Artery Health: You're as Young as Your Arteries

The adage, 'you are as young as you feel', is only partially true. The whole truth is you are as young as your arteries, because every other part of your anatomy's health is directly affected by your arteries' health. You can ensure or improve the health of your arteries, even reverse poor artery health, and feel younger with a few simple lifestyle changes.

Cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, strokes, memory loss and some types of kidney diseases are brought on by aging arteries. Impotence and wrinkles are directly related to poor artery health. Vascular disease, even it's mildest form, will drain your energy, leaving you feeling old and tired.

Your heart's main artery, the aorta, pumps blood out of your heart, then divides into several smaller arteries that supply your entire body with a continuous fresh supply of blood. If there is a kink in the blood delivery system caused by poor artery health, then some of your body parts will not receive the oxygen and nutrients from the blood to maintain health. Poor artery health will affect everything from your skin texture to your brain function.

Premature aging of arteries is usually a direct result of your lifestyle, your eating habits and exercise habits. You age yourself by not taking proper care of your body.

Blood pressure is the single, most important factor in ensuring that you have healthy arteries. Have your blood pressure checked regularly. If you have been diagnosed with having high blood pressure, diligently manage your blood pressure, keeping it within the ideal range through medication, diet and exercise.

Other steps that you can take to keep your arteries healthy and keep the oxygen rich, nutritious blood flowing to every cell of your body involve your lifestyle. These are things that you have probably heard countless times before, but maybe never realized the key factor, healthy arteries, is what makes you feel younger.

Eat a diet low in saturated and trans fat. Exercise a little each day. Manage your stress. If your doctor has recommended taking an aspirin daily, then do it. Add food or beverages to your diet that are high in antioxidants, and add the recommended dosage of omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.

The health of you arteries directly impacts your overall health. Since we don't see our arteries, we don't think much about their health, until a problem occurs. Taking care of your arteries now, will help ensure they will take care of you later.