Home Remedies to Treat Carotid Artery Disease

Carotid artery disease happens when the "major arteries in your neck become narrowed or blocked," according to vascularweb.org. The interior artery walls are normally smooth. But when sticky plaque - a combination of calcium, fat, cholesterol, cellular waste and fibrin, according to webmd.com - builds up inside those walls, the arteries become narrow. They also harden. Carotid artery disease reduces the blood flow to the brain. My friend Margaret has carotid artery disease. Her arteries are 30 percent blocked. If she can keep it under 60 percent, she won't need surgery. She'll also reduce her risk of stroke. Margaret's doctor put her on aspirin therapy. Read this informative article and learn about some home remedies to treat carotid artery disease.

Eat a Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Low Salt Diet to Treat Carotid Artery Disease
According to the National Heart and Lung Institute, (NHLI) you should eat less than 200 milligrams cholesterol a day. This can be easier to accomplish than you think. Stay away from foods that contain a lot of fat and cholesterol- greasy, deep-fried and processed foods are common examples. Replace these foods with lean meats, poultry and fish that are broiled, baked, or otherwise prepared without adding grease or cholesterol. (To treat carotid artery disease you should eat two meals of fish every week. Salmon, tuna and mackerel are your best choices.) Fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are cholesterol-fighting foods you should eat plenty of.

Also, reduce your salt intake. Choose low-sodium and foods that have no salt added to them. Instead of reaching for the salt shaker, use healthy salt substitutes to treat carotid artery disease.

Limit Your Alcohol Intake to Treat Carotid Artery Disease
Drinking alcohol not only raises your blood pressure, but it also increases your triglyceride level. To treat carotid artery disease, the NHLI recommends that men should only consume two alcoholic drinks a day. Women should only consume one.

Take Apple Cider Vinegar to Treat Carotid Artery Disease
Besides eating healthy, you can treat carotid artery disease with daily doses of apple cider vinegar. Stir one or two tablespoons of RAW apple cider vinegar and honey in a glass of water to make a conventional drink, according to amuchbetterway.com. Drink up to three of this home remedy each day.

Drink Pomegranate Juice Every Day to Treat Carotid Artery Disease
According to a study that was published in the Clinical Nutrition journal, drinking a bit less than 2 ounces of pomegranate juice every day can help reverse artery damage. An article in the May 2007 Woman's World magazine states that drinking a cup of pomegranate juice on a daily basis reduces accumulations of plaque
on artery walls in people with carotid artery disease by 30 percent.

Resources
http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Carotid_Artery_Disease.html
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/clogged-arteries-arterial-plaque
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/catd/catd_treatments.html
http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/askquestion/14718/alternative-remedy-for-blocked-arteries-is-there-a.html
http://health.amuchbetterway.com/health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/
http://health.yahoo.com/experts/healthieryou/11903/8-power-foods-to-protect-your-health/