Atherosclerosis is striking. Manifestations of atherosclerosis of mesenteric vessels

Good day, dear readers!

In this article we will look at such a disease of blood vessels as atherosclerosis, as well as its causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, using traditional and folk remedies.

Atherosclerosis – chronic illness arteries, a characteristic feature of which is the deposition of cholesterol and other fats on the inner walls of blood vessels. Subsequently, this “clogging” causes the walls of the vessels to thicken, the lumen to decrease, their elasticity to be lost, resulting in blockages of the vessels. Due to the deformation of blood vessels, there is a load on the heart, because it needs more effort to pump blood.

The result of atherosclerosis is diseases such as hypertension (hypertension), necrosis, etc.

According to statistics for 2000, in Russia from cardiovascular diseases 800 people die per 100,000 population! At the same time, in France there are 182 people, in Japan 187. Scientists have recognized that the reason for this situation is nutrition and lifestyle. Of course, in the current 2016, when the spread of GMO products has gained incredible momentum, and truly high-quality food products cost such an amount that most people cannot afford to buy them, mortality continues to rise.

In this regard, it has been established that middle-aged and elderly people are most often susceptible to atherosclerosis, although there have been cases where this disease was identified in children.

ICD

ICD-10: I70
ICD-9: 440

The development of atherosclerosis begins from the human circulatory system. In a healthy person, blood, circulating in the blood vessels, delivers oxygen and nutrients to all organs and tissues. With a normal diet, cholesterol is also present in the blood.

Cholesterol- organic compound, - natural fatty (lipophilic) alcohol, which is contained in cell membranes ah body. Cholesterol plays important role in the protection of cell membranes, and is also necessary for the production of steroid hormones (cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, etc.), bile acids, as well as the normal functioning of the immune and nervous systems.

Cholesterol is insoluble in water, and accordingly, it cannot independently enter the tissues of the body, therefore, the function of delivering it through the blood to all organs is performed by transporter proteins (apolipoproteins), which are found in complex compounds - cholesterol with other compounds.

Apolipoproteins are divided into 4 groups:

- high molecular weight (HDL, HDL (lipoproteins) high density))
- low molecular weight (LDL, LDL, (low density lipoproteins))
- very low molecular weight (VLDL, VLDL, very low density lipoproteins);
- chylomicrons.

Depending on the “address” (body part) of delivery, different of these apolipoproteins perform the function. LDL, VLDL and chylomicrons combine with cholesterol and deliver it to peripheral tissues. But LDL (low-density lipoproteins) are poorly soluble and tend to precipitate. Due to this, cholesterol combined with LDL is called “bad” cholesterol.

Problems begin when an excess of cholesterol in the body, together with LDL, precipitates, which adheres to the walls of blood vessels and forms atherosclerotic plaques.

Here I would also like to note that low-density lipoproteins are counteracted by high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which protect the walls of blood vessels from their negative effects, but HDL, unfortunately, is 2 times less.

Atherosclerotic plaques– formations that consist of cholesterol, other fats, low-density lipoproteins and. They form under the endothelium (the inner surface of blood vessels), in places where it is damaged.

Under the endothelium (between the outer and inner walls of the vessel), i.e. in the thickness of the vessels, various substances are synthesized that regulate blood clotting, as well as the health of the vessels themselves.
So, as the atherosclerotic plaque grows, the lumen of the vessel narrows, and there is a risk of its rupture, from where a blood clot enters the vessel.

Thrombus- an accumulation of cells, mainly platelets and blood proteins. To put it simply, a thrombus is a clot of coagulated blood that occurs in places where blood vessels are damaged.

A thrombus aggravates the situation by the fact that it further narrows the lumen of the vessel, but the main danger from it is that a piece can come off from it, which, moving further along the vessels, reaches a place where the diameter of the lumen of the vessel is less than the thrombus. Further, in this place a blockage of the vessel occurs, and the tissues and organs “cut off” from the blood supply begin to die.

Of course, the process of development of atherosclerosis described above is a simplified form of explanation, but I hope that I was able to describe the overall picture.

Causes of atherosclerosis

On this moment, the causes of atherosclerosis continue to be studied. Let's highlight the most known reasons:

- endothelial dysfunction;
— damage to the endothelium by viruses (herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, etc.);
- damage to the vascular wall by chlamydia, mainly Chlamydia pneumoniae;
- abnormalities in the functioning of leukocytes and macrophages;
- primary accumulation of a large number of lipoproteins in the thickness of the blood vessel;
— deviations in the functioning of the antioxidant system;
- an increase in the level of adrenocorticotropic and gonadotropic hormones with age, which leads to an imbalance of hormones necessary for regulating cholesterol.

Among the factors that provoke the development of atherosclerosis are:

— bad habits (drinking alcohol, smoking);
— hypertension (): blood pressure level from 140/90 mm Hg. Art.;
- hyperlipoproteinemia;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- Not proper nutrition;
— ;
— ;
— ;
- heredity;
— ;
- homocysteinuria;
- hyperfibrinogenemia;
- postmenopause;
- age;
- metabolic disorders.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis largely depend on the location where it develops, as well as the vessel affected. Let's consider the most popular sites of injury and the accompanying signs of this disease.

Atherosclerosis of the heart

Coronary atherosclerosis. Occurs as a result of damage to the coronary vessels by atherosclerotic plaques. Based on this, the flow of oxygen to the heart (myocardium) decreases and nutrients.

Symptoms of coronary atherosclerosis:

Atherosclerosis of the aorta of the heart. It occurs as a result of damage to the main vessel of the heart, the aorta, by atherosclerotic plaques.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the aorta of the heart:

- burning periodic pain in the chest area;
- increase in systolic (upper);
- periodic dizziness;
— premature aging, graying;
- difficulty swallowing food;
— enhanced growth hair in the ears;
- appearance of wen on the face.

Atherosclerosis of the abdominal region

Atherosclerosis of the abdominal region (cardiac aorta). Occurs as a result of damage to atherosclerotic plaques of the aorta in the abdominal area.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta

Symptoms of cerebral atherosclerosis

Conditionally acceptable food products ( minimal amount): vegetable oil (30-40 g/day), beef and lamb (no more than 90-150 g), eggs (no more than 2 pieces per week), whole milk, white bread, pasta.

What not to eat if you have atherosclerosis: butter, hard margarine, animal fat, caviar, egg yolks, brains, kidneys, liver, heart, tongue, meat with visible fat, sausages, ham, sausages, duck, goose, sour cream, full-fat milk, cream, full-fat cottage cheese, fatty varieties of cheese, curd cheeses, processed cheeses, ice cream, vegetables (cooked in fat), fruits (candied, sweetened), chocolate, candies, marmalade, marshmallows, jam and preserves.

For the treatment of atherosclerosis, M.I. Pevzner developed a special dietary food — .

In addition, it is necessary to minimize the use of:

- saturated fatty acid;
— ;
- table salt - no more than 8 g per day.

Medicines for atherosclerosis

Medicines for atherosclerosis are used for:

— correction of blood pressure levels;
— control of diabetes mellitus;
— correction of metabolic syndrome;
— normalization of the lipid spectrum.

Depending on the above goals, they are divided into 4 main groups:

1. Drugs that block the absorption of cholesterol by the walls of blood vessels and organs.
2. Drugs that reduce the synthesis of cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver, as well as their concentration in the blood.
3. Drugs that increase the breakdown and excretion of atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins from the body.
4. Additional drugs.

Group 1: drugs that block the absorption of cholesterol by the walls of blood vessels and organs

IA - anion exchange resins: Gemfibrozil, Cholestyramine. This group of drugs absorb cholesterol and are then removed from the body along with it. The disadvantage is that vitamins and other medications are absorbed along with cholesterol.

IB – plant sorbents:"Guarem", "β-sitosterol". This group of drugs interferes with the absorption of cholesterol by the intestine.

Group 1 drugs can cause dyspepsia.

Group 2: drugs that block the absorption of cholesterol by the walls of blood vessels and organs

IIA (statins): lovastatin (Apexstatin, Mevacor, Medostatin), simvastatin (Vasilip, Zocor, Simvor), fluvastatin (Leskol), pravastatin (Lipostat, Pravachol), atorvastatin (Liprimar ", "Torvacard"), rosuvastatin ("Crestor"). Contraindications: should not be taken by pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, those with liver disease, or in combination with alcohol. Side effects: alopecia, myopathy, dyspepsia, rhabdomyolysis, impotence, hepatotoxicity.

IIB (fibrates): fenofibrate (Traykor), bezafibrate (Bezalip), ciprofibrate (Lipanor). Side effects: dyspepsia, myositis. Fenofibrates are the newest drugs, therefore, in the treatment of atherosclerosis, they are preferred. Fenofibrates are also used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

IIC: nicotinic acid (“Enduracin”). Side effects: , itchy skin, dyspepsia. Not recommended for use with diabetes.

IID: probucol (“Fenbutol”). Reduce sterol synthesis.

Group 3: drugs that increase the breakdown and excretion of atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins from the body

Unsaturated fatty acids: Linetol, Lipostabil, Omacor, Polyspamine, Thiogamma, Tribuspamin. Side effects: increased effect of antihyperglycemic drugs.

Group 4: additional drugs

Endotheliotropic drugs (nourish the endothelium): pyricarbate (“Anginin”, “Parmidin”), synthetic analogues of prostacyclin (“Vasoprostan”, “Misoprostol”), E (tocopherol) and C (ascorbic acid).

Important! Before use folk remedies against atherosclerosis, be sure to consult your doctor!

Suffering from atherosclerosis nowadays great amount of people. By its nature, atherosclerosis is a chronic disease, the occurrence of which can be triggered by many factors.

Throughout development pathological process Atherosclerotic plaques are deposited in the vessels, which over time increasingly narrow their lumen and lead to more or less pronounced circulatory disorders in the corresponding organs and organ systems.

It is important for every person to be able to recognize the first manifestations of the disease, especially what the initial stage of atherosclerosis looks like.

It is often very mild, clinically erased, and therefore the disease is usually diagnosed in later stages.

What is the cause of the disease?

Atherosclerosis can occur under the influence of many etiological factors. Most often, the cause is the combined influence of several factors together.

According to modern medical knowledge, there are three types of risk factors that contribute to the development of the disease. The first group is the so-called irreversible factors, the second is partially (potentially) reversible, and the third is reversible factors.

The first group of factors influencing the process of atherosclerosis includes the following:

1. Genetic predisposition.
2. The age of the person.
3. Gender.
4. Having bad habits.
5. Presence of persistently elevated blood pressure

The second group of factors includes:

• increased amounts of cholesterol, lipids and triglycerides;
• diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia;
• low levels of high-density lipoproteins;
• presence of metabolic syndrome.

The third group includes a sedentary lifestyle, emotional stress, and the presence of bad habits.

Characteristics of irreversible factors contributing to atherosclerosis

Sugar level

Genetic predisposition - unfortunately, many problems associated with lipid (fat) metabolism disorders are inherited and are caused by certain defects in chromosomes. And since an excess amount of cholesterol in the body is one of the leading causes of atherosclerosis, then heredity in this case is one of the first places.

Human age – people over 40 years of age are most susceptible to the disease. During these years active hormonal changes organism, their vascular system loses its strength and elasticity, problems with blood pressure and metabolism often begin;

Male gender - men suffer from atherosclerosis almost four times more often than females, and 10 years earlier.

Long-term and frequent smoking - nicotine is a slowly acting poison on the body that damages the cells of the respiratory and of cardio-vascular system. Almost all smokers suffer from chronic bronchitis. As for blood vessels, under the influence of nicotine they become more fragile and permeable, due to which cholesterol freely penetrates into the vascular wall and is deposited in the form of plaques.

Hypertension is a frequent increase in blood pressure, often without an identified cause. In this case, the vessels are almost always subject to spasm. Prolonged spasm is always harmful to the muscular lining of the arteries, and this leads to the destruction of some myocytes (smooth muscle cells).

The vessels become unable to quickly respond to a nerve impulse, and lipid molecules can more easily penetrate their membrane and, as expected, form plaques.

Characteristics of partially reversible factors

Increased amounts of cholesterol, lipids and triglycerides – hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Particularly important is the increased level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which, in fact, is atherogenic.

Diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar concentration) - all diabetics sooner or later develop certain complications. These are diabetic retinopathy (retinal damage), neuropathy (nerve damage), nephropathy (kidney damage) and angiopathy (vascular damage). There is microangiopathy - damage to small vessels, and macroangiopathy - when large vessels are affected. All this happens due to the effect of high concentrations of sugar on blood vessels, which is why they are gradually destroyed.

Low levels of high-density lipoprotein - the cholesterol associated with it is called "good" because it is not part of plaque. For complete treatment, an increased level is required and low concentration low density lipoproteins.

Metabolic syndrome is a generalized name for several manifestations. These include obesity abdominal type(fat deposition mainly in the abdominal area), decreased glucose tolerance (concentration instability), increased triglycerides in the blood and arterial hypertension.

Characteristics of reversible risk factors

The third group of rice factors are the so-called “others”. They depend entirely on the person himself, and their presence in our lives can be completely eliminated.

A sedentary lifestyle – scientifically speaking, this is physical inactivity. Many people's work involves computers, constant recordings, and all this also happens in a stuffy office. Such work negatively affects the overall strength of the body. People quickly gain extra pounds, become less resilient, and may develop high blood pressure, which, in turn, will have a bad effect on the vascular system.

Emotional stress – stress is one of the predisposing causes for the occurrence of arterial hypertension. As is known, in this case the vessels undergo prolonged spasm. During this time, the muscular lining of the arteries undergoes microdamage. This also affects their other two membranes - mucous and serous. Even minimal trauma to the arteries becomes an entry point for excess cholesterol in the body.

Chronic alcoholism – ethanol by nature belongs to toxic substances. It methodically separates all types of metabolic processes in the body, which also affects fat metabolism.

The balance of lipids in the blood is disrupted, and the process of formation of atherosclerotic plaques is started.

Pathanatomy and pathophysiology of atherosclerosis

All processes occurring in blood vessels during atherosclerosis are studied in detail by sciences called pathological anatomy (pathological anatomy) and pathological physiology (pathophysiology). They describe the full pathogenesis of the disease.

Damage to the vessel wall under the influence of any external factors is called alteration. Alteration leads to dysfunction of the inner lining of the arteries - the endothelium. Due to endothelial dysfunction, vascular permeability increases sharply, and the production of special substances increases that stimulate active blood clotting and narrowing of the lumen of the vessel.

Alteration of the vessel in the case of atherosclerosis occurs under the influence of excess cholesterol, various infections or excess amounts of hormones. After some time, infiltration occurs, that is, saturation, of the inner lining of the arteries with cells circulating in the blood called monocytes. Monocytes turn into macrophage cells, which have the ability to accumulate cholesterol esters. The accumulated esters are transformed into foam cells, which form so-called lipid stripes on the intima (inner lining) of the arteries. Macrophages synthesize special substances that stimulate the synthesis connective tissue. The normal lining of the arteries is replaced by connective tissue. IN scientific literature this process is called sclerosis. Sclerosis can also occur after myocardial infarction.

All of the above processes lead to chronic inflammation in vessels. An atherosclerotic plaque gradually forms. It is encapsulated cell wall cholesterol. There are early and late plaques. Early, or primary, plaques themselves are yellow, located eccentrically and are not detected by additional research methods. If the yellow plaque is damaged or ruptured, a blood clot forms, which leads to the so-called acute coronary syndrome.

Over a long period of time, late, or white, plaques form. They are also called fibrous. They are located concentrically around the entire circumference of the vessel and cause serious hemodynamic disturbances and are expressed in attacks of angina.

According to all described pathological changes There are 5 stages of atherosclerosis:

1. Pre-lipid stage - in this case, the vessels themselves are not yet destroyed, only their permeability to (atherogenic cholesterol) increases.
2. Lipoidosis is the stage of formation of lipid bands, when lipoproteins have just begun to accumulate in the intima of the arteries.
3. Liposclerosis - newly formed connective tissue begins to be added to the resulting accumulations of lipids, due to which the plaques increase in size;
4. Atheromatosis is ulceration of an atherosclerotic plaque.

The last stage is atherocalcinosis - accumulation and deposition of calcium salts occurs on the surface of the plaque.

Symptoms of the development of atherosclerosis

The diagnosis of atherosclerosis is made based on the characteristic complaints of patients. Actually, this is the symptomatology of the disease. It depends directly on the location of the pathological process. There are several main arteries that are most often affected.

Coronary arteries - they are most often affected. In this case, atherosclerosis is most often obliterating, that is, almost completely closing the lumen of the vessel. It usually manifests itself as coronary heart disease (CHD). Patients often experience sudden attacks of burning, pressing pain in the chest, which is usually associated with physical exertion or emotional stress. Attacks may be accompanied by shortness of breath and a feeling strong fear of death. With massive damage to the arteries, myocardial infarction can develop.

Aortic arch – if it is damaged, patients may complain of dizziness, periodic loss of consciousness, and a feeling of weakness. With more extensive damage, there may be a violation of the act of swallowing and a hoarse voice.

Cerebral arteries - they are more often affected in old age. initial stage atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries is accompanied by pain in the head, memory impairment, mood lability, sensitivity of patients and instability of conclusions. Almost all patients exhibit Ribot's sign, in which they perfectly remember events that happened long ago, but cannot tell what happened this morning or yesterday. As an outcome of cerebral atherosclerosis, a stroke can develop.

Mesenteric arteries are vessels of the intestinal mesentery. In this case, patients will complain of burning, unbearable pain in the abdomen, and stool disturbances.

Renal arteries - appear first slight pain in the lower back. Then the blood pressure may rise for no reason, which is very difficult to reduce with medications.

Arteries of the lower extremities - they are very often affected in patients with diabetes. People will complain of frequent cold feet, numbness, and impaired hair growth on the skin of the feet. Sometimes the legs may even turn blue. Also, patients cannot walk long distances for a long time, and are forced to stop periodically, as their legs go numb, turn pale, begin to hurt, and “goosebumps” run down their legs. These symptoms represent "intermittent claudication" syndrome. Over time, trophic ulcers may appear on the skin. In the future, this can develop into gangrene. If gangrene develops, then it is obligatory.

All vessels, except the cerebral vessels, are called extracranial, or extracranial.

Treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis consists of following a diet prescribed by a doctor and taking anticholesterolemic drugs that help clear plaque from blood vessels. It is also necessary to exercise regularly; you can also follow recommendations for the use of folk remedies that can be prepared at home. It will be necessary to undergo treatment for a long time and without interruptions, since the first effect will be noticeable only after a year.

How to detect atherosclerosis early stages described in the video in this article.

Improper, irrational nutrition, lack of exercise, stressful situations- all this leads to the occurrence of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a disease that affects the main (large) vessels. This happens cholesterol deposition in the wall of the vessel, resulting in the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque, narrowing the lumen of the vessel. This leads to a significant decrease in blood flow through the affected vessel, and the degree of reduction in blood flow is usually proportional to the degree of stenosis (narrowing) of the vessel.

Atherosclerosis becomes chronic and is the most common cause disability and premature death. It most often affects people aged 40-45 years and 3-4 times more often than men.

Causes and risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis

Undoubtedly great importance have so-called risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis. Some of them are irremovable: age, belonging to male, family history of atherosclerosis. Others are completely removable: nutritional obesity, smoking. The third are partially removable (potentially): diabetes mellitus, different kinds metabolic disorders. Risk factors also include insufficient physical activity, excessive emotional stress and personal characteristics of a person, poor nutrition (tendency to overeat, preference for food rich in animal fats, etc.).

What's happening?

In the early stages, visible lipid deposits (“fatty streaks”) appear on the lining of the arteries. At the next stage, further deposition of lipids (fats and cholesterol) occurs and rounded dense formations, so-called atheromas, or atherosclerotic plaques, appear, protruding into the lumen of the vessel and thereby narrowing it. Finally, necrosis (destruction) begins in the thickness of individual or fused plaques.

The progression of this process leads to the destruction of the plaque, which is accompanied by hemorrhages into its thickness and the formation of blood clots in areas of ulceration. Ulcerations are also dangerous because they reduce the strength of the vascular walls, predisposing to the formation of an aneurysm (a sac-like protrusion of the arterial wall that occurs at the site of its overstretching, thinning and weakening), especially in the aorta. In addition, dense scars gradually form at the site of ulceration, as a result of which the walls of the arteries lose the elasticity necessary to maintain normal blood pressure.

What is the essence of the disease?

Large arteries become clogged with atherosclerotic plaques, which prevents normal blood supply to organs. An atherosclerotic plaque is a formation consisting of a mixture of fats (primarily cholesterol) and calcium. This “growth” on the inner shell of the vessel is covered on the outside with a capsule. Violation of the integrity of this tire (that’s what it’s called in medicine) leads to the formation of a blood clot, a conglomerate of cells (mainly platelets) and blood proteins, on the plaque.

The thrombus, firstly, leads to slowly progressive deformation and narrowing of the lumen of the artery until complete desolation (obliteration) of the artery and thereby causes a chronic, slowly increasing insufficiency of blood supply to the organ fed through the affected artery.

Secondly, a piece can come off from it, which is carried further along the vessel by the blood flow until the diameter of the latter becomes so small that the blood clot gets stuck in it. In this case, a severe circulatory disorder occurs: blood simply stops flowing to any organ (or part of it), and it may die, which can cause death.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis

These changes are often localized in the aorta, cardiac, cerebral, renal arteries and arteries of the extremities, most often the lower ones. The picture of the disease and the patient’s complaints depend on the damage to certain arteries.

Thus, atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries (heart vessels) very often manifests itself in the form of a heart attack. At the heart of the pathological process, i.e. disease, there is a violation of the correspondence between the need of the heart for blood supply and its actual implementation. This discrepancy can occur when the blood supply to the myocardium remains at a certain level, but the need for it has sharply increased (angina pectoris of exertion or rest) or when the blood supply is reduced ().

Often severe forms atherosclerosis of the aorta can be asymptomatic. The patient may experience pressing or burning pain behind the sternum, radiating to both arms, neck, back, top part belly. But unlike angina, these pains last a long time, sometimes intensifying and sometimes weakening.

When the renal vessels are damaged, severe arterial hypertension occurs. Atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries is manifested by decreased performance (especially mental), decreased memory, active attention, and fatigue. Over time, insomnia appears, patients become fussy, obsessive, and picky. Their intelligence decreases. A complication of atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries is a violation of cerebral circulation, hemorrhage (stroke), thrombosis.

Atherosclerosis of the arteries of the extremities, most often the lower ones, manifests itself in calf muscles when walking (" intermittent claudication"). Chilliness and coldness of the extremities appear.

Thus, atherosclerosis leads to the development of most modern “diseases of civilization.”

Prevention of atherosclerosis

Prevention of atherosclerosis, like almost any disease, is based on eliminating the factors of its development. Thus, to prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis, you should avoid fatty foods, bad habits (alcohol abuse), lack of physical activity and, as a consequence, overweight body, systematic pressure changes (especially increased pressure), stressful situations.

What can you do?

Atherosclerosis is a slowly progressing disease. It is very difficult to catch the onset of the disease, and complications of the disease threaten the patient’s life. Therefore, you should see your doctor and periodically monitor your blood lipid and cholesterol levels, especially if you have predisposing risk factors.

What can your doctor do?

Medical treatment tactics are aimed at eliminating nervous and mental stress and normalizing metabolic processes.

Traditionally prescribed medications, reducing the level of lipids in the blood, improving trophism and oxygenation of tissues, improving blood rheology, increasing the elasticity of the vascular wall. They select a balanced diet, adjust the work and rest schedule, and include systematic therapeutic exercises.

In the presence of atherosclerotic plaques that threaten the normal blood supply to organs, surgical treatment methods such as reconstructive vascular operations are used.

Atherosclerosis- This is good familiar to people chronic illness. It is believed that it occurs atherosclerosis from excess cholesterol entering the human body. Indeed, high cholesterol levels in the blood contribute to the appearance of plaque and deposits on the walls of blood vessels. However, to prevent atherosclerosis, it is not enough to simply limit the consumption of foods containing cholesterol. Completely avoiding foods containing cholesterol can be harmful to health. In fact, the problem of atherosclerosis is much more complicated.

First of all, as I said above, cholesterol is necessary for the body human substance. The organs of a healthy person contain approximately 200 g. Most of cholesterol is found in nervous tissue and the brain. Cholesterol performs various functions in the body - it participates in the formation of a number of hormones, including sex hormones, in the synthesis of vitamin D and bile acids, binds and neutralizes some toxins and toxic substances that enter the body with food. Cholesterol is an essential material for the structure and formation of cell membranes, as well as for the process of cell renewal and regeneration.

On average, a person receives about 20% of cholesterol from food; the body synthesizes the rest of the cholesterol itself, and also has the ability to remove excess cholesterol from the body. This is of great importance for the balance of cholesterol in the body.

To complete the picture, I will say: in the body there are substances that maintain cholesterol in the blood in a dissolved form, which prevents cholesterol from depositing on the walls of blood vessels.

From the above it follows: we can formulate four points of a nutrition strategy that will be aimed at preventing and combating the development of atherosclerosis:

1. Restriction in the diet of foods rich in cholesterol.

2. Reducing the consumption of dishes and products that beneficially stimulate cholesterol synthesis in the human body.

3. Consumption of substances with food that dissolve cholesterol in the blood and help maintain the dissolved state.

4. Inclusion in the diet of foods that have a beneficial effect on the removal of excess cholesterol from the body.

A large amount of cholesterol is found in fatty meat and dairy products: beef, pork, cheese, butter, full-fat milk, fatty cottage cheese, loin and smoked meats, poultry, fish. Offal products are very rich in cholesterol. There is especially a lot of cholesterol in the brain and yolk chicken egg. The use of these products should be limited.

Much in health depends on individual characteristics human body. There are people whose bodies, from childhood, are able to convert large doses of cholesterol to benefit without harmful substances and removal of excess. They can not restrict themselves in food until old age, maintaining good health. For many others, such nutrition is a great danger. This is especially true for people who tend to be obese, lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle, or who have relatives with atherosclerosis.

Cholesterol synthesis occurs mainly in the human liver and in the walls of the small intestine. The raw materials for the synthesis of cholesterol are the breakdown products of fats, proteins and carbohydrates; the synthesis of cholesterol is enhanced by abundant high-calorie foods, which contain large amounts of fats, carbohydrates, for example, sugar.

There is evidence that many plants contain organic acids that normalize the metabolism of carbohydrates in tissues and inhibit their conversion into fats and inhibit the formation of cholesterol. This is how tartronic acid works, for example; it is found in many fruits and vegetables, especially in cabbage, quince, pears, apples, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and currants.

