Clogged arteries occur when plaque builds up on the inner walls within the arteries. This arterial plaque may decrease blood flow and in some cases it can end up completely blocking it.

When you have clogged arteries, you will have an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, or death. These dangers mean that you should always be aware of the symptoms and treatments of artery plaque no matter how old you are as this will help you prevent serious consequences.

Risk Factors of Clogged Arteries

1. Dietary Habits

The plaque that clogs arteries starts to build up early on in life and this is usually due to your diet. Most people with plaque buildup have a diet with few fruits or vegetables and a lot of fat. Those who regularly eat foods that are fatty like burgers with mayonnaise put themselves at an increased risk of building up cholesterol.

2. Lifestyle and Health Conditions

In addition to dietary habits, other actions (as well as some uncontrollable factors) can be high risk indicators and these include excessive drinking, smoking, not getting enough exercise, developing diabetes, being obese (particularly around the abdomen), untreated high blood cholesterol or blood pressure, and heavy stress.

Symptoms of Clogged Arteries

As soon as you know about the risks of clogged arteries, it is natural to be concerned about your health. Many people want to know whether there are symptoms of this issue to help them know when they need to get medical attention. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for someone to have clogged arteries for years without knowing it. In these cases it only becomes obvious when there is a major life threatening event.

Despite this, there are some signs that may be symptoms of clogged arteries and they include:

• Sweating without a reason
• Frequent nausea
• Feeling giddy and weak
• Heart palpitations
• Short of breath
• Pain in the chest

If you notice any of these symptoms regularly or constantly, then you should immediately visit your doctor or a health care provider for a checkup and evaluation. 

In order to better understand what is occurring within your body, it is helpful to know a patient’s experience. This will also show you ways to test yourself and determine whether your arteries are clogged.

Treatments of Clogged Arteries

There are ways to prevent clogged arteries from forming as well as treatments that can help once they have become partially blocked. The prescriptions your doctor recommends to prevent clogged arteries and reduce the arterial plaque depend on your medical history and how severe your condition is. The following are some options they may recommend.

1. Surgeries

Depending on how severe your case is, your doctor may recommend surgery in order to treat your clogged arteries. There are several possible procedures:

•  Bypass surgery: This involves moving arteries from the other areas of your body so that they bypass your clogged arteries, therefore allowing oxygen-rich blood to reach its destination.
• Stent placement: This involves placing a stent (a metal tube containing medication) into the artery to keep up the proper blood flow.
• Balloon angioplasty: This is another procedure to open arteries that are clogged to the point of partial or complete blockage.

2. Medications

Sometimes your doctor will prescribe a medication to control some of the possible factors that lead to the buildup of arterial plaque. They may include:

• Aspirin and other drugs that reduce the chances of developing a dangerous blood clot
• Drugs that lower blood pressure
• Drugs that lower cholesterol levels

3. Change Your Lifestyle

It is essential to have a healthy lifestyle in order to manage your arterial plaque and therefore treat clogged arteries. To follow this healthy lifestyle:

• Manage your stress levels
• Do exercise regularly
• Don’t smoke
• Maintain a body weight that is healthy
• Eat a diet which is low in cholesterol and saturated fats. Have more vegetables and fruits.

4. Eat Certain Foods

• High- antioxidants foods

Foods that are rich in antioxidants will help reduce your LDL cholesterol levels. Eating antioxidant rich foods will stop this “rust” from forming and sometimes even prevent its development. Two good options are kiwi and cantaloupe and you can try to have either of these each day.

• Select shrimp

Shrimp tends to have a bad reputation because it is does contain cholesterol. But shrimp contains taurine and this amino acid prevents fat from crossing the intestinal wall. This means that the fats can’t get to your arteries. For the best results with this food, try eating five medium-sized grilled or steamed shrimp twice each week, but stay away from the cocktail sauce.

• Cranberry and grape juice

Cranberry juice can actually help strain fat from your arteries. Try drinking one glass of cranberry juice about three times weekly. Another option is to have a cup of grapes every day.

Watch this video to know how to clear blocked arteries with natural health remedies: