Atherosclerosis is the medical term for the hardening of the arteries, a common occurrence in people as they age. But although it is common, it is also incredibly dangerous. Atherosclerosis is associated with increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and other forms of cardiovascular disease. In fact, it has been cited as being connected with the majority of deaths that occur around the world, in one way or another.
As such, a deeper understanding of what this is–and what can be done to help prevent it–is pretty important.
For one, exercise and proper diet play a really important role in avoiding atherosclerosis. These things help promote vascular elasticity, the opposite of a hardening of arteries. Additionally, avoiding smoking can also help considerably. This isn’t exactly new knowledge, but it is important to start with the things that work so that you have at least a starting point for taking steps to help improve health.
The things that doctors and researchers have learned about arteries and keeping them healthy can help improve health for countless people around the world. Although it might not prevent every instance of heart disease, the research being done is going to help improve health outcomes for many people.
How we understand atherosclerosis and the issues that it causes has changed over the years–and that’s a good thing. It’s not just overweight older men that are at risk of a heart attack. Women and younger individuals are also impacted by this. Additionally, high cholesterol is problematic, but we now know that there are both good and bad kinds of cholesterol. It’s not enough just to lower your bad cholesterol levels if you want to improve heart health, but having adequate levels of the good kind are also important. Controlling triglycerides is also an important component of this.
Finally, we have a better understanding now of the role that inflammation plays in heart health. Inflammation makes heart disease a lot worse–and foods that promote inflammation can exacerbate things, too. Avoiding fried foods and a lot of sugar can have a profound impact upon an individual’s overall cardiovascular profile.
Speak with a doctor to learn more about this. They will be able to look at your unique situation and identify the factors that contribute to your overall health. Avoiding heart disease before it becomes an issue is the best way to make sure that your senior years are free of major health issues. So many people end up needing senior care early because of issues from a stroke or heart attack. While many of these people do survive and make a partial recovery, it would always be preferable to never have these issues in the first place. Working with a doctor familiar with your situation can help you here.
If you do find that senior care becomes necessary, whether because of a heart health issue or something else, we can help. Give us a call to schedule a free consultation where we can go over your unique situation and help come up with a customized care plan to help your family get the help and support that they need.
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