A blood clot is a lump of blood that changes from liquid to a gel-like substance.
Arterial thrombosis can be very dangerous as it can stop blood from reaching important organs in our body.
Whenever we talk about heart health, lifestyle and dietary choices cannot be left out of the discussion. When we eat foods that are high in LDL or bad cholesterol, it can develop clots in the arteries of our heart and cause heart diseases. A blood clot is a lump of blood that changes from liquid to a gel-like substance but when it happens in an artery it is called arterial thrombosis. This can be very dangerous as it can stop the blood from reaching the important organs in our body.
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to our entire body. While blood clots usually do not show any symptoms, some of them may be visible when a body part stops receiving blood. The serious problems that follow can include:
Heart attack with symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and dizziness.
Stroke with symptoms such as face drooping, weakness in one side of the body and slurred speech.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) or “mini-stroke”, is when blood flow to the brain is temporarily blocked, causing short-lived stroke symptoms.
Critical limb ischemia when one of the limbs stops receiving blood and can feel cold and painful. Some discolouration may also be seen.
There are many causes of arterial thrombosis such as old age, smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, obesity, alcoholism and more. To reverse arterial thrombosis in its initial stages without any medication, here are some tips to follow:
Quit alcohol- Cigarette smoking and alcoholism are both your enemies. While cigarettes contain tar, tobacco and harmful gases when lit, alcohol includes a high content of sugar.
Lose weight- Being obese or overweight can cause triglycerides to accumulate and cause arterial thrombosis. This is why reducing weight is important.
Regular exercise- 30 minutes of exercise daily can help in breaking down accumulated triglycerides, therefore, reducing clots.
Cut down on sugary sweets- The more calories and carbs you eat, the more triglycerides build up in your body. This is because carbohydrates break down and convert into triglycerides in the bloodstream.
Eat healthy fats- It is important to improve the levels of good cholesterol and reduce the level of bad cholesterol. This can only happen if you eat healthy fats that can easily be broken down in the body.