There are many substances that can rid the body of excess cholesterol. Nature took care of this too. Cholesterol is removed from the body by bile produced in the liver. Thus choleretic agents help remove excess cholesterol from the body. The processes of eliminating excess can be stimulated by introducing vegetable oil, beet and radish juice, and high-fiber foods into the diet.

Taking vitamins and mineral salts has a positive effect on the breakdown of cholesterol and liver function. Among mineral substances, it is useful to consume iodine, magnesium, cobalt and manganese salts. Of the vitamins, it is worth highlighting vitamins C, B2, B6, PP, and inositol.

Vitamin C is found in many vegetables, nuts, herbs, fruits, berries, especially in cabbage, rose hips, black currants, red peppers, strawberries, sea buckthorn, gooseberries, and citrus fruits.
Vitamin B6 is found in various foods in small quantities; a lot of it is found in liver, caviar and bran.
Vitamin PP is found in liver, mushrooms, peanuts, buckwheat, soybeans, and wholemeal bread.
Vitamin B 2 is found in kidneys, liver, soy, eggs, bread, and green peas.
Inositol can be found in both animal products and plant products, bran, offal, green peas and cabbage are especially rich in inositol.

Summarize:

Foods that are rich in cholesterol and stimulate cholesterol synthesis should be excluded or reduced in the diet of a sick person: fatty meat and fatty dairy products: beef, poultry, fish, pork, full-fat milk, cheese, butter, fatty cottage cheese, loin and smoked meats.
Particularly rich in cholesterol are the brains and yolk of eggs.

Products that contribute to the breakdown and elimination of excess cholesterol from the body are vegetable oil, beet and radish juice.

Products that have a positive effect on the breakdown of cholesterol, are rich in fiber and contain:

1) vitamin C: berries, greens, rose hips, black currants, nuts, red pepper, sea buckthorn, gooseberries, strawberries, citrus fruits;

2) vitamin B 6: liver, caviar, bran;

3) vitamin PP: liver, mushrooms, peanuts, buckwheat, soybeans, beans, wholemeal bread;

4) vitamin B 2: kidneys, liver, soy, cheese, eggs, meat, bread, green peas;

5) iodine: carrots, cucumbers, beets.

6) Magnesium: buckwheat, green peas, lettuce, parsley, soy, oats, rye.

7) Cobalt: pears, lettuce, green onions, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, black currants, egg yolk, brains, soy;

8) manganese compounds: garlic, oats, rye, wheat;

9) inositol: bran, offal, green peas, oranges, wheat flour, cabbage.

Products that help remove cholesterol from the body - bread made from whole grains or with the addition of bran, porridge from whole grains; vegetables, fruits and berries (cabbage, radishes, radishes, beets, apples, gooseberries, cherries, black currants, oranges, potatoes, wheat, rice, corn).

Iodine, as you know, is found in many seafood products, and among vegetables - carrots, cucumbers, and beets. Relatively much magnesium was found in buckwheat flowers, green peas, lettuce, parsley, soybeans, wheat, oats, rye, carrots; There is a large amount of cobalt in pears, in addition, in lettuce and green onions, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, black currants. Manganese compounds are present in beets, garlic, oats, rye, and wheat.

There is one more substance that is absolutely necessary for the body in order for the liver to perform its functions normally. This is choline, which prevents fatty liver degeneration and reduces cholesterol in the blood. Many contain choline food products- eggs, liver, kidneys, soybeans, cabbage, tomatoes, rice, wheat and rye bread, pork, herring, cod. In addition, it can be synthesized in the body from methionine, which is abundant in cottage cheese and egg whites.

The removal of cholesterol from the body is facilitated by dietary fiber, which is the name given to coarse, difficult to digest food components - fiber, pectin, lignin. They not only speed up the movement of food through the intestines, but also envelop and absorb various harmful substances, including cholesterol. Therefore, the anti-atherosclerotic diet must be enriched with dietary fiber, which is found primarily in whole grain bread or with the addition of bran, in whole grain porridges; in vegetables, fruits and berries (cabbage, radishes, radishes, beets, apples, gooseberries, cherries, black currants, oranges).

There is evidence that starch, which is abundant in plant foods (potatoes, wheat, rice, corn, etc.), helps reduce cholesterol levels in the liver and blood. During digestion, starch is also converted into a coating substance that removes cholesterol from the body.

The better the solubility of cholesterol in the blood, the less it will be deposited on the walls of blood vessels. The task of maintaining cholesterol solubility is performed by phospholipids, among which the main place belongs to lecithin. In the human body for the synthesis of lecithin is The already mentioned choline and methionine are used. In addition, egg yolk, brains, soybeans, and unrefined vegetable oils are rich in lecithin.

The stabilizing ability of lecithin depends on the presence of magnesium and calcium compounds, with the former enhancing it and the latter suppressing it. In this regard, to successfully combat atherosclerosis, it is necessary to limit the consumption of foods with high content calcium, primarily rich in calciferols (vitamin D). These are fatty fish, as well as fish oil, caviar, offal, egg yolk, butter, cheese.

All of the above allows us to identify a group of products that are especially useful for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. Vegetables should be put in first place here, especially cabbage, beets, radishes, and radishes. Next come legumes - soybeans, beans, beans, peas. Onions, lettuce and other greens, berries and fruits are useful, among which we especially highlight black currants and apples. The diet should include enough whole grain and bran bread, porridge, especially buckwheat and oatmeal. An obligatory component of the anti-atherosclerotic diet are vegetable oils, which are certainly not refined. The optimal amount of vegetable oil per day is 15-20 g, which is about one tablespoon. The oil is best used raw for dressing salads, vinaigrettes and other dishes.

Accordingly, it is easy to determine the group of products whose consumption needs to be limited, we emphasize - limited, and not completely excluded. This includes, first of all, fatty meat and dairy products. It is preferable to use poultry (chickens, turkeys), lean beef and fish. Try to cook dishes from the liver, kidneys, brains less often, and significantly limit them in your diet sausages, which, in addition to fat, also contain a considerable amount of salt. There is an opinion among scientists that excess table salt contributes to the development of cerebral atherosclerosis. Therefore, it makes sense to minimize the consumption of very salty foods so that the daily dose of salt is 2-3 g. You should not get too carried away with sugar and sweets due to their high calorie content.

It is known that egg yolk contains a lot of cholesterol, but, on the other hand, eggs are the most important source of supplying the body with necessary substances, including lecithin. Therefore, eggs should be included in your diet, but no more than four per week.

Atherosclerosis- a special form of pathological and anatomical changes in the artery during arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is a change in the walls of arterial vessels, consisting in their compaction with loss of normal elasticity. The causes of sclerotic changes in the arteries are varied, the most common are age-related changes, inflammatory processes in the walls of the artery and lime deposits.

Atherosclerosis is one of the most common diseases of modern humanity. It mainly affects older people, but is not always hallmark old age. IN Lately atherosclerosis becomes a disease of young people and over the years it only intensifies.

The disease is most widespread in highly developed countries such as the USA, Russia, France, Germany, and Italy. In Africa and South America, atherosclerosis is much less common. In addition, in large cities the disease occurs much more often than in rural areas. Men suffer from atherosclerosis 3-4 times more often than women. Such differences in the incidence of the disease depend primarily on the living conditions of people. Permanent nervous tension, frequent stress, as well as food rich in animal fats - all these factors significantly contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.

Animals do not suffer from atherosclerosis. True, under experimental conditions, in some of them it was possible to cause certain atherosclerotic changes in the arteries (by introducing cholesterol or protein and fatty foods containing it with food), but these phenomena were much weaker than those that occur in a person with atherosclerosis.

There are 5 main factors contributing to the onset and progression of the disease.

1. Endocrine and metabolic disorders in the body (playing a predisposing role).

2. Nervous disorders leading to changes in lipid-protein balance.

3. Nutrition factor (large amounts of cholesterol, protein and fatty products introduced into the body with food).

4. Sedentary lifestyle.

5. Heredity.

It is now known that the main cause of atherosclerosis is a large amount of cholesterol circulating in the human blood. Excess cholesterol in the form of plaques is deposited on the walls of the arteries, reducing their lumen and reducing blood flow. And a decrease in the amount of blood flowing to a certain organ causes oxygen starvation, dysfunction and, ultimately, can lead to heart attack, stroke or heart attack. An artery can be compared to a water pipe through which water flows for a long time and which gradually rusts from the inside. As a result of this, the lumen of the pipe decreases, the flow of water weakens, and its quantity decreases. This pipe needs to be replaced. But you can't replace the artery. Therefore, one should always strive to reduce the possibility of its contamination, especially with low-density lipoproteins.

The atherosclerotic process affects all arteries, but depending on in which tissues and vessels the process has gone deeper, several of its varieties are distinguished: atherosclerosis with predominant damage to the vessels of the brain, atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels, atherosclerosis of the lower extremities (obliterating endarteritis), etc.

