1. How to Naturally Clean Plaque From the
Arteries
Last Updated: Aug 16, 2013 | By Heather
Topham Wood
A healthier diet can clean plaque naturally
from the arteries. Photo Credit
Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
An artery becomes clogged when a buildup
of plaque forms on the inner walls. Plaque
consists of calcium, fat, cholesterol and
cellular waste. If you have clogged arteries
due to poor diet and lifestyle choices, you are
at an increased risk of having a heart attack,
stroke or suffering from heart failure.
Medications, stents and balloon surgeries are
treatments used to clear arteries and prevent
further accumulation. However, speak to
your doctor about natural ways to clean the
arteries and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Step 1
Eat healthy fats. All fats are not created equal. To clean arteries out naturally, your daily fat
intake should come from healthy sources that are high in monounsaturated fats and omega-3
fatty acids. Food examples to incorporate in your diet are fish, nuts, avocado, seeds and olive
oil.
Step 2
Get rid of foods from your diet high in saturated fat. Eliminate vegetable oil, fried foods, fast
food, crackers, pastries, cookies, fatty cuts of beef and gravies from your diet. Review food
labels and avoid items that state the item includes hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated
oils.

2. Step 3
Meditate on a daily basis. According to Reader's Digest, practicing meditation for 20 minutes
per day was found to lower plaque levels in individuals. Yoga can also be done to naturally
lower plaque buildup by causing you to relax for a set period of time.

Step 4
Stop smoking. If you want to clean the arteries naturally, quit this unhealthy habit. Smoking
causes severe damage to the arteries.
Step 5
Exercise on a daily basis. Cardiovascular exercise can be part of your lifestyle changes to
naturally get rid of plaque in the arteries. Most days of the week, you should exercise a
minimum of 30 to 60 minutes. Some activities you can participate in are jogging, brisk
walking, cycling, swimming, tennis and step aerobics

3. 10 foods to keep your arteries clean
Adding these to your diet will ensure
you keep multiple medical conditions
associated with clogged arteries at
bay.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
are gripping the world like wild fire.
Nutritionists believe that they are
'The Plague' of the 21st century.
One of the key risks for developing
CVD is clogged arteries. This is not
an overnight occurrence, but a
series of wrong choices in food and
lifestyle.
Your arteries are blood vessels that
carry oxygen and nutrients from
your heart to the rest of your body.
They go to your brain as well as to
the tips of your toes. Healthy
arteries are flexible, strong, elastic
and clear of any deposits -- blood
flows through them easily. But as
you age, deposits of fatty
substances, cholesterol, cellular
waste products and calcium are formed on the inner walls of the arteries. This arterial plaque
can reduce blood flow or, in some instances, block it altogether.
As plaque deposits grow, a condition called atherosclerosis results. This condition causes the
arteries to narrow and harden. Clogged arteries in different parts of the body can lead to
multiple medical conditions, including reduced blood flow to the lower legs and other
extremities (due to clogging of peripheral arteries); angina (chest pain), heart disease or heart
attack (due to clogging of coronary arteries); and stroke (due to clogging of carotid arteries
that supply oxygen to your brain).
The main cause behind your clogged arteries is eating a lot of processed foods, added with
saturated fats, chemicals and toxins. But you will be amazed to know that just as there are
foods that will clog up your arteries, there are a few foods that will clean them as well. So if
you are experiencing shortness of breath and pain in the chest, you should add them to your
diet. Move on to the following pages to know what will make it to your list.

4. Garlic
Garlic has been used to treat heart diseases and
hypertension since ancient times.
According to a study published in Preventive
Medicine, it can inhibit coronary artery calcification
(the result of calcium deposition in the coronary
arteries, which serves as a marker for plaque
formation).
Another study conducted by a German scientist
Professor Guautnter Siegel, found that powdered
garlic reduced the formation of nanoplaque (the first building blocks of plaque) by up to 40
percent and reduced the size of the nanoplaque that has already formed by up to 20 percent.
Image: Garlic can inhibit coronary artery calcification
Grapes
The benefit of grapes comes from flavonoids that give
them, their juices and wines that vibrant purple colour.
The flavonoids, quercitin and resveratrol, appear to be
most concentrated in the skins, stems and seeds of
grapes rather than their juicy middle sections. These
flavonoids have been shown to prevent the oxidation of
LDL cholesterol ('bad' cholesterol) that leads to the
formation of plaque in artery walls.
They can also lower the risk of developing the blood
clots that lead to heart attacks.
Image: Flavonoids in grapes prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol
Berries
Berries (such as strawberries, raspberries,
blueberries and blackberries) are rich in
antioxidant flavonoids (such as anthocyanins)
that can help prevent artery hardening and help
to scour plaque from the walls of the arteries.
Image: Berries can help prevent artery
hardening

5. Apples
Apples contain 'pectin', a soluble fibre that lowers
cholesterol, probably by interfering with the intestinal
absorption of bile acids, which forces the liver to use
circulating cholesterol to make more bile.
They also contain quercetin, potassium and magnesium
which help keep your blood pressure under control.
Other pectin-rich fruit include pears and citrus fruit.
Image: The pectin in apples lowers cholesterol
Spinach
Spinach is rich in lutein, a plant
carotenoid, which not only protects against
age-related macular degeneration, but may
also help prevent heart attacks by keeping
artery walls clear of cholesterol build-up.
Spinach is also high in potassium and folic
acid, both of which are main lines of defense
against high blood pressure.
Image: The potassium and folic acid in
spinach prevent high BP
Fish
Especially oily fish like salmon and tuna,
which have Omega 3 fatty acid prevent clots
from forming and cholesterol from becoming
damaged or oxidised.
A study conducted by researchers at
Southampton University found that Omega 3
oils stop the build up of fatty deposits in the
arteries.
Image: Omega 3 fatty acid present in oily fish
prevents clots from forming

