Plaque buildup along
artery walls makes them hard and narrow. This in turn increases blood
pressure and may restrict blood flow to the heart and brain, raising the
risk of a heart attack or stroke. If there is a significant amount of
plaque buildup and a high risk of complications, then medication or
surgery may be needed to remove the plaque. While diet and exercise work
best to prevent plaque buildup, a healthy lifestyle may be able to
reduce the level of existing plaque.
Plaque
Plaque
is a sticky substance made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other
substances that travel through the bloodstream. When plaque builds up
and narrows the blood vessels, this is called atherosclerosis or
coronary artery disease. Lifestyle can help prevent plaque buildup;
these aspects include eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise,
not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. Preventing plaque buildup
is easier than reversing plaque buildup, which may or may not occur in
some patients. Reversing the disease requires intensive lifestyle
changes, according to a 2007 study published in the "Journal of the
American Medical Association." Within one year after following a strict
exercise and diet regimen, some patients were able to reverse plaque
buildup. Patients who followed the plan for five years were able to
reverse plaque buildup even further. The program involved following a
very low-fat vegetarian diet, moderate aerobic exercise, stress
management training, smoking cessation and group psychosocial support,
which takes a lot of dedication to stick to.