Atherosclerosis is a disease of blood vessels in which cholesterol and calcium salts are deposited on their walls, connective tissue grows, and atherosclerotic plaques form. In this case, the walls of the vessels become denser, the lumen narrows, and as a result, the blood supply to the organs is disrupted. Atherosclerosis can develop due to various reasons: metabolic disorders, insufficient physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, abundant and unhealthy diet, alcohol abuse, smoking, pollution environment. Typically, atherosclerosis develops over several decades, gradually affecting vascular system. Therefore, upon learning about the presence of atherosclerosis, you should immediately begin intensive treatment, since there is a possibility of a full recovery. It is necessary to establish a work schedule with regular breaks, to ensure good sleep, do physical exercise. Organizing an optimal diet is also of great importance. You should properly distribute your food intake throughout the day: in the first breakfast you should consume 30% daily ration, for second breakfast 10-15%, for lunch 50% and for dinner 10-15%. In middle age, a person should consume 2800 calories per day, and in old age - 2400-2600. It is also advisable to reduce the consumption of carbohydrates and increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in the diet; eating seaweed (kelp), low-fat cottage cheese, and peas is beneficial.

Symptoms: Symptoms of atherosclerosis may vary, depending on where the predominant vascular damage occurred. Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels is characterized by headaches and dizziness, a feeling of constant noise, and weakening of memory. Atherosclerosis of the heart vessels is accompanied by pain in the heart. Atherosclerosis of peripheral vessels causes pain in the legs, lower back and back, fatigue, and weight loss.

With atherosclerosis of the coronary (heart) vessels, attacks of angina appear, that is, pain in the area of ​​the heart of a squeezing or pressing nature, which can intensify both with physical activity and at rest. Attacks of angina pectoris are explained by the fact that, as a result of a number of reasons, a narrowing of one of the coronary vessels occurs, nutrition of the heart muscle decreases, and it is forced to respond with pain to lack of nutrition. If an attack of angina pectoris drags on for a long time, necrosis of some part of the heart muscle may occur. This condition is called a heart attack.

With atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, patients complain of dizziness, noise in the head, and weakened memory. People around notice changes in the patient’s psyche and behavior. When a cerebral artery is blocked (thrombosis), it may rupture, accompanied by hemorrhage. Then a stroke occurs.

When peripheral vessels are affected by atherosclerosis, symptoms such as dry and wrinkled skin, emaciation, pain in the back, lower back, arms and legs appear. Often atherosclerosis of the lower extremities leads to gangrene and forced amputation.

What's happening? Atherosclerosis is a lesion of the arteries, accompanied by the accumulation of fatty substances on their inner surface in the form of yellowish plaques, leading to a sharp change in the walls of the artery. Doctors figuratively call atherosclerosis “the rust of life.” Atherosclerosis is very strongly associated with stress in our lives, since stress triggers the release of cholesterol from the liver into the bloodstream, and ever-increasing levels of cholesterol in the blood are associated with an increasing risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a major factor in heart attacks.

The most unpleasant thing about atherosclerosis is that its direct consequences are not only headaches and pain in the legs, but also severe mental damage, including memory loss, as well as such serious illnesses, such as diabetes, kidney failure, angina, heart attack and stroke.

What to do? For those over 35, it’s a good idea to take a cholesterol blood test every year to reassure yourself. This test will either help you make sure that everything is fine with you, or will give you the opportunity to start treatment at an early stage of the disease, when it is not difficult to cope with it. It is enough not to play sports, lead a sedentary lifestyle and have excess weight to be at risk.

Recipes. Traditional medicine for the prevention of atherosclerosis recommends walking in an oak grove every day for at least half an hour a day. It is also useful to use garlic, a decoction of hawthorn fruits (a tablespoon of fruit in a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour, drink before meals and at night). You can take a tincture of hawthorn fruit in alcohol: a teaspoon with water at night.

Atherosclerosis can be treated with a sensible diet, given that certain vegetables and fruits, as well as other foods, help cleanse the body of cholesterol.

Fruits and berries that are beneficial for atherosclerosis:

Grapefruit (lowers blood pressure, normalizes the functioning of the liver and gastrointestinal tract);

Lemon in the form of juice (juice from half a lemon in half a glass of boiling water 2 times a day) and salad dressing;

Peaches in the form of juice, a quarter glass half an hour before meals (contraindicated for diabetes and allergies);

Figs (contraindicated for gout, diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases);

Persimmon (1-2 fruits daily);

Prunes, previously scalded with boiling water;

Apples (in the form of juice, half a glass three times a day, half an hour before meals, or eat 2 apples a day: one before breakfast and one after dinner);

Strawberries (normalizes metabolism);

Raspberries (drink an infusion instead of tea: 3 tablespoons of raspberries per glass of boiling water, leave for an hour);

Currants (berries and juice). Vegetables that are beneficial for atherosclerosis:

Potatoes (a mixture of potato, carrot and celery juices is useful, which should be consumed 100 ml on an empty stomach before breakfast, lunch and dinner for three weeks);

Onions (mix a glass of onion juice with a glass of honey and take a tablespoon 3 times a day 2 hours after meals);

Cucumbers (in the form of juice, a quarter glass);

Tomatoes (ground in salad with garlic, sweet pepper, horseradish and apples);

Radish (a tablespoon of juice 3 times a day).

A grain useful for atherosclerosis is buckwheat (porridge made from unroasted grains).

To prevent atherosclerosis, it is useful to eat seaweed, as well as use unrefined sunflower oil for preparing various dishes and dressing salads.

For atherosclerosis Most often the vessels of the heart, brain, and limbs are affected. The manifestation of atherosclerosis of the heart vessels is attacks of angina pectoris (pain in the heart area). Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels leads to dizziness, with rapid changes in body position, with sudden movements, feeling of noise in the head, weakening of memory; A blockage in a cerebral artery can lead to a stroke. Most often this happens when cerebral atherosclerosis is combined with hypertension. Manifestations of atherosclerosis of peripheral vessels are dry and wrinkled skin, emaciation, constantly cold extremities, pain in the back, lower back, arms, legs, and fatigue. Sometimes sclerosis affects the liver.

Doctors and traditional medicine recommend limiting the consumption of foods containing cholesterol - fats, meat (especially kidneys, liver), eggs, sardines, sprats, cocoa, chocolate, black tea. Recommended introduction into the body ascorbic acid(vitamin C), vitamin B 2 and iodine preparations.

Eat more seaweed, peas, eggplants, cauliflower, wild strawberries, walnuts. You need to eat 3 pounds of ripe cherries a day, drinking 7-8 glasses of milk during the same day, gradually. Watermelon helps eliminate cholesterol.

Sunflower oil is used to treat and prevent atherosclerosis.

Raw potato juice helps (on an empty stomach).

Treatment of atherosclerosis is a long, complex and painstaking task. It is very important here to overcome your habits and inclinations. The patient must refuse to eat food to which he is accustomed, change his diet and general regimen, methodically and constantly carry out the treatment prescribed by the doctor. It is necessary to normalize working and living conditions, increase physical activity and take measures in advance to slow down the progression of the disease. Smokers urgently need to get rid of their bad habit, since their blood vessels wear out at a much faster rate than non-smokers. Persons who are addicted to alcoholic drinks, you need to give up this harmful attraction and normalize your lifestyle.

The development of atherosclerosis can be stopped, and sometimes even reversed, since atherosclerosis is reversible in the early stages.

IN folk medicine There are many remedies recommended for atherosclerosis. They are mainly aimed at preserving and restoring the elasticity of blood vessels, removing cholesterol, and strengthening the body’s cellular forces. But we must remember that the fight against atherosclerosis will not give effect even the most the best means will be useless until the body is polluted and not rid of toxins. Therefore, before starting treatment, it is necessary to cleanse the body using one of the many cleansing methods.

In folk medicine There are many remedies recommended for atherosclerosis. Here are some recipes:

1. Fruit tincture rosehip. Crush the rose hips, fill a 2/3 half-liter bottle with them and add vodka. Leave in a dark place for two weeks, shaking daily. Take 20 drops per piece of sugar.

2. Fruit juice hawthorn. Mash 0.5 cups of ripe hawthorn fruits with a wooden pestle, add 1/2 cup of water, heat to 40° and squeeze the juice in a juicer. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.

3. Infusion of leaves plantain big. Brew one tablespoon of dry crushed leaves with a glass of boiling water, leave for 10 minutes. Drink in sips within 1 hour (daily dose).

4. Mix horseradish with sour cream. Grate the horseradish and mix with fresh sour cream in the following proportion: 1 tablespoon of horseradish to 1 cup of sour cream. Take 1 tablespoon of juice 3-4 times a day before meals.

5. Syrup from onions. Grate one large onion (about 100 g), add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, leave for 24 hours. Take 1 tablespoon one hour after meals or one hour before meals three times a day.

6. Tincture garlic Crush 50 g of garlic and pour a glass of vodka. Leave in a warm place for 3 days. Take 8-10 drops in a teaspoon cold water 3 times a day.

The oldest homeopathic recipe was found by a UNESCO expedition in 1971 in one of the Tibetan monasteries. Dates back to 4-5 millennium BC. e.

Purpose: cleanses the body of fat and lime deposits, dramatically improves metabolism. The vessels become elastic, which prevents sclerosis, angina pectoris, heart attack, restores vision, and relieves noise in the head. The body is rejuvenated.

