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.
Niacin, or Vitamin B3, is the best agent known to raise blood levels of HDL, which helps remove cholesterol deposits from the artery walls.
A healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods may help reduce your risk of developing clogged arteries. Research has shown that adding foods like cruciferous vegetables, fish, berries, olive oil, oats, onions, greens, and beans to your diet may be an effective way to prevent atherosclerosis.
You can “unclog” your arteries with natural methods, including diet, exercise, and stress management. Quitting smoking, if you smoke, can also help reverse plaque.
Turmeric
Turmeric is one of nature's most potent anti-inflammatories, due to a compound called curcumin. This not only reduces arterial inflammation, but also fatty deposits known as plaque, by as much as 26%! That's pretty impressive for a pinch of spice.
In vitro (15–19) and animal (19–23) studies suggest biological mechanisms through which magnesium may prevent or reverse plaque formation and calcification.
L-arginine is an amino acid that helps expand blood vessels and amplify blood flow.
In fact, vinegar should not be substituted for standard treatment. Few studies conducted in 2009 indicated apple cider vinegar could reduce bad cholesterol in animal test subjects; however, it did not completely remove plaque in blocked arteries.
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.
Eating specific foods cannot cleanse plaques out of the arteries, but a healthful diet can help manage and prevent heart disease. Over time, plaque buildup can lead to thickened or hardened arteries. This is a condition known as atherosclerosis.
Drinking 12 ounces of apple juice a day significantly slowed one of the processes that clog arteries and can lead to a heart attack, the study shows. To a lesser degree, eating two apples a day also helped slow the process.
Through angioplasty, our cardiologists are able to treat patients with blocked or clogged coronary arteries quickly without surgery. During the procedure, a cardiologist threads a balloon-tipped catheter to the site of the narrowed or blocked artery and then inflates the balloon to open the vessel.
In summary, fish oil may reduce atherosclerosis by activating numerous nuclear receptors including PPAR-alpha and PPAR-gamma, by inhibiting the infiltration of macrophages and as the release of MMPs, and by preventing the weakening and rupturing of atherosclerotic plaque.
The study, published Aug. 13 in Science, suggests that consuming food rich in saturated fat and choline - a nutrient found in red meat, eggs and dairy products - increases the number of metabolites that build plaques in the arteries.
The new study found, however, that rupture was significantly related to the depletion of proteins in the basement membrane, a thin layer that surrounds cells that cover the plaque. Loss of these cells weakens the plaque structure and leads to rupture.
Avocados deliver a one-two punch for cleaning out your arteries. Like olive oil, avocados contain loads of blood sugar-stabilizing, cholesterol-optimizing MUFAs. But they're also a surprisingly great source of fiber, clocking in at about 6.5 grams per half avocado.
Avocado- Studies have shown that avocado can lead to improved blood cholesterol, while lowering LDL and triglycerides and increasing the HDL, the good cholesterol that help keep arteries clear.
Black and green tea are associated with a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, and short-term studies suggest it's good for your blood vessel health.
(Reuters Health) - A traditional Mediterranean diet with added olive oil may be tied to a lower risk of heart disease at least in part because it helps maintain healthy blood flow and clear debris from arteries, a Spanish study suggests.
Some studies have shown that garlic and garlic supplements may have positive effects on heart health by preventing cell damage, regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. Other research shows that garlic supplements may also reduce plaque buildup in the arteries.