Keeping the body toned, it took only one year to reverse the plaque in the carotid arteries to disappear. How is it done? Let's take a look!
01
Self-recuperate for a year
Vascular plaque disappears
Recently, Guo Yifang, vice president of Hebei Provincial People's Hospital and director of the geriatric department, shared a case of a patient who reversed arterial plaque.
This is a woman in her 50s who had a carotid ultrasound examination in the spring of 2022 and found a atheroma plaque in the left common carotid artery. She has normal blood pressure and blood sugar, a reasonable diet, normal weight, no smoking or drinking. The only notable anomaly was an increase in cholesterol, which was 4.22 mmol/L for LDL cholesterol.
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Some people will ask: Since her living habits are very good, why does cholesterol increase? The answer is simple - genetic factors.
To prevent her arterial plaque from growing further and prevent more atherosclerotic plaque throughout her body, the only solution was to treat her with cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Recently, she came back for a physical examination, and after meeting her, she was excited to say that her carotid plaque was gone.
Why did her atherosque disappear? Because she managed to control LDL cholesterol! The test found that her LDL cholesterol dropped to 2.01 mmol/L, a 52% reduction.
02
Lowering "bad cholesterol" is key
Dean Guo Yifang said that as long as reasonable treatment is adhered to under the guidance of doctors, some plaques can shrink or even completely recede.
So, how to make carotid plaque shrink or even subside?
"The most important thing is to lower cholesterol levels." President Guo Yifang explained that cholesterol is the main raw material for the formation of arterial plaque, without cholesterol, there is no arterial plaque, and it is difficult to develop atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (such as myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction). Effectively reduce cholesterol levels, can prevent or delay the development of plaque. If cholesterol is lowered enough and levels low enough, plaques that have formed are likely to shrink or even disappear.
Dean Guo Yifang introduced that in order to achieve plaque reduction or reversal, we must first change bad living habits, that is, control diet, improve dietary structure, increase exercise, lose weight, quit smoking and limit alcohol, these measures are effective ways to prevent further growth or increase of plaque.
Second, if you have high blood pressure or diabetes, you should also actively and reasonably control blood pressure and blood sugar. High blood pressure and diabetes are both important factors in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
Third, statin therapy should be used. It is also wrong to self-medicate without the guidance of a doctor.
In general, lowering cholesterol is the last word, whether it is carotid plaque or coronary plaque, as long as the cholesterol is reduced to a low enough level can effectively prevent the plaque from further enlarged, and some plaques can gradually shrink.
03
Do these 6 points
Help you shrink plaque in your arteries
1. Eat healthily – don't exceed calorie intake
Eat eight full, eat less fatty foods such as fatty meat, animal offal, eat less salt and sugar, strictly control total calories, and avoid overweight and obesity.
Usually you can eat more three types of food, the first is fresh vegetables and fruits, it is recommended to eat enough 1 kilogram of vegetables and half a kilogram of fruits every day, intake 8~10 kinds of vegetables per week, eat more dark vegetables; Secondly, we should eat more coarse grains and often eat nuts and legumes; In addition, eat more deep-sea fish or fish, preferably steamed.
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2. Moderate exercise – 150 minutes/week of aerobic exercise
Moderate exercise helps lower cholesterol in the blood and slows the progression of plaque. Choose the exercise that suits you and do it regularly, in moderation and gradually. Generally, moderate intensity aerobic exercise is appropriate, about 30~50 minutes each time, 3~5 times a week.
3. Lifestyle habits – be sure to quit smoking and alcohol
Smoking and drinking can affect blood cholesterol levels, so measures such as quitting smoking and limiting alcohol can help lower blood cholesterol levels and prevent plaque from growing or increasing further.
4. Regular routine - don't stay up late and go to bed late
Sleep is very important for keeping your blood lipids healthy. It is recommended to fall asleep before 23 o'clock every day. Staying up late for a long time can lead to sleep deprivation, endocrine abnormalities, and thus induce a series of problems such as lipid metabolism disorders.
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5. Control your weight – avoid obesity and overweight
"Control the mouth and open the legs", maintaining a healthy weight (BMI at 20.0~23.9kg/m2) is conducive to blood lipid control; At the same time, it is recommended to control the waist circumference in men
6. Scientific medication - control blood lipid levels
If you still can't improve your lipids through lifestyle, you can use statins or a combination of drugs as directed to control your lipids.