Atherosclerosis is a buildup of plaque in your arteries that causes them to harden and narrow.
1. Stop Smoking
- Damaging the lining of your blood vessels
- Increasing inflammation
- Allowing blood to clot more easily
If you smoke or use tobacco in another form, talk to your doctor about a strategy for quitting.
2. Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet
What you eat and drink also can go a long way toward treating and preventing atherosclerosis.
- Fruits, be they fresh, frozen, or canned, and packed in 100 percent juice or water
- Vegetables, be they fresh, frozen, or low-sodium canned
- Whole grains, from whole-grain bread (such as wheat) and pasta to brown rice, barley, and oatmeal
This diet also calls for limiting:
- Saturated and trans fats, which may mean trimming fat from meat, using less butter, and turning to unsaturated and low-fat substitutes
- Sodium and salt, often found in condiments, tomato juice, canned soup, and prepared foods
- Added sugars
- Alcohol
You may start by looking into heart-healthy diet plans such as the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet.
Not all diets work for all people, however. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about what foods and beverages might work best for your situation.
3. Get Enough Exercise
Exercise is a key component of a heart-healthy lifestyle.
- Walking
- Running or jogging
- Cycling (regular or stationary)
- Swimming
- Cross-country skiing
- Dancing
More physical activity may yield more health benefits. But even getting just a little exercise is better than none.
Before changing your exercise routine, talk to your doctor about what might be right for you.
4. Keep Track of Your Numbers
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol levels
- Blood sugar
- Weight and body mass index
Talk to your doctor about healthy ranges for all of these measurements and what would be best for your situation. Remember that staying within recommended ranges doesn’t prevent atherosclerosis alone.
The Takeaway
- Preventing plaque buildup in your arteries, known as atherosclerosis, can help you avoid serious complications, such as a heart attack or stroke.
- Because smoking cigarettes increases plaque buildup and damages your blood vessels in numerous ways, quitting smoking is an important way to help prevent atherosclerosis.
- Shifting to a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while limiting certain fats and sugars, salt, and alcohol, can improve your heart health.
- Regular exercise can promote heart health and prevent atherosclerosis, and even some physical activity is better than none.
- Talk to your doctor before making drastic changes to your diet and exercise routine, as well as about what the recommended ranges are for health markers such as your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.