spinach is rich in lutein, a plant

carotenoid, which not only protects against

age-related macular degeneration, but may

also help prevent heart attacks by keeping

artery walls clear of cholesterol build-up.

Spinach is also high in potassium and folic

acid, both of which are main lines of defense

against high blood pressure.

Image: The potassium and folic acid in

spinach prevent high BP

Fish

Especially oily fish like salmon and tuna,

which have Omega 3 fatty acid prevent clots

from forming and cholesterol from becoming

damaged or oxidised.

A study conducted by researchers at

Southampton University found that Omega 3

oils stop the build up of fatty deposits in the

arteries.

Image: Omega 3 fatty acid present in oily fish

prevents clots from forming

Olive oil

Studies have shown that molecules of bad cholesterol when

mixed with monounsaturated fats found in olive oil become

less likely to be oxidised (only oxidised cholesterol is able

to stick to your artery walls and form plaques).

Image: Monounsaturated fats found in olive oil are beneficial

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in carotenoid lycopene, the

compound that gives tomatoes their colour -- an

antioxidant that can significantly lower your risk

of atherosclerosis by 50 percent.

According to a new study conducted by Korean

researchers, lycopene may help to prevent

hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. In the

study, researchers found that women with the

highest lycopene levels in their blood had the

least stiffness in their arteries and women with

lowest lycopene levels had the most.

Image: Tomatoes lower your risk of atherosclerosis

Green tea

Green tea also contains powerful antioxidants

called flavonoids that can improve the health of the

delicate cells lining the blood vessels (endothelial

cells) and help lower your risk of heart disease.

Endothelial cell dysfunction plays a key role in the

development of clogged arteries. Researchers

found that people who drink green tea experience

significantly increased artery widening (dilation) --

a sign of better blood vessel function, with the

highest increase noted at 30 minutes.

Image: Lower your risk of heart disease with green tea

Pomegranate

Pomegranate and its juice are high in antioxidant

content, which may help fight hardening of the

arteries.

A new study found that pomegranate juice not only

appears to prevent hardening of the arteries by

reducing blood vessel damage, but may also reverse

the progression of this disease. The tests showed that

pomegranate juice reduced the effects of stress on

human blood vessel cells by stimulating the

production of nitric oxide. This chemical is thought to

help keep arteries open and keep blood flowing.

Apart from the above mentioned foods, you also need

the following tips to clean your arteries quickly:

Exercise keeps you and your heart healthy. So make sure you exercise on a regular basis.

Reduce saturated fat intake by reducing the intake of processed food in your diet. In addition, reduce

the intake of trans fatty acids and hydrogenated fats as they are known to raise your LDL cholesterol.

It is also important that you drink plenty of water.

Plaque is detrimental to your arteries' health. Eating junk food and living a sedentary life is

the path to clogged arteries. Start eating the right foods along with an exercise programme

and you will be well on your way to squeaky-clean arteries!

Image: Pomegranate's antioxidants help fight hardening of the arteries

Fruits That Clean Clogged Arteries

Strawberries clear cholesterol from

arteries. Photo Credit

tanyasharkeyphotography/iStock/Getty

Images

Overview

Arteries become clogged with cholesterol

if your diet contains foods with high

levels of fat. Changing the diet to

eliminate high-fat foods and starting a

new focus on foods that sweep

cholesterol out of your arteries will help you prevent or lessen high blood pressure. Eating

healthy foods will often help your improve health and help you avoid blood pressure

medications

Olive Oil

Olive oil does not cause cholesterol buildup in

the arteries. Photo Credit Kuzihar/iStock/Getty

Images

Using olive oil in cooking and on salads helps

you decrease the level of your low-density

lipoprotein cholesterol level. This healthy oil

does not cause cholesterol buildup in the

arteries. This healthy fat helps improve overall

health as long as it is used sparingly because it

is a high-calorie oil

Fruits With Pectin

High fiber fruits are healthy

snacks. Photo Credit Purestock/Purestock/Getty Images

Fruits such as apples, strawberries, oranges, grapefruits and grapes contain pectin, a soluble

fiber, that works to reduce your level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, reports Harvard

Medical School. These high fiber fruits are healthy snacks that can replace fatty snacks that

lead to cholesterol buildup. Eating fruit regularly will improve overall health and reduce the

risks of serious diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

High-Fiber Foods

Dry cereals and other fibrous

foods help prevent high blood pressure. Photo Credit matka_Wariatka/iStock/Getty Images

Foods with a strong level of fiber work to clean your arteries by moving cholesterol out of the

body so it does not clog your arteries. Oatmeal, prunes, bananas, barley, kidney beans, and

dry cereals that contain oat brain all contain fiber. When these foods are eaten regularly they

work to prevent high blood cholesterol levels.

Soybeans And Tofu

Fatty meats should be

substituted with tofu. Photo Credit 4nadia/iStock/Getty Images

Tofu and soybeans can cause modest reductions in your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

level, reports Harvard Medical School. Intake of about 25 g of soy per day will decrease your

low-density lipoprotein level by about 5 percent to 6 percent. Eating tofu instead of fatty

meats will help you avoid high cholesterol levels

Fish With Omega-3 Fats

Fish is a good source of

omega-3 fatty acids. Photo Credit anna liebiedieva/iStock/Getty Images

Fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids help keep your arteries healthy, lower the risk of high

blood pressure, limit development of blood clots and lower the risk of unexpected death due

to a heart disease. Fish with strong levels of omega-3 fats include salmon, sardines, mackerel,

halibut, lake trout, herring and albacore tuna