Healthy blood vessels are essential for life. They supply the organs with nutrients. The arteries calcify the risk for various diseases increases. Because a calcification may initially causes no symptoms and goes unnoticed progression, it is important to know the risk factors and to avoid.
Our vessels transport blood, and thus oxygen and nutrients through the body. Need to be open and elastic, so that the blood reaches all organs and every single cell in the body. Martin hall, Medical Director of the center for prevention and sports medicine of the TU München called the greatest enemies of the vessels – as well as four ways to keep them healthy and elastic.
1. negative factor: Smoking, endothelial cells are destroyed
The nicotine in a cigarette makes the blood vessels contract and certain regions in the body are not supplied with blood any more.This effect lasts not for a long time. However, Smoking damages the blood vessels in the long term. Because it is the inner attack layer of the vessels. The cells of this lining layer die. It’s holes and scars.
2. negative factor: blood sugar triggers vascular cells
A high blood sugar level damages the inner wall of the vessels, as well as a cigarette, warns hall, the specialist in cardiology, Internal medicine and sports medicine.
Who nibbles every now and again, not to Worry. However, diabetics and Pre-diabetics with a permanently high blood sugar levels destroy the protective layer of your blood vessels.
3. negative factor: cholesterol hardens the blood vessels
Similarly, risky consistently high cholesterol in the blood. Because cholesterol deposits below the vascular cells and forms small Islands, which harden the arteries.
4. negative factor: high blood pressure can vessels tear
The vessels are already damaged, is a permanently increased blood pressure all the more dangerous. Pumps the blood with increased pressure against the walls of the vessel, you can knock down.
Hall is warning: several components on it, not added to your vascular risk, it is raised to the power of. This means that those Who smoke and Diabetes and high blood pressure suffers, compared to a nine Times higher risk for vascular disease with a non-Smoking, without Diabetes and high blood pressure.
1. positive factor: sports
Sport keeps you elastic our vessels. Because of the increased pulse rate during sports stretches the vessels. The certain chemical processes, the broken cells in the vascular wall repair. Therefore, sports not only as a preventive measure, the health of the cells, but they also heal.
Sport that places a strain on the muscles and bones, such as Jogging or Nordic Walking, also release from the bone marrow stem cells into the bloodstream, explains hall. These are the primal cells of our body, which can transform into a variety of cells. They get into the vessels, you can accumulate as a new, fresh vascular cells.
In addition, Sport lowers blood sugar levels and thus the risk of Diabetes. Useful two walks per day or an intense workout from seven to ten minutes, unless you get a real sweat.
2. positive factor: normal weight
You try to reach a normal body weight, or to keep. Anyone who is overweight, more Pro-inflammatory substances from fat tissue into the blood. This damage to the inner layer of the vessels.
3. positive factor: unsaturated fatty acids
The connection between a balanced diet and healthy vessels only a few statement to demonstrate strong studies, says hall. Important to have a diet with unsaturated instead of saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are “rigid”, mono-unsaturated fatty acids are “pliable”. A hardening of the walls of the vessel, the other to make it more elastic. Hard vessels go much faster broken than elastic.
Halles mnemonic: products that are liquid at room temperature, consist of unsaturated fatty acids (olive oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil), products that are hard, are made up of saturated fatty acids (Butter, Lard).
Also, fish, legumes and whole grain products contain the good unsaturated fatty acids.
4. positive factor: colorful vegetables
Polyphenols give fruits and vegetables its color. You make the tomato red, eggplant purple and Apple green. Our cells have a protective mechanism, says hall. He therefore recommends that when cooking, to use several different vegetables for a colorful dish.