Welcome to our video on the 8 Ways To Stop Calcium Plaque In Your Heart Arteries.
The blood vessels that wrap around the outside of your heart, covering it like a crown, are called coronary arteries.
They deliver a continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients to your heart muscle so it can pump blood effectively to the rest of your body.
Excess calcium commonly builds up in the coronary arteries as you age. Coronary calcification is widespread; calcium deposits are found in 67% of women and 90% of men over 70.
Contrary to popular belief, coronary artery disease (CAD) is not a result of consuming saturated animal fats or dietary cholesterol.
Instead, coronary calcification, the root of CAD, is a symptom of inflammation and repair in your arteries.
Calcium, the most abundant mineral in your body, usually resides within your teeth and bones.
However, calcium can start depositing elsewhere as you age, including in your arteries.
Calcification starts early in the development of atherosclerosis, an inflammatory disease that causes your arteries to harden and narrow.
Over time, as calcium accumulates in the fatty deposits called plaque, reduced blood flow may cause chest pain or tightness (angina), shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue.
However, more often than not, calcification goes undetected and has no symptoms until a blood clot cuts off the blood flow entirely and causes a heart attack or stroke.
Now, calcification is not random; it is found in all patients with documented CAD.
The good news is you can rewrite your heart’s story by addressing the inflammation in your body.
Here are eight ways to reverse coronary calcification, backed by the synergy of modern science and timeless wisdom.
As always, this video is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider about any changes to your health regimen.
So, we start with Number 8. “Avoid Inflammatory Foods.”
Say goodbye to inflammation-inducing foods in your diet. These offenders, including vegetable oils, trans fats, refined sugars, GMOs, and gluten, can cause a low-grade inflammatory response in your body, contributing to coronary calcification. Instead, focus on anti-inflammatory, heart-healthy foods that can help combat inflammation.
Consume whole foods rich in vitamin K2, magnesium, and vitamin D. This powerful trio can help counteract nutritional deficiencies linked to coronary calcification.
Picture a plate filled with vibrant, organic leafy greens, nutritious nuts from nature, and wild-caught fish from the ocean’s depths. Remember to include grass-fed and pasture-raised meats; they are nutrient-dense sources of these vitamins.
Click the link below to get your FREE anti-inflammatory diet plan.
Next, we have Number 7. “Practise Fasting.”
When you eat food, your body breaks it down into fuel that provides energy for essential organs like your brain, heart, lungs, and liver.
During fasting, your body looks for alternative energy sources, leading to ketosis. In ketosis, your body uses ketones from fat as its primary fuel source instead of glucose from carbohydrates.
Fasting and ketogenic diets help reduce oxidation, inflammation, and insulin resistance, three factors that contribute to artery calcification.
As you fast, your fat stores decrease, and your body may slowly and naturally break down coronary plaque for fuel. Fasting can also increase apoptosis and autophagy, which help clear damaged cells and plaques in arteries.
Some fasting protocols that may help prevent coronary calcification include intermittent fasting, alternate-day fasting, 24-hour fasting, and 72-hour fasting periods.
Consider consulting a healthcare professional before starting any extended fasting regimen.
Moving on, we have Number 6. “Get Regular Exercise.”
Staying active is essential for a healthy heart, but it’s all about finding the right balance.
Moderate exercise can help slow down the hardening of heart arteries, but very high-intensity workouts may speed it up.
Don’t let this discourage you from being active, though. Studies reveal a sedentary lifestyle promotes heart artery hardening by lowering body metabolism and increasing inflammation.
For most individuals, the cardiovascular benefits of exercise far outweigh any potential risks. Whether you take a leisurely walk in the park or a lively dance class, every move you make is a step towards a healthier heart.
Next, at Number 5, we have “Get Enough Sunlight.”
Did you know that soaking up the sun’s rays could benefit your heart? Turns out, sunlight does way more than feel nice your skin.
It helps your body make optimal vitamin D crucial for preventing coronary calcification.
Vitamin D keeps inflammation in check. Not getting enough can cause inflammation to spiral out of control and speed up calcification.
Despite its importance, an estimated 42% of people in the US struggle with vitamin D deficiency, mainly due to spending too much time cooped up indoors and slathering on sunscreen when outside.
Besides helping with vitamin D production, sunlight also stimulates the creation of nitric oxide, a compound that widens blood vessels. When the body has enough nitric oxide, blood flows freely and quickly, thus preventing calcification.
Diabetes and insulin resistance can cause clogged arteries by blocking nitric oxide production. You can increase nitric oxide by spending more time in the sun.
Coming up next is Number 4. “Reduce Toxins.”
We are constantly exposed to harmful substances such as air pollution, pesticides, mold, heavy metals, and chemicals in everyday products. These toxins can disrupt your body’s balance and contribute to coronary calcification.
Choose organic food and avoid items susceptible to mold mycotoxins. Replace chemical-heavy cleaners and beauty products with natural alternatives.
By making these changes, you can reduce exposure to harmful substances and support your body’s natural detoxification processes, ultimately promoting better heart health.
In the top 3, we have Number 3. “Reduce Stress.”
