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.
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.
An atherectomy is a procedure to remove plaque from an artery (blood vessel). Removing plaque makes the artery wider, so blood can flow more freely to the heart muscles. In an atherectomy, the plaque is shaved or vaporized away with tiny rotating blades or a laser on the end of a catheter (a thin, flexible tube).
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.
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.
Drinking teas, such as green or black tea, rooibos tea, or ginger tea may be good heart-healthy substitutes for other beverages. A study from 2011 found that drinking 6 cups of rooibos tea per day for 6 weeks helped to lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood in adults who were at risk for heart diseases.
Eat a healthy diet
Follow a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Keep meat, dairy, sugar, refined grains, salt and saturated fats to a minimum, as these have been known to damage blood vessel cells over time.
In vitro (15–19) and animal (19–23) studies suggest biological mechanisms through which magnesium may prevent or reverse plaque formation and calcification.
Lemons have many of their own nutritional benefits.
Lemon peels which contain citrus flavonoids play a role in the treatment of insulin resistance, and can help prevent clogged arteries.
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.
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.
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.
Although we're not sure where this claim originated from, we do know there is no scientific evidence proving apple cider vinegar clears clogged arteries. In fact, vinegar should not be substituted for standard treatment.
lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and honey, you will be able to simply and healthfully unclog arteries and control blood pressure. Garlic has been shown to be a natural way to clear blocks in the arteries, as well as reduce blood pressureand bad cholesterol levels.
Blueberries and strawberries contain flavonoids, which help dilate arteries, reduce plaque buildup and increase blood flow.
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.
(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.
For example, the fiber in oatmeal can lower our blood cholesterol levels so that less gets stuck in our arteries, but there also are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant phytonutrients in oats that can prevent atherosclerotic build-up and then help maintain arterial function (see Can Oatmeal Reverse Heart Disease?).
Apple & Banana are best fruits for heart blockage that helps in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It contains antioxidants that can help prevent blood clots from forming and causing a heart attack or stroke. Bananas are also a great fruit to eat if you have heart blockage.
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.
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.