Medically reviewed by Mia Dacumos, MD · Nephrology · Makati Medical Center
Atherosclerosis is a condition wherein there is a buildup of plaque within your arteries. This plaque buildup obstructs normal blood flow, decreasing the efficiency at which your blood vessels deliver oxygenated blood. Read on to learn more about how atherosclerosis affects your body, and how to avoid this with an atherosclerosis prevention diet.
Plaque is typically made up of a combination of:
As time passes, the plaque tends to harden, narrowing the effective space within your arteries, and limiting the amount of blood that can pass through.
Due to the fact that less blood can pass through your arteries there is decreased oxygen delivery to your vital organ systems. This can put you at risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and organ failure eventually leading to death.
The exact cause of atherosclerotic plaque formation is currently unknown. However, medical professionals have identified that certain genetic traits, medical conditions, and lifestyle habits may increase the risk of developing this condition.
A majority of these risk factors can be controlled. For instance, doing the following may lower the risk of this condition:
However, it should be noted that some factors cannot be controlled, such as:
With this in mind, diet modification may be crucial in preventing the development of atherosclerosis. Keep in mind though that diet is not the only factor involved in atherosclerosis prevention.
A heart-healthy diet may also help prevent atherosclerosis. This type of diet involves increasing one’s intake of foods such as fruits and vegetables while restricting the intake of others, such as foods high in saturated and trans fats as well as additives.
The food listed below serves as the foundation of a heart-health diet.
Food items that increase the risk for atherosclerosis development include salt, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and alcohol.
Hence, it is recommended that you limit the intake of the following types of food:
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was developed to be a balanced, flexible eating plan that follows the logic behind the heart-healthy eating lifestyle.
This diet requires no particularly special foods, but instead provides goals each day and week in terms of nutrition.
The principles of the DASH diet:
When sticking to the DASH diet, experts recommend incorporating foods that are:
Learn more about Atherosclerosis here.
Disclaimer
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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