When stress invades your life, it triggers a series of biological changes, such as increased blood pressure and a fight-or-flight response, which leads to a surge in hormones like cortisol.
Chronic stress leads to inflammation, a significant contributor to calcification.
Studies show that reducing stress can help stop or slow the progression of coronary artery calcification by lowering cortisol levels and blood pressure.
Moving on next, Number 2 is “Sleep More.”
Getting enough quality sleep is critical for heart health. Multiple studies have found strong links between insufficient sleep and increased risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack, and other cardiovascular problems.
A 2008 study from the University of Chicago found that people who slept less than 5 hours per night were over twice as likely to develop coronary artery calcification over five years compared to those sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night.
The researchers concluded that getting just one extra hour of sleep per night could significantly reduce heart disease risk, with benefits comparable to a significant drop in blood pressure.
And at Number 1, we have “Supplement As Needed.”
Due to depleted soils and chemical agriculture, it’s increasingly more difficult to obtain all the essential nutrients your body needs from food alone.
Here are six essential nutrients that combat calcification and CAD, along with their food options.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
Statins do not prevent coronary calcification, but eating seafood does.
A recent study showed that omega-3 fatty acids from seafood help to prevent coronary calcification and plaque progression. According to this study, a high omega-3 index predicts a low heart attack risk in people with coronary calcification.
Wild-caught fatty fish top the list of omega-3 foods you can eat.
They are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) that support the heart by decreasing inflammation, lowering triglycerides, preventing blood clots, and maintaining healthy blood pressure.
The best seafood choices for Omega-3s are salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies, oysters, and mussels.
If you plan to supplement, take a look at the high-quality fish oil below.
- Vitamin K2.
Clinical trials and observational studies have demonstrated that vitamin K2, especially in the form of MK-7, can help slow down the development and progression of coronary artery calcification.
Vitamin K2 activates a protein called MGP, which prevents calcium buildup in blood vessel walls and pushes the calcium to your bones where needed!
Fermented foods reign supreme when it comes to vitamin K2. Bacteria produce it during fermentation, so foods like natto (fermented soybeans), sauerkraut, kefir, and cheeses like gouda, brie, and cheddar pack a punch when it comes to K2. Two other excellent choices are grass-fed butter and pastured egg yolks.
When choosing a supplement, opt for the MK-7 form of K2, as it stays in your bloodstream longer, providing more benefits to your heart health.
- CoQ10
CoQ10 does two critical things. It sparks energy production in your body’s cells, including your heart. Plus, it scavenges and destroys free radicals that cause cardiovascular problems and heart disease. Fueling your body with CoQ10 is one of the most important things you can do for your heart.
CoQ10 is an antioxidant. It helps prevent artery calcification by reducing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. It also regenerates nitric oxide to improve blood flow.
The bioavailable form of CoQ10 is Ubiquinol, which provides eight times more absorption and works better for people over 45.
For a supplement that combines ubiquinol with vitamin K2, see the link below.
- Vitamin D.
Vitamin D helps increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestines.
There are a few decent food sources of vitamin D: fatty fish, cod liver oil, pastured egg yolks, mushrooms exposed to UV light, beef liver, and fortified foods.
When supplementing, take vitamin D3 with vitamin K2. Multiple studies have shown that taking MK-7 plus vitamin D over six months to 2 years slows artery calcification more than vitamin D alone.
- B Vitamins.
Homocysteine is a double-edged amino acid that plays a crucial role in building proteins but can be harmful when levels become too high.
Eating protein-rich foods like meats, seafood, dairy, eggs, sesame seeds, and Brazil nuts converts the amino acid methionine to homocysteine.
B vitamins, specifically B12, B6, and B9 or folate, help regulate homocysteine levels by breaking it down into other beneficial substances, leaving only a trace in the bloodstream.
High homocysteine levels can cause significant damage to arterial walls. It can also trigger excessive clotting, obstructing blood flow to critical body areas and potentially leading to heart attacks, accelerated dementia, and strokes.
To consume all three, B12, B6, and folate, in foods, choose beef liver, salmon, pastured eggs, grass-fed milk and yogurt, fortified cereals, lentils, spinach, asparagus, and avocado.
When supplementing, choose a liposomal B complex for better absorption.
- Magnesium.
Magnesium is vital in various bodily functions, including muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation, and bone health.
Up to 80% of adults are not getting enough magnesium because it’s depleted in the soil. This can be serious, because your heart cannot function properly without adequate magnesium.
Magnesium prevents muscle spasms of the heart arteries, which increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack.
Together with vitamins K2 and D3, magnesium stops calcium from forming inside the plaque. Higher magnesium intake has been associated with reduced markers of calcium plaque in the arteries.
There are many forms of magnesium. Get 7 types of magnesium in one supplement at the link below.
There you have it! Eight ways to stop calcium plaque in your heart and arteries.
If you’ve been told coronary calcification is a one-way street, it’s time to shake off that myth.
Get your FREE anti-inflammatory diet plan by clicking the link below.
To learn about the real cause of heart disease, watch our video, “Top 5 Foods That Destroy Your Heart“.