The health of the arteries is intimately intertwined with diet. Some food components are injurious to the arteries while others benefit from them. Cholesterol is the worst enemy to artery. Cholesterol is necessary within the body and should not be considered a toxic substance in and of itself. The body is capable of producing sufficient cholesterol for its needs without recourse to consuming it from external sources.Cholesterol is harmful only because it adheres to arterial walls causing arteriosclerosis. Above a certain level of blood cholesterol there is an increased risk of arteriosclerosis and heart attack.There are two types of cholesterol in the blood depending on the lipoproteins that transports it.LDL or harmful cholesterol is combined with low-density lipoproteins and foster arteriosclerosis, HDL or beneficial cholesterol is combined with high-density lipoproteins that protect against arteriosclerosis. Olive oil and physical exercise increase the level of HDL cholesterol.To have healthy arteries and reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis and its complication like heart attack, stroke and poor circulation it’s necessary to reduce total cholesterol level and increase the level of antioxidants in the blood.Here is the diet you should increase to fight arteriosclerosis; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fiber, garlic, oils, antioxidants, folates and you should reduce meat, eggs, cured cheeses, coffee, salt, white sugar, alcoholic beverage, proteins, saturated fats and dairy products.
