The cardiovascular system
The cardiovascular system (circulatory system) includes the heart, arteries, veins and smaller blood vessels. The heart is actually a pump that must primarily ensure that the blood is pushed to all corners of the body. Via the arteries, the blood transports oxygen and vital nutrients to the various parts of the body. Waste products are removed via the veins. The heart needs sufficient oxygen to be able to function.
What is atherosclerosis?
Arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis is characterized by a narrowing of the arteries due to fatty deposits on the walls of the blood vessels. Often the blood contains an excess of fat and cholesterol. These substances are deposited on the inner wall of the arteries, causing a gradual build-up of deposits that obstruct the blood circulation.
Causes and risk factors
Atherosclerosis is associated with numerous factors that constitute a risk factor or a direct cause:- nicotine
- diabetes
- old age
- hypertension
- high cholesterol in the blood
- obesity
- hereditary predisposition
Atherosclerosis is the cause of many other vascular diseases.
Good blood circulation is important for the optimal functioning of all organs.
Everyone knows the 'window legs' where you get pain in the calves due to poor blood flow to the leg muscles. Window legs are the result of arteriosclerosis (narrowing and hardening of the arteries). The right diet and supplements can support the health of your blood vessels.
Varicose veins
Varicose veins are caused by the permanent dilation of the superficial veins of the leg. This benign condition affects one in two women and one in ten men. Normally, blood flows from the legs to the heart via the veins. Small valves in the veins prevent the blood from flowing back. This system sometimes fails: defective valves in some deep veins of the leg cause reflux of blood, which accumulates in the veins on the surface of the leg. The exact cause is unknown, but it is probably a hereditary disease of the vascular wall. The development of varicose veins is promoted by several factors: obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, standing upright for long periods, old age and hormonal factors.
Preventive measures atherosclerosis
Prevention is essential and offers the possibility of slowing down and even reversing the progression of the disease. It is mainly based on healthy lifestyle habits: not smoking, taking regular exercise, correcting arterial hypertension, possibly keeping blood sugar levels under control and following a balanced and low-fat diet.
