Atherosclerosis - how to protect your heart and arteries?

Atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis) is one of the most common and dangerous diseases of the cardiovascular system. It develops slowly and can remain silent for many years, while fatty plaques build up inside the arteries. Over time, these plaques harden and calcify, leading to narrowing or even complete blockage of blood flow.

The result? Coronary heart disease, stroke, heart attack, vascular dementia, intermittent claudication or chronic kidney disease.

What causes atherosclerosis?

Although cholesterol is often blamed, the real problem lies in chronic inflammation and damage to the endothelial lining of blood vessels. In response, the body attempts to “repair” the damage by depositing lipoproteins and minerals in the vessel walls.

The main risk factors include:

• a diet rich in processed food, sugars and trans fats,

• smoking and excessive alcohol intake,

• chronic stress,

• lack of physical activity.

  
  

How to protect your arteries?

• Diet: eliminate simple sugars and trans fats, include vegetables, fruits, nuts, green tea, turmeric and pomegranate juice (studies have shown that regular intake can reduce arterial wall thickness by up to 30%).

• Exercise: regular physical activity is essential - without movement, there is no health.

• Supplementation and diagnostics: monitor homocysteine and lipoprotein(a) levels, supplement vitamins (D3, K2, B group, C, E), as well as omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols.

• Natural support: polyphenols, quercetin and tocotrienols (a component of vitamin E) found in tomatoes, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.

Colchicine - small dose, big impact

Colchicine, long known as a treatment for gout, has recently attracted the attention of cardiologists. Research has shown that low doses can reduce atherosclerotic processes by as much as 20-25%.

• Recommended therapeutic dose: around 0.5 mg per day.

• Safety: well tolerated at this dose and exerts anti-inflammatory effects.

• Warning: doses above 10 mg are toxic (causing severe diarrhoea), while doses over 40 mg can be fatal.

Colchicine is also used in other cardiovascular conditions, such as pericarditis, post-operative atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease and certain cerebrovascular disorders.

Atherosclerosis is not a life sentence, it is a process we can actively influence. A healthy diet, regular exercise, stress reduction and smart supplementation can significantly slow its progression. In some cases, modern therapies such as low-dose colchicine provide an additional tool in protecting the heart and blood vessels.

Source: Skutecznie wyleczyć. Choroby sercowo-naczyniowe - prof. Andrzej Frydrychowski, dr Michał Lange