Keeping up with our health can be difficult, especially in this fast-paced world where eating unhealthily is the quickest way to a meal. Unfortunately, unhealthy foods can also pave the way to clogged arteries. You may be thinking that you have perfectly fine health. However, you very well may have clogged arteries without even knowing it.
But what exactly are clogged arteries?
A buildup of a sticky substance, plaque, can form on the inner walls of your arteries. Arterial plaque can reduce blood flow or, in some instances, block it altogether. Clogged arteries significantly increase the likelihood of heart attack, stroke, and even death.”
To start, check out the hidden signs of clogged arteries that you may not even notice, and then see the best foods to start eating to prevent it.
4 Hidden Signs Of Clogged Arteries
1. Unexpected baldness
Regardless of age, a study of 37,000 men found that baldness on the crown of their head suggested the presence of CHD, whereas a study of 7,000 people (4,000 of which were women) found that moderate to severe baldness increased the risk of death by heart disease in both men and women. You may think that balding is in your family, but it could also be a sign of clogged arteries that lead to heart disease.
You may want to seriously consider your diet and health if you have moderate to severe balding because it may just be your body’s way of telling you that something has got to change.
2. Pain in your calves
Especially while walking, pain in the calves is called “claudication.” Atherosclerosis can cause blockages in your arteries before CHD is detected, especially in people who smoke cigarettes. If you feel pain in your calves when you walk, and there’s no other explanation, such as a lengthy workout the day before, you will want to assess the pain in your leg quickly.
A doctor will measure the blood flow and pressure to determine whether or not you have poor blood circulation. This can help assess heart issues and clogged arteries as early as possible so no other damage occurs.
3. Crease in your earlobe
Do you spend much time thinking about your earlobe? No, I didn’t think so. Other people don’t, either! However, if you have CHD, you may find a crease in your earlobe that goes from your ear canal to the lower portion of your earlobe. Of course, this is all due to the poor blood circulation from your clogged arteries.
According to a clinical professor for medicine and author Joel K. Kahn, MD, “Although some medical professionals have argued that a crease is just a general sign of aging, researchers last year used the most sophisticated CT scan method to measure silent CHD and found that ear crease predicted heart disease even after the authors accounted for other risk factors, such as age and smoking.”
If you notice this ear crease, you must visit a doctor for a heart health assessment.
4. Erectile dysfunction
Of course, old age may also be a factor when it comes to erectile dysfunction, But for men who are otherwise at the age where obtaining an erection should be easy, this can be a huge indicator of clogged arteries. If an erection is difficult to achieve or cannot be maintained, it may be a sign that the arteries in the pelvis are clogged. As a result, they’ll have decreased blood flow to the penis. Most men were diagnosed with CHD after 3 to 5 years of the initial erectile dysfunction. So there’s plenty of time to look at it and discover the clogged arteries.
Now, it’s essential to know the signs of a clogged artery so you can get yourself checked out by a doctor. But it’s equally important to know the types of food to eat to help prevent your arteries from getting clogged in the first place.
Here Are 4 Best Foods To Help Prevent Clogged Arteries
“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” – Mahatma Gandhi
1. Fresh vegetables
Eating your veggies is very important, and it always has been! There’s a reason that your parents always tried to get you to eat your vegetables. Plant foods are very high in minerals, fiber, and vitamins. Thus, they keep your body healthy and your arteries free of clogs. According to Reader’s Digest, “people who ate 8 or more servings were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than people who consumed 1½ servings or fewer.”
2. Herbs and spices
Adding herbs and spices to your meals is one of the easiest and tastiest ways of keeping your body healthy when it comes to blocked arteries. Most herbs and spices are even medicinal for the body, which means that even though they taste delicious and unhealthy, they’re incredibly good for you.
Have you wondered why, though?
Herbs and spices are plant-based, delivering the same protection as herbs and vegetables. When we consume these spices, they also protect the cells in our body from disease.
3. Fish
Certain types of fish are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are ideal for your heart health. These fatty acids lower heart rhythm disturbances, lower your blood pressure, and even lower inflammation.
Fatty fish such as salmon is full of omega-3 fatty acids that increase heart health. Even a single weekly serving of fish could increase your heart’s functioning. So enjoy a plate of seasoned fish with herbs and spices and a healthy serving of vegetables. Indeed, it is a delicious way to make your whole meal heart-healthy.
4. Leafy greens
Arugula, kale, lettuce, spinach, and beets are all high in nitrate, which they get from the soil. Nitrate transforms into a gas during your digestion, with can help prevent blood coagulation. As a result, it minimizes both heart problems and strokes. Also, “one serving of nutrient-packed leafy greens (like spinach) a day can help reduce your risk of heart disease by 11 percent,” states Shape.com
Therefore, leafy greens are one of the best ways to unclog arteries.
Final thoughts on clogged arteries
Watching out for your health can be difficult. However, learning the right signs to look for and the right foods to eat can make being heart-healthy both easy and delicious. Avoiding clogged arteries and coronary heart disease is much better than dealing with either of those things down the line. Keep an eye out for these symptoms. Also, start switching your diet over to foods that can prevent clogged arteries in the first place.
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