6. Olive oil
Studies have shown that molecules of bad cholesterol when
mixed with monounsaturated fats found in olive oil become
less likely to be oxidised (only oxidised cholesterol is able
to stick to your artery walls and form plaques).
Image: Monounsaturated fats found in olive oil are beneficial
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in carotenoid lycopene, the
compound that gives tomatoes their colour -- an
antioxidant that can significantly lower your risk
of atherosclerosis by 50 percent.
According to a new study conducted by Korean
researchers, lycopene may help to prevent
hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. In the
study, researchers found that women with the
highest lycopene levels in their blood had the
least stiffness in their arteries and women with
lowest lycopene levels had the most.
Image: Tomatoes lower your risk of atherosclerosis
Green tea
Green tea also contains powerful antioxidants
called flavonoids that can improve the health of the
delicate cells lining the blood vessels (endothelial
cells) and help lower your risk of heart disease.
Endothelial cell dysfunction plays a key role in the
development of clogged arteries. Researchers
found that people who drink green tea experience
significantly increased artery widening (dilation) --
a sign of better blood vessel function, with the
highest increase noted at 30 minutes.
Image: Lower your risk of heart disease with green tea

7. Pomegranate
Pomegranate and its juice are high in antioxidant
content, which may help fight hardening of the
arteries.
A new study found that pomegranate juice not only
appears to prevent hardening of the arteries by
reducing blood vessel damage, but may also reverse
the progression of this disease. The tests showed that
pomegranate juice reduced the effects of stress on
human blood vessel cells by stimulating the
production of nitric oxide. This chemical is thought to
help keep arteries open and keep blood flowing.
Apart from the above mentioned foods, you also need
the following tips to clean your arteries quickly:
 Exercise keeps you and your heart healthy. So
make sure you exercise on a regular basis.
 Reduce saturated fat intake by reducing the
intake of processed food in your diet. In addition, reduce
the intake of trans fatty acids and hydrogenated fats as they are known to raise your LDL
cholesterol.
 It is also important that you drink plenty of water.
Plaque is detrimental to your arteries' health. Eating junk food and living a sedentary life is
the path to clogged arteries. Start eating the right foods along with an exercise programme
and you will be well on your way to squeaky-clean arteries!
Image: Pomegranate's antioxidants help fight hardening of the arteries

8. Fruits That Clean Clogged Arteries
Strawberries clear cholesterol from
arteries. Photo Credit
tanyasharkeyphotography/iStock/Getty
Images
Overview
Arteries become clogged with cholesterol
if your diet contains foods with high
levels of fat. Changing the diet to
eliminate high-fat foods and starting a
new focus on foods that sweep
cholesterol out of your arteries will help you prevent or lessen high blood pressure. Eating
healthy foods will often help your improve health and help you avoid blood pressure
medications
Olive Oil
Olive oil does not cause cholesterol buildup in
the arteries. Photo Credit Kuzihar/iStock/Getty
Images
Using olive oil in cooking and on salads helps
you decrease the level of your low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol level. This healthy oil
does not cause cholesterol buildup in the
arteries. This healthy fat helps improve overall
health as long as it is used sparingly because it
is a high-calorie oil
Fruits With Pectin

9. High fiber fruits are healthy
snacks. Photo Credit Purestock/Purestock/Getty Images
Fruits such as apples, strawberries, oranges, grapefruits and grapes contain pectin, a soluble
fiber, that works to reduce your level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, reports Harvard
Medical School. These high fiber fruits are healthy snacks that can replace fatty snacks that
lead to cholesterol buildup. Eating fruit regularly will improve overall health and reduce the
risks of serious diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
High-Fiber Foods
Dry cereals and other fibrous
foods help prevent high blood pressure. Photo Credit matka_Wariatka/iStock/Getty Images
Foods with a strong level of fiber work to clean your arteries by moving cholesterol out of the
body so it does not clog your arteries. Oatmeal, prunes, bananas, barley, kidney beans, and
dry cereals that contain oat brain all contain fiber. When these foods are eaten regularly they
work to prevent high blood cholesterol levels.

10. Soybeans And Tofu
Fatty meats should be
substituted with tofu. Photo Credit 4nadia/iStock/Getty Images
Tofu and soybeans can cause modest reductions in your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
level, reports Harvard Medical School. Intake of about 25 g of soy per day will decrease your
low-density lipoprotein level by about 5 percent to 6 percent. Eating tofu instead of fatty
meats will help you avoid high cholesterol levels
Fish With Omega-3 Fats
Fish is a good source of
omega-3 fatty acids. Photo Credit anna liebiedieva/iStock/Getty Images
Fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids help keep your arteries healthy, lower the risk of high
blood pressure, limit development of blood clots and lower the risk of unexpected death due
to a heart disease. Fish with strong levels of omega-3 fats include salmon, sardines, mackerel,
halibut, lake trout, herring and albacore tuna