Preparation. Thoroughly wash and peel 350 g of garlic, finely chop and rub in a vessel with a wooden or porcelain spoon. Weigh 200 g of this mass, taking it from the bottom, where there is more juice. Place in a glass vessel and pour in 200 g of 96% alcohol. Close the container tightly and store in a cool, dark place for 10-12 days. Take drops according to the scheme below 15-20 minutes before meals in 1/4 glass of cold milk.

Days Breakfast Lunch

1st day 1 drop 2 drops

Day 2 4 drops 5 drops

Day 3 7 drops 8 drops

Day 4 10 drops 11 drops

Day 5 13 drops 14 drops

Day 6 15 drops 14 drops

Day 7 12 drops 11 drops

Day 8 9 drops 8 drops

Day 9 6 drops 5 drops

Day 10 3 drops 2 drops

Repeat the course after six years.

Garlic Recipes

Mix ready-made vodka tinctures (1:10), garlic (75 ml), alfalfa grass (30 ml), ginger rhizomes (20 ml). Keep refrigerated. Take 1/2 teaspoon 3 times a day, 15-20 minutes before meals, with water.

Mix ready-made vodka tinctures (1:10) of garlic (75 ml), small periwinkle (40 ml), autumn colchicum (10 ml). Take 1/2 teaspoon 3 times a day 15-20 minutes before meals.

Prepare a collection of garlic - 50 g, mistletoe - 25 g, hawthorn flowers - 25 g. Pour 1 teaspoon of the collection with a glass of boiling water, leave, covered, for 8-10 hours, strain. Take a glass 3 times a day 20-30 minutes before meals.

Pour 100 g of well-chopped garlic into 2 glasses of vodka, leave in a warm, dark place for 3 days, shaking the contents periodically, and strain. Take 5-10 drops in a teaspoon of cold water 3 times a day 15-20 minutes before meals.

Place 300 g of garlic pulp in a half-liter bottle and fill with alcohol. Infuse in a tightly sealed container in a warm place, shaking the contents occasionally, for 3 weeks, strain, and squeeze out the remainder. Take 20 drops daily in 1/2 glass of milk.

Fill a half-liter bottle 1/3 of the volume with finely chopped garlic, add alcohol or vodka. Leave in a tightly sealed container in the sun or in a warm place for 2 weeks, shaking the contents occasionally. Take once a day before lunch, starting with 2 drops and gradually increasing the dose by 1 drop per day. Having reached 25 drops, reduce the dose by reverse order, again up to 2 drops. Take a break for 2 weeks and repeat the course.

Pour a paste of 1 head of garlic and 2-3 tablespoons of crushed wormwood leaves into 700 ml of hot red or dry white wine. Leave for 5 days, shaking the contents periodically, strain, and squeeze out the rest. Take 2-3 tablespoons 3 times a day before meals.

Pour 250 g of garlic pulp into 350 g of liquid honey, mix well and leave in a dark, cool place for 1 week, stirring the contents occasionally. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day 30-40 minutes before meals for atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, varicose veins veins and endarteritis.

Pour the pulp from 1 head of garlic into a glass of unrefined oil. After a day, pour the juice of 1 lemon into the oil infusion and stir. Leave in a cool, dark place for 7 days, shaking the contents occasionally. Take 1 teaspoon of garlic oil 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals for cerebral atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, shortness of breath, gastritis and low acidity gastric juice, constipation. The course of treatment is 3 months. Break - 1 month and repeat treatment until recovery.

Mix garlic pulp, chopped walnuts and unrefined vegetable oil in equal parts by volume. Use 1-2 tablespoons daily, adding to salads made from boiled beets, carrots, etc. Store in a cool, dark place in a tightly closed container.

Fill a half-liter bottle with garlic pulp and top up completely with vodka. Infuse in a dark, warm place, shaking the contents occasionally, for 2 weeks, strain, and squeeze out the remainder. Take 5 drops in a cool teaspoon boiled water 3 times a day 15 minutes before meals.

Pour the pulp from 1 head of garlic into 700 ml of Cahors wine, leave in a dark, cool place for 1 week, shaking the contents periodically. Take 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day before meals.

Squeeze the garlic juice, mix half and half with honey and take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day 30-40 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 4-6 weeks. After a month's break, the course of treatment can be repeated.

Stir 1/4 teaspoon of garlic juice into 1/2 cup of goat milk. Take daily in the morning on an empty stomach.

Grind 5 heads of garlic with fine table salt, mix with 500 g of butter. Take with bread or mashed potatoes.

Treatment with infusions and decoctions

1. Hawthorn - tincture of fruits in alcohol. Place a glass of fresh hawthorn fruits in 200 ml of alcohol, after mashing them a little. Leave for 3 weeks, then strain and take a teaspoon with water before meals at night.

2. Hawthorn - tincture of flowers in alcohol. Place 4 tablespoons of flowers in 200 ml of alcohol and leave in the dark at room temperature, shaking the bottle periodically. After 10 days the drug is ready for use. It should be consumed before meals, 1 teaspoon with water.

3. Hawthorn - fruit decoction - 20 g of dried or fresh berries per 200 ml of boiling water. Leave for half an hour or cook for 5 minutes over low heat, drink 200 ml of decoction at once before meals and at night.

4. Hawthorn - extract of hawthorn fruits. Brew 500 ml of boiling water a glass of fresh or dried hawthorn fruits, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and cook over very low heat for 40 minutes (the broth should reduce by half). Store the decoction of berries, without straining, in the refrigerator, take 1 table spoon before meals and 2 table spoons at night.

5. Blood red hawthorn. 0.5 kg of ripe fruits are washed and crushed with a wooden pestle (pustle), 100 ml of water is added, heated to 40° and pressed with a juicer. The resulting juice is drunk 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals. It has a beneficial effect on the heart, especially in old age: it prevents overstrain and wear of the heart muscle.

6. Buckwheat. An infusion of flowers is drunk for coughs and sclerosis of blood vessels (brew a dessert spoon of flowers with 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave for 2 hours in a closed container, strain. Take 1/2 cup 3-4 times a day).

7. Onion-garlic (garlic). Fresh garlic bulbs are used for atherosclerosis (2-3 cloves daily).

8. Large plantain. Infusion and fresh juice from the leaves are recommended for atherosclerosis. Brew a tablespoon of dry crushed leaves with a glass of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes. Drink in sips within 1 hour - daily dose. Chop the well-washed leaves, mash, squeeze out the juice, mix with an equal amount of honey, cook for 20 minutes. Apply 2-3 tbsp. spoons a day. Store in a well-sealed container in a cool, dark place.

9. Leave thyme (5 g per 500 ml of boiling water) tightly closed for 40 minutes. Thyme is a powerful remedy and can be consumed no more than 2-3 times a week. It has a calming, bactericidal effect, relieves cerebral vascular spasm.

10. Melissa (herb) - 10 g, cap (herb) - 10 g, hawthorn (flowers or fruits) - 40 g, speedwell (herb) - 10 g, strawberry (herb) - 30 g.

1 tbsp. Brew a spoon with 250 ml of boiling water and drink like tea, with honey or sugar. The mixture is very tasty and can be added to tea.

11. For the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis, a mixture of equal parts is taken fresh juice onions and honey.

Take a teaspoon 3-4 times a day.

12. Sage - recipe by N.G. Kovaleva: leave 90 g of fresh sage, 800 ml of vodka and 400 ml of water in the light for 40 days in a closed glass container. Take 1 tbsp. spoon half and half with water in the morning before meals. This tincture is recommended for older people to stimulate nervous system.

Juice treatment

In addition to hawthorn berry juice wide application for atherosclerosis, wild strawberry and wild strawberry berries and juice are found. People's and official medicine The medicinal qualities of strawberries and wild strawberries have long been highly valued. The famous scientist Linnaeus got rid of gout thanks to strawberries, and Fontenel believed that his long life he owes it to the strawberries he has eaten since childhood.

Strawberry juice gives therapeutic effect and for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, biliary and urolithiasis, gout, anemia, for disorders salt metabolism, with atherosclerosis. It has a diaphoretic and diuretic effect, and the phytoncides contained in the juice kill many types of pathogenic microbes. Therefore, the juice is used for inflammatory diseases in the mouth and throat, and for bad breath.

Strawberry and strawberry juice is good, healthy drink for reception in the bathhouse.

To prevent atherosclerosis, use pomegranate juice, which contains up to 20% sugars, citric and malic acids, tannins, phytoncides, vitamin C, and a rich set of mineral salts. "Pomegranate juice is not only an anti-sclerotic remedy; it is prescribed for stomach pain, gastrointestinal disorders, for headaches. When taking dry steam (in a steam room, especially in a sauna), headaches often occur. Drinking pomegranate juice helps relieve these pains.

Black currant juice has anti-sclerotic properties. Black currant berries contain up to 16% sugars, organic acids, flavonoids, pectin and tannins, potassium and iron salts, anthocyanin compounds, coloring and other substances. But the most important advantage of black currant berries is their high content of vitamins, especially vitamin C, as well as B vitamins, vitamins K, P, provitamin A. That is why black currant juice is recommended for atherosclerosis, it is taken for cardiac arrhythmias, heart defects, cardioneurosis. In addition, the juice is healing for colds, coughs and hoarseness, infectious diseases; hemorrhagic vasculitis, periodontal disease, glomerulonephritis.

