Artery disease, sometimes known as arterial disease, is a disease of the vascular system that affects the arteries in your body and blood vessels. In addition to smoking, high fat intake, and a lethargic lifestyle, aging is one of the leading risk factors for arterial diseases. In old age, blood vessels become stiff, promoting the deposition of fat and cholesterol deposits. These deposits can reduce the blood supply to different organs, including limbs, heart, kidney, and brain. About 60% of people aged 75 or older have coronary artery disease (CAD), which is one type of artery disease.
Here are some tips that can minimize the risk of arterial diseases, particularly in old age.
1) Do regular exercise
We must exercise for a healthy heart and arterial system and efficient blood flow to the organs. Any of the following exercises can be done for at least 30 minutes daily.
- Brisk Walking
Try to start by walking gradually and take a few breaks if you feel tired, but don’t give up. Enhance your distance and pace slowly as your strength improves.
- Swimming
Swimming is a low-impact exercise that may enhance your heart rate, better blood circulation, and assist you in building muscle strength without causing joints to be stressed out.
- Strength Training
This includes squats, raising the calf, and curling your legs, which is helpful and may enhance your tolerance and ability to walk considerable distances without pain.
- Yoga
Yoga helps improve balance, flexibility, and strength. It gives you peace of mind and body and lowers stress, so better for overall cardiovascular health.
- Cycling
Cycling, like riding a stationary bike or going outdoors, helps enhance blood flow, strength, and tolerance without causing any stress on your joints.
2) Follow healthy dietary choices.
The following tips can help to choose healthy foods and avoid junk/high-fat foods.
- Oil from seeds or plant sources such as avocado, canola, sunflower, olive, safflower, peanut, sesame, peanut, and soybean contain “good fat content”, which can be used in moderate amounts.
- You can eat unsalted nuts, seeds such as linseed, chia, and tahini, instead of salted nuts as they can increase blood pressure.
- Eat avocado for healthy fats, eggs, yogurt, unflavored milk, and cheese.
- Eat vegetables such as cruciferous veggies, including cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower, and fruit such as citrus fruits, including oranges or grapefruits
- Avoid butter, coconut oil, and high-fat meat sources such as lamb, beef, and chicken skin.
- Avoid palm oil, processed foods, and bakery items like biscuits, pastries, whole-fat cheese, whole-fat milk, yogurt, margarine, or deep-fried foods.
3) Maintain healthy weight
We need to maintain a healthy body weight at every age. Obesity is associated with arterial diseases, so we must lose a few pounds or kg for a healthy heart. To improve cardiovascular health and avoid arterial diseases, diet and exercise regularly.
4) Quit alcohol consumption and smoking
People who smoke or drink alcohol are at increased risk of arterial diseases. So, we should try to reduce the intake of cigarettes and alcohol from our daily routine and improve our lifestyle. To avoid addiction, we can divert our attention to other activities such as painting, gardening, writing, or book reading.
5) Lipid-lowering medications
As recommended by the American Academy of Family Physicians, lipid-lowering medications should be started in people aged 40-75 years who are at high risk for cardiovascular problems. Thus, we should consult with our family physician about whether it would be the right time to start lipid-lowering drugs.
Take Home
More than half of people aged 75 or older have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, a subtype of arterial disease. Unhealthy food choices, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking are the leading risk factors for artery diseases. However, regular exercise, a balanced diet, quitting smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and lipid-lowering medications can reduce the risk of vascular diseases in old age.