Coronary atherosclerotic plaques associated with increasing exercise volume may also be more stable and less likely to rupture. We found that the most active athletes had fewer mixed plaques and more often only calcified plaques,4,5 which are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events.
Regular Exercise
One of the best ways to unclog arteries filled with plaque is to work out daily. Cardiovascular workouts like jogging, cycling, swimming, and brisk walking does wonders in reducing heart health risks and plaque.
You can “unclog” your arteries with natural methods, including diet, exercise, and stress management. Quitting smoking, if you smoke, can also help reverse plaque.
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.
Medical treatment, regular exercise, and dietary changes can be used to keep atherosclerosis from getting worse and stabilize the plaque, but they aren't able to reverse the disease.
In vitro (15–19) and animal (19–23) studies suggest biological mechanisms through which magnesium may prevent or reverse plaque formation and calcification.
Plaque build-up in arteries is, unfortunately, a natural part of living. Even children and adolescents have early evidence of the process. However, diet and other lifestyle factors play an important role. High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking can all worsen atherosclerosis.
The overall evidence suggests that supplementation with long-chain omega-3s reduces, and can positively remodel, atherosclerotic plaque formation.
Signs of Clogged Arteries
It can cause symptoms such as chest pain, breathlessness, heart palpitations and sweating, which may be triggered by physical activity. Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) or mini-strokes can occur when there is a blockage affecting the brain.
A long-term study including more than 3,000 participants made an unexpected find: white men who spend more than 7 hours exercising each week are most at risk of developing coronary artery calcification.
Being physically active is a major step toward good heart health. It's one of your most effective tools for strengthening the heart muscle, keeping your weight under control and warding off the artery damage from high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack or stroke.
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.
Statins help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, in the blood. They draw cholesterol out of plaque and stabilize plaque, Blaha says.
If you eat sources of saturated fat, like beef, switching to foods with omega-3 fatty acids, like fatty fish, can help lower your heart disease risk. CoQ10 may offer benefits if you already struggle with cardiovascular disease risk or you've had a heart attack.
Saturated fat is one of the worst offenders when it comes to plaque buildup in the arteries. Most experts suggest limiting saturated fats to under 7% of your daily calories.
Because there are several modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis, it is not necessarily a normal part of aging. Plaque builds up inside the walls of your arteries and, over time, hardens and narrows your arteries, which limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your organs and other parts of your body.
The prevalence of fatty streaks in the coronary arteries increased with age from approximately 50% at 2-15-years-of-age to 85% at 21-39-years-of-age, and the prevalence of raised fibrous-plaque lesions increased with age from 8% at 2-15-years-of-age to 69% at 26-39-years-of-age.
Many people have plaque by middle age. Mild plaque often doesn't affect blood flow very much. Atherosclerosis doesn't usually have any symptoms until the artery is blocked by at least half.
A. 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.
Oats. Oats are an excellent choice for those who have atherosclerosis or are trying to prevent clogged arteries. Eating oats can help significantly reduce atherosclerosis risk factors, including high levels of total and LDL (bad) cholesterol ( 39 ).