Considering its wide palette healing properties, the juice of black currant berries can be safely consumed in a bath, which will help improve the health of the body.

A good remedy against atherosclerosis is chokeberry, the juice from the berries of which stimulates the appetite, increases the acidity and digestive ability of gastric juice. Chokeberry juice helps to significantly reduce blood pressure and is therefore recommended for atherosclerosis and hypertension. It should be noted that in people with normal blood pressure who drink chokeberry juice, their blood pressure does not change. However, chokeberry is contraindicated when increased viscosity blood.

Treatment with urine

This disease requires long-term use of urine to reverse the degeneration process. Fasting and daily urine intake, combined with diet, will break the strong cycle of tissue destruction of mental stress.

Atherosclerosis is a disease that is caused by the proliferation, thickening and hardening of the arteries.

The causes of this disease are: hereditary predisposition, obesity, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, fat metabolism disorders (increased lipid levels), stress. Atherosclerosis is classified depending on the location of vascular damage: atherosclerosis of the aorta, renal arteries, mesenteric arteries, cardiac arteries and lower extremity arteries.

Manifestations of the disease depend on the form of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis of the aorta is characterized by tinnitus, arterial hypertension, and dissecting aortic aneurysm (which can lead to death). Strokes, fainting and dizziness are possible.

Atherosclerosis of the renal arteries is manifested by disorders in the kidneys, which leads to increased blood pressure, which cannot be treated. Also, over time, this disease leads to nephrosclerosis (that is, shrinkage of the kidney) and kidney failure.

Atherosclerosis of the renal arteries has two types of manifestations.

1. Thrombosis of the intestinal arteries, which leads to a heart attack and death of a section of the intestinal wall.

2. Colic that occurs after eating, vomiting and bloating.

Atherosclerosis of the heart arteries (coronary arteries) leads to the formation of angina pectoris (pain, palpitations, a feeling of pressure in the heart area, a feeling of lack of air).

Atherosclerosis of the lower extremities is manifested by such a symptom as intermittent claudication. With such an attack, the legs become cold, the skin becomes pale, with a bluish tint, and fatigue increases. And also arises strong pain in the calf muscles with brisk walking, which disappears with rest.

The disease is diagnosed based on manifestations, increased levels of lipids in the blood, ECG at rest and with exercise (to detect angina). X-ray angiography, echocardiography and coronary angiography, ultrasound scanning of blood vessels, and Doppler sonography (detection of the size of plaques and blood flow in the vessels) are also performed. In severe and controversial cases, MRI is prescribed.

Treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis.

Treatment of diseases leading to atherosclerosis.

The use of statins - drugs that lower blood lipid levels.

Fibrinolytics for dissolving atherosclerotic plaques and blood clots.

In severe cases, when therapeutic treatment ineffective, surgical excision is prescribed.

Prevention:

1) quitting smoking and excessive alcohol consumption;

2) low-fat diet;

3) active lifestyle.

In conclusion, it must be said that to prevent atherosclerosis, in addition to a rational and low-calorie diet, a healthy, physically active image life, not burdened by stress and overload of the nervous system. And in those cases when we have to talk not about prevention, but about the treatment of atherosclerosis, diet therapy should be combined with medication.

Tea treatment

Functional disorders of the cardiovascular system associated with disruption of regulatory mechanisms are reversible and easy to treat if they do not lead to organic changes. Atherosclerosis is a lesion of the arteries, in which numerous plaques containing large amounts of fatty substances, especially cholesterol and its esters, appear on their inner surface. As a result, the lumen of the arteries narrows significantly, which impedes blood flow. The arterial wall becomes dense, blood vessels lose the ability to expand properly and adequately respond to increased tissue demand for blood flow. Why does atherosclerosis occur?

There may be several reasons. Its occurrence is facilitated by poor nutrition, nervous tension, sedentary lifestyle, and other factors. The development of atherosclerosis is promoted not only by food rich in animal fats, but also by an excess amount of calories consumed, as well as increased content in food simple sugars. Increased consumption of sugar leads to increased cholesterol levels in the blood, and poorly digestible carbohydrates - fiber - enhance the removal of cholesterol from the body. A direct relationship has been revealed between excess weight, the development of atherosclerosis and the incidence of coronary disease.

A person with a “sedentary” lifestyle needs to take care of significantly limiting calories in food. The role of table salt should be mentioned, since a direct connection has been identified between the amount of salt consumed and the incidence of hypertension. With a large intake of salt from food, the volume of fluid and blood plasma in the body increases. Excessive salt intake causes an overload of regulatory mechanisms, contributing to a persistent increase in blood pressure.

It is incorrect to reduce disease prevention only to the organization rational nutrition. It is known that among peoples engaged in hunting and cattle breeding, the main foodstuffs are of animal origin, but there is no atherosclerosis; the same diet in a resident of a modern city leads to the development of disorders of the cardiovascular system. So what contributes to the disease?

"Nervous system overstrain"- the experts answer. Intellectual work is associated with great nervous tension. State nervous tension typical not only for people holding responsible positions, but also for people such as telephone operators, operators, bank employees, drivers, doctors and many, many others. Responsibility and stress among workers in many sectors of activity with a decrease in the share of physical labor leads to overstrain of the nervous system.

Scientists have proven that emotional stress and excitement of the nervous system cause an increase in the level of cholesterol in the blood, the content of adrenaline, which, in turn, causes an increase in the level of free fatty acids in the blood. At the same time they are decreasing protective properties vascular wall - all this ultimately leads to the development of atherosclerosis. Negative emotions have a particularly unfavorable effect. The frequency of coronary disorders corresponds to the degree of nervous tension associated with the profession. A connection has been established between population density and the spread of coronary disease.

Can a person learn to control his emotions? To a large extent it can. We need some skills that are capable of resolving problems that have arisen not by the power of feelings, but by the dictates of reason, without an admixture of emotions.

Intense muscle work helps relieve nervous tension and also increases energy consumption, preventing the deposition of calories in fat depots. Physical training significantly improves the functioning of the mechanisms that regulate vascular tone, lowering blood pressure. Mode physical training must be individual and under the supervision of a physician.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that your heart cares about how and what you eat and what you drink. Be sure to include foods containing vitamin E in your daily menu: vegetables, legumes, milk, nuts, and especially vegetable oil (25-30 grams per day).

Seafood products (fish, shrimp, squid, mussels, seaweed) are very useful, as they contain iodine, which improves metabolism. Many biologically active substances that reduce blood viscosity, increase vascular tone and lower blood pressure are contained in tea. Green tea is especially useful for the prevention and relief of diseases of the cardiovascular system. It contains a whole complex of substances that dissolve fats and inhibit the deposition of cholesterol on the artery wall.

People prone to high blood pressure should be given preference green teas. Even though green tea contains more caffeine than black tea, its aftertaste is much milder. The fact is that the effect of caffeine - to tone the heart and blood vessels - is very unstable and, therefore, quickly passes due to the body's compensatory mechanisms, which ensure a persistent decrease in blood pressure. Green tea — good workout for vessels.

Patients with hypertension can also drink black tea, but a prerequisite for brewing is its duration. Tea should be brewed for no more than 5 minutes. This protects the drink from excessive extraction of compounds that, in the second phase of the tea’s action, maintain or even increase vascular tone.

For patients with hypertension and atherosclerosis, flavored teas are very useful. They have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, promote relaxation and have a hypotensive effect. There cannot be specific recommendations for fragrances, since aromatherapy itself is very individual. But you can remember the information that geranium, lavender and bergamot oils reduce blood pressure.

The site provides background information. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of the disease is possible under the supervision of a conscientious doctor. Any drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required, as well as detailed study of the instructions!

Stenosing atherosclerosis is usually widespread, that is, it affects many vessels simultaneously, and therefore manifests itself in a variety of clinical symptoms. This type of atherosclerosis is almost impossible to completely cure; you can only stop the process and restore lost vascular patency.

Symptoms of stenosing atherosclerosis:

1. Brain symptoms:

• severe headaches that do not go away after taking medications and after sleep;
• weakness, malaise, sleep disturbance, inattention, impaired concentration, memory deterioration, gradually reaching partial loss, and so on;
• decreased vision, up to its loss;
• slurred speech, in severe cases – skewed facial expressions;
• decreased skin sensitivity, paresis of the limbs (paralysis).

3. Kidney symptoms characterized by increased blood pressure and the development of arterial hypertension.

4. Intestinal symptoms:

• intestinal gangrene (death of tissue of the gastrointestinal tract) - occurs when the blood circulation of the mesenteric vessels is completely disrupted.

Obliterating atherosclerosis of the lower extremities, what is it, what are the symptoms and prognosis?

