Is there a special diet for blocked arteries?
The answer has to this has to be no, however there are certain guidelines you should follow to prevent your arteries from becoming blocked in the first place by following a heart healthy diet.
Even if you have already been diagnosed with blocked arteries, there are still some changes you can make that may reverse the condition by embarking on a heart healthy diet, without having to resort to conventional treatments like Angioplasty and Stents.
Contributors to blocked arteries mainly include, poor diet, stress,obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and of course smoking. Did you knowthat smoking cigarettes can increase your risk factor by up to 200%! (nag nag nag!)
Your lifestyle changes should include eating a heart healthy diet and implementing some form of physical activity even if it’s walking a short distance every day, and a weight management program if you are over weight.
So, let’s look at the heart healthy diet without being a killjoy!
Just remember it pays to adopt the everything in moderation approach and its ok to have a treat once in a while.
In a heart healthy diet you should limit saturated fat intake. You should limit your saturated fats to less that 7% of your daily amount if you want to follow a heart healthy diet plan, and your overall fat intake should be about 25%. The fat should be mono and polyunsaturated sources, including omega 3 fatty acids. Some foods that have Omega 3 are salmon, tuna, and mackerel.
Fibre intake for a heart healthy diet
Your fiber intake should be at least 25g a day and you should have less than 200mg per day of cholesterol. To do this, increase your vegetable, fruit, legume and whole grain intake this way you will not only increase your fiber intake, but also lower your cholesterol.
In a heart healthy diet you should eliminate the harmful foods, such as fried, sugary, fatty and junk foods, avoid processed foods which are oily foods high in carbohydrates.
Cook with healthy oils, like flaxseed oil, sunflower oil and virgin olive oil.
Include more fresh fruit and vegetables in your heart healthy diet, whole grains, nuts and omega 3 fatty fish on your menu. Modifying what you eat can aid in reversing blocked arteries.
Drink fresh juice, they help to unblock your arteries. These include vegetable juice, lemon juice, grape juice, pineapple juice and grapefruit juice.
IMPORTANT: If you are taking statin drugs or other prescription medications, check with your doctor before drinking grapefruit juice, as there could be potentially dangerous interactions. He will probably also give you some valuable tips for a heart healthy diet.
Stop smoking. I know we’ve heard it all before but smoking contributes to blocked arteries, as well as heart disease, lung diseases, cancer and other serious health problems. Get on a smoking cessation program as part of your heart healthy diet as soon as you can, with the help of your doctor. If you do nothing else just stopping this dangerous habit will greatly enhance your health. (nag nag again!)
A heart healthy diet should include moderate exercise in some form. Walking, swimming, participating in water aerobics, doing gardening, even performing housework are all examples of the types of exercise you can do on a regular basis to become more physically active and help unclog your arteries.
Supplements and a heart healthy diet
Take cayenne pepper supplements. Highly touted by many herbalists for its healing properties, cayenne is known for a host of health benefits, including unclogging the arteries and increasing circulation. Speak to your doctor before taking cayenne supplements if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a stomach ulcer or are on any prescription medication.
Consider getting Chelation therapy to help your life changes and heart healthy diet. This involves having a chelation agent called EDTA administered intravenously to rid your body of heavy metal toxins. Many patients have found that other benefits come as a result, including reversing clogged or hardened arteries by breaking up the buildup of plaque. Be aware that intravenous Chelation Therapy can take some time, with up to 30 sessions required from 90 minutes to 3 1/2 to 4 hours and it doesn’t come cheap. It is not available on the NHS.
The best solution to Chelation Therapy today is Liquid EDTA which is taken orally diluted with juice or water, you can read more about Cardio Renew’s Liquid EDTA Chelation Therapy here.
Lastly, you should limit your alcohol and salt intake at all times. Too much alcohol raises your blood pressure and triglycerides; and too much sodium raises blood pressure as well. Everything in moderation is a good plan, but stick to it!
You will experience many benefits with a heart healthy diet but don’t con yourself.