Arteriosclerosis, or calcification of the blood vessels, is actually a normal aging process, but it can be pathologically accelerated by an unhealthy lifestyle. Therefore, it is important to strengthen one’s blood vessels at an early stage. You can find out here which factors can contribute to the development of arteriosclerosis and what you can do yourself for healthy, elastic vessels.
Vascular problems are common
Problems with blood vessels are not uncommon:
- One in three Germans over the age of forty has “calcified” vessels.
- Eighty percent have elevated cholesterol levels.
- 50 percent each suffer from elevated blood pressure and obesity.
If several factors come together, the danger for the cardiovascular system increases dramatically. Because: risk factors do not add up, they multiply. Even if externally at the vessel everything seems perfectly calm – inside slumbers a volcano that can erupt at any time. The reason: arteriosclerosis develops over a very long period of about 20 to 30 years and initially causes no symptoms.
Risk factors for atherosclerosis
So what risk factors in particular lead to calcification of the blood vessels? These are:
- High blood pressure
- Blood sugar disease – diabetes mellitus
- Increased blood lipid levels (cholesterol)
- Lack of exercise and obesity
- Smoking
- Hereditary load
Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial process: the interaction of different behaviors as well as risk factors, especially when they occur together and reinforce each other, causes the development of vascular damage. First and foremost, there is a lack of exercise, a poor diet and genetic predispositions. Once the process is set in motion and no countermeasures are taken, it is only a matter of time before the vessels “shut down,” so to speak.
What makes vascular damage so dangerous?
In principle, any vessel in the body can be affected by atherosclerosis. However, coronary arteries, aorta and cerebral arteries – vital vessels – are most commonly affected. Another danger of arteriosclerotic vessels: parts of a calcified vessel wall can detach, are transported further with the bloodstream and can then completely block smaller vessels. Vascular calcification can have various consequences, including, for example:
- Heart attack
- Angina pectoris
- Stroke
- Pulmonary embolism
- Circulatory disorders of the legs (shop window disease).
What happens when the vessels are narrowed?
Healthy arteries are free of deposits (plaques), flexible and elastic. Fat deposits on the endothelium – which is the innermost wall of the vessels – cause them to become narrower and harden, and the vessel wall thickens. This is called arteriosclerosis. Gradually, the arteries lose their elasticity and can no longer regulate the blood flow optimally. The heart has to pump harder so that the blood flow can reach and supply all the body’s cells despite the “narrowing of the roadway”. The “pressure” increases – the damage to the vessel wall takes on increasingly massive forms.
Strengthen vascular walls – here’s how!
The good news is: you can do something about it – with a healthier lifestyle, i.e. more exercise and an adequate supply of bioactive, i.e. health-promoting nutrients. In the early stages, the “one-way street” of the atherosclerotic process can often still be reversed. But what is good for the vessels? In principle, the options for keeping the heart and blood vessels fit are very simple and form the basics of a healthy lifestyle. The most important measures are:
- Stop smoking
- Pay attention to blood pressure
- Regular exercise
- Healthy diet
1.Stop smoking for healthy vessels.
Today, the adverse health effects of tobacco smoking can no longer be doubted. Cigarette smoking – along with elevated blood pressure and elevated cholesterol – is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of dying from a heart attack several times over, as does the risk of suffering a stroke and circulatory problems in the legs. The higher the cigarette consumption, the greater the risk.But even smoking “only” three to five cigarettes a day significantly increases the risk of heart attack – more significantly in women than in men, according to the results of a Danish study.
2. check blood pressure
You usually don’t feel high blood pressure, so you don’t feel sick. On the contrary, people with high blood pressure often feel particularly well. However, it should not be overlooked that elevated blood pressure is a dangerous disease, which in the long term destroys the vessels and significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. An additional problem: on the one hand, high blood pressure can contribute to the development of arteriosclerosis by damaging the vascular wall, and on the other hand, it can aggravate existing high blood pressure because the vessels lose elasticity. For this reason, it is important to check blood pressure regularly, because the earlier high blood pressure is detected and treated, the greater the chances that long-term damage can be avoided. Those who suffer from high blood pressure usually have to take tablets for the rest of their lives. It is also advisable to purchase a blood pressure monitor to make a regular check.
3. regular physical activities
Physical exercise is also an important measure. Here, it is better to do half an hour 3 times a week than 3 hours once a week. Another advantage: regular exercise prevents excess pounds. Excess weight, in turn, can lead to a number of other complications: High blood pressure, diabetes mellitus or high cholesterol levels are the result. Even a small amount of physical exertion significantly reduces the risk of vascular or heart disease later on. Good endurance sports include cycling, swimming or running. Older people who have not been active before should start daily with light exercises, such as walking and cycling.
4.Healthy diet prevents vascular diseases.
In the Mediterranean countries, where a lot of vegetable oil is used, fish is eaten more often and the daily glass of red wine is an integral part of the food culture, arteriosclerosis occurs less frequently than in our country. Recommended is a diet with:
- Plenty of fruit, vegetables and salad
- Less than 300 mg of total cholesterol per day.
- As much fiber as possible (> 30 g per day)
- Little sugar
Instead of salt, it is better to use herbs or spices, instead of animal fats better to use vegetable fats. Polyunsaturated fatty acids have a particularly positive effect on blood lipid levels and lower the “evil” LDL cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids also help to improve the flow properties of the blood so that the arteries remain elastic and also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Vegetable omega-3 fatty acids and red wine phenols as protective factors for healthy vessels have long been proven individually. Both in combination are also available as a supplementary balanced diet for the dietary treatment of arteriosclerosis (for example, as capsules such as TUIM arteria from pharmacies).
