Causes of Atherosclerosis

by Webmaster, All4NaturalHealth.com

What are the causes of atherosclerosis? According to available literature, it would seem that the exact atherosclerosis causes are not really known.

Atherosclerosis is a condition whereby the walls or linings of blood vessels thicken. Typically, this is referred to as "hardening" of the arteries, and it reduces the cross-sectional area which is available for blood flow. Further, blood vessels which are affected by this disease become weaker and are more likely to burst. These are important and dangerous risk factors for the occurrence of strokes and heart attacks.

What we do know, is that persons who have high cholesterol levels are at higher risk of having atherosclerosis. Similarly, persons with heightened triglyceride levels also have higher risk of this condition. Another high-risk group is people who suffer from diabetes. In addition, people who suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure are more likely to experience accelerated progression of atherosclerosis.

Lifestyle factors such as smoking, lack of physical activity and obesity certainly exacerbate one's likelihood of developing atherosclerosis. It is also quite likely that some form of chronic inflammation in the body can be a contributing factor toward the condition.

With the above knowledge in mind, it becomes somewhat clearer what the causes of atherosclerosis are. Like all chronic and degenerative diseases and conditions, there is no one cause for the development of an ailment; it is always a collection of causative factors, almost all of which are dietary and lifestyle related. This is a fact which the medical community often refuses to embrace, preferring to look at obscure genetic relationships.

The causes of atherosclerosis are therefore very much similar, or even exactly the same, as the factors which lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and diabetes. These include a poor diet, lack of physical activity and exercise, allowing oneself to become overweight or obese, smoking, etc.

Most certainly, heart diseases are largely a disease of the fork, and of lifestyle habits, and changes to these areas would be critical for preventing and reversing such ailments. One cannot be loading up on high amounts of saturated fats, particularly from animal foods, fail to exercise, and expect to get away with it.

For more information on atherosclerosis, including how to prevent and even reverse the condition, read the other related atherosclerosis pages.

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Some Related Atherosclerosis Pages

Click here for more pages and articles on Atherosclerosis.