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.
Examples: Brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis and jumping rope. Heart-pumping aerobic exercise is the kind that doctors have in mind when they recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity.
Pomegranates. Pomegranate juice has been shown to lower blood pressure and is loaded with anti-inflammatory antioxidants that will protect the cardiovascular system from tissue damage and inflammation which is a major driving force behind heart disease.
Water is the drink of choice for heart health. If you're thirsty, drink water.
“Black tea has cardio-protective benefits that can improve blood vessel function and blood flow,” says Mintz. He also notes this is due to polyphenols and flavonoids, antioxidants found in plants like tea lives, which research suggests can help prevent cell damage, reduce inflammation, and improve cholesterol levels.
Pomegranate juice is rich in polyphenol antioxidants, which research suggests can improve blood circulation. This juice also has nutrients, including vitamin C, which strengthens blood vessels and can improve blood flow in that way.
A new study from the University of California, Irvine shows that compounds in both green and black tea relax blood vessels by activating ion channel proteins in the blood vessel wall.
A CT scan of the heart can show calcium deposits and blockages in the heart arteries. Calcium deposits can narrow the arteries. Sometimes dye is given by IV during this test. The dye helps create detailed pictures of the heart arteries.
If there's too much cholesterol in the blood, the cholesterol and other substances may form deposits (plaques) that collect on artery walls. Plaques can cause an artery to become narrowed or blocked. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form. Plaques and blood clots can reduce blood flow through an artery.
Spices, including ginger, pepper, chili, and cinnamon may help protect against clogged arteries ( 30 ). These and other spices have anti-inflammatory properties and may help scavenge free radicals, improve blood lipid levels, and reduce the clumping together of platelets in the blood ( 30 ).
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. The trick is to stop oxidation of unhealthy lipoproteins, or LDL.
Although you can't reverse atherosclerosis once it starts, you can prevent it with some easy lifestyle changes. Eat a balanced diet that's high in heart-healthy fruits, vegetables, and fish. Exercise for at least 30 to 60 minutes a day. Stop smoking, cause that's really bad news for your arteries.
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.
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are jam-packed with important nutrients that play a central role in heart health. Berries are also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which protect against the oxidative stress and inflammation that contribute to the development of heart disease ( 9 ).
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.
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.
In vitro (15–19) and animal (19–23) studies suggest biological mechanisms through which magnesium may prevent or reverse plaque formation and calcification.
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.
Ginger has the ability to possibly lower your blood pressure. When the amount of pressure on your veins is minimized it allows for easier blood flow. Ginger also exhibits blood-thinning potential and because thinner blood is easier for your heart to pump it can help improve the circulation of blood within your veins.