When the compensatory mechanisms end, a complete cessation of blood circulation occurs in a certain area of ​​the lower extremities, as a result - an extreme degree of obliterating atherosclerosis - gangrene, in which it is very difficult to save the limb. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify atherosclerosis of the vessels of the extremities in the early stages, because with the help of medication and/or surgical treatment the development of gangrene can be prevented.

Symptoms of obliterating atherosclerosis of the lower extremities:

Sections of the aorta:

• ascending aorta;
• aortic arch;
• descending aorta (divided into thoracic and abdominal parts);
• aortic bifurcation - the place where the vessel bifurcates into two iliac arteries that supply lower limbs.

Any part of the aorta can be affected, and depending on the location, certain symptoms occur.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta, arch and thoracic descending aorta:

• heartache paroxysmal compressive nature, as with angina pectoris, pain can radiate to the arms, neck, stomach, back;
• pulsation of visible vessels between the ribs;
• increased blood pressure due to systolic (upper);
• dizziness and fainting;
• hoarseness of voice, impaired swallowing (with atherosclerosis of the aortic arch);
• rarely convulsive syndrome.

• periodic abdominal pain;
• bowel dysfunction - constipation;
• indigestion : heartburn, nausea, heaviness in the stomach after eating;
• weight loss.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis of the aortic bifurcation:

Aortic aneurysm– this is a protrusion of the vascular wall in a place above the area of ​​the vessel blocked by an atherosclerotic plaque.

When blood flow through the aorta is obstructed, a large volume of blood is retained and stretches the vessel wall (containing a large amount of smooth muscle). In this case, over time, the elasticity of the stretched wall is lost and the aortic aneurysm ruptures. The mortality rate from this complication is very high; it is possible to help a person only with emergency surgery.

Symptoms of a ruptured aortic aneurysm:

• sharp acute pain in the chest or abdomen;
• a sharp decrease in blood pressure;
• shock, coma, if not provided urgent help death of the patient in a short time.

• diagnosis of atherosclerosis;
• computed tomography of the chest or abdomen;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.

In the presence of an aortic aneurysm in the phase of dissection of the vascular wall (precedes the rupture of the aneurysm) or rupture, resort to to surgical treatment methods:

• remove the affected area of ​​the aorta and replace it with an artificial vessel, or transplant their own vessels from healthy areas (bypass surgery);
• they apply special tissue to the area of ​​the aneurysm, which prevents its rupture - the operation eliminates the life-threatening condition, but does not radically solve the problem (palliative surgery).

Atherosclerosis in diabetes, why does it occur and how does it manifest?

Diabetics are 5 times more likely to suffer from this vascular pathology, and just like patients young, and so do old people. And the mortality rate in this group of patients from complications of atherosclerosis is twice as high as in non-diabetics.

The course of atherosclerosis against the background of diabetes mellitus is more aggressive, severe, with frequent complications and the speed of the process.

For diabetes Absolutely all types of vessels can be affected, but most often it is observed atherosclerosis of such vessels:

• coronary;
• renal;
• cerebral vessels;
• fundus vessels;
• arteries and capillaries of the lower extremities.

The effect of diabetes mellitus on the risk of developing atherosclerosis:

1. Poor nutrition. People suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus often eat poorly; their diet includes large amounts of fat, which in itself increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
2. Dysregulation of fat metabolism. In diabetes mellitus, a high level of blood lipoproteins (beta fraction) is observed, the synthesis of phospholipids (“healthy” fats) is impaired, and dysfunction of the liver and pancreas, involved in lipid metabolism, develops.
3. Malnutrition of the vascular wall against the background of diabetes mellitus, it helps to increase vascular permeability and cholesterol sedimentation.
4. Violation of oxidation processes in the form of ketoacidosis, they promote the deposition of cholesterol plaques and the formation of connective tissue and calcium salts in it.
5. Bleeding disorder and increased formation of blood clots lead to clogging of vessels affected by atherosclerosis.
6. Specific vascular lesions for diabetes mellitus - diabetic angiopathy are also directly related to atherosclerosis.
7. High risk of developing arterial hypertension in diabetics and other diseases of the cardiovascular system, which is the main risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis.

Symptoms of atherosclerosis against the background of diabetes mellitus are the same as in non-diabetics, only more pronounced and rapidly developing.

Complications of atherosclerosis in diabetes:

• aneurysms of the aorta and other vessels, their ruptures;
• organ ischemia;
• coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction;
• diabetic encephalopathy, leading to strokes;
• nephropathy and, as a result, chronic renal failure;
• angiopathy of the fundus vessels leads to retinal detachment and blindness;
• Damage to the lower extremities over time leads to long-term non-healing trophic ulcers(diabetic foot) and gangrene, which often requires leg amputation.

Principles of treatment of atherosclerosis in diabetes mellitus:

• diet and insulin therapy, monitoring blood glucose levels;
• healthy image life, giving up bad habits;
• blood pressure control, treatment of arterial hypertension;
• proper care behind the legs;
• taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, nicotinic acid and other medications for the treatment of atherosclerosis;
• if necessary and possible, surgical methods of treating atherosclerosis.

• control over blood sugar levels, regular and controlled intake of insulin injections;
• proper nutrition, associated not only with the control of carbohydrates eaten, but also fats;
• physical activity(but not heavy exercise stress);
• quit smoking, do not abuse alcohol;
• regular monitoring of lipid profile;
• blood pressure control, ECG and so on.

Cholesterol in atherosclerosis, myths and truth

There is a lot of talk about completely eliminating cholesterol. Does eliminating cholesterol from the diet really have a positive effect on atherosclerosis and on the body as a whole, and is cholesterol itself almost a poison for the body? Let's try to figure this out.

Cholesterol (cholesterol) is a fat molecule that enters our body with food or is synthesized by the liver from other types of fats. If, with a lack of cholesterol, the body begins to produce it itself, then a person needs it.

Why do we need cholesterol?

• bile components (bile acids) are synthesized from it;
• cholesterol is a building block for the structure of the cell wall of all types of cells, ensures cell permeability for nutrients, ions and other components;
• participates in the absorption of vitamin D, necessary for bone growth and strength, as well as many other vitamins;
• Some hormones are synthesized from it (sex hormones, adrenal hormones - glucocorticosteroids, and so on).

Cholesterol can be beneficial and harmful. Good cholesterol is found in high density lipoproteins (HDL), but bad, promoting the development of atherosclerosis, in low and very low density lipoproteins (LDL and VLDL). High-density lipoproteins not only participate in many important processes in the body, but also prevent the development of atherosclerosis by clearing blood vessels of atherosclerotic plaques.

In addition to cholesterol, there is also fatty acid, leading to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, but not all of them are so harmful. Fatty acids are saturated and unsaturated. So, saturated fatty acids are involved in the development of atherosclerosis, and unsaturated fatty acids, on the contrary, strengthen the vascular cell and help prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

Therefore, you should not completely exclude cholesterol and fats from your diet, but you need to eat healthy fats.

Foods with healthy fats:

• many types of vegetable oil (sunflower, olive, sesame, corn, soybean and so on);
• many nuts (peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, sesame and others);
• butter;
• avocado;
• fish, especially salmon;
• soy and so on.

Pay attention to your diet, and you can prevent not only atherosclerosis, but also many other diseases (diabetes, obesity, hypertension, gout, etc.).

What vitamins and biologically active substances are needed for atherosclerosis?

Vitamins also play an important role in the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. Of course, it is important to balance your diet across all groups of vitamins and microelements, but there are a number of vitamins that are needed first.

Vitamins that improve the condition of the vascular wall, vascular patency and contribute to the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis:

1. Nicotinic acid or vitamin PP– dilates peripheral blood vessels, promotes oxygen supply to tissues. Appointment required dosage forms nicotinic acid and foods rich in this vitamin :

• grain crops , cereals, whole grain products;
• eggs;
• many nuts and fruit seeds, seeds;
• mushrooms;
• seafood;
• poultry meat;
• liver;
• tea and so on.

3. B vitamins(B1, B6, B12, B15 and other representatives of this vitamin group):

• improving the functioning of the nervous system, regulating vascular tone, participating in the regulation of blood pressure;
• participation in fat metabolism;
• participation in maintaining the normal cellular composition of the blood.

• cereals, grains, bran;
• greenery;
• vegetables;
• liver and many other products.

• vegetable oils;
• nuts and seeds;
• mustard;
• vegetables and herbs;
• papaya and avocado.

6. Minerals:

• iodine reduces cholesterol levels in the blood, found in seafood, baked potatoes, cranberries and prunes;
• selenium contribute more rapid recovery an organ subjected to ischemia and hypoxia is found in cereals and cereals, liver, green vegetables, nuts;
• magnesium reduces cholesterol levels in the blood, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, is found in sufficient quantities in seafood, cereals, grains, legumes, nuts, many vegetables and so on;
• chromium participates in fat metabolism and helps normalize blood pressure; foods rich in chromium: fish, liver, pearl barley, beets.

• unsaturated fatty acids (namely the Omega-3 complex contained in fish oil);
• amino acids (arginine and taurine) are found in meat, dairy products, eggs, fish, soybeans, grains and so on;
• phospholipids (lecithin) – eggs, fish roe, fish, legumes, grains, etc.