Folic Acid for Arteriosclerosis

Greens for folic acid

Arteriosclerosis is a disease of the arteries. The arteries are supposed to be flexible and elastic, but in arteriosclerosis the arterial walls stiffen, becoming thick and hard. The term arteriosclerosis is often used interchangeably with atherosclerosis, but atherosclerosis, technically, is a specific kind of arteriosclerosis caused by the accumulation of fat deposits on the arterial walls. Arteriosclerosis is a serious condition, connected with the development of high blood pressure and heart disease. But it is also preventable and treatable with a few simple lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Scientists are not yet certain whether folic acid alone can improve arteriosclerosis, but studies show that low blood levels of folic acid are connected with a higher risk of arteriosclerosis, fatal coronary heart disease, and stroke.

Using Folic Acid to Treat Arteriosclerosis

Method

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet that is high in fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, vegetables and grains are the best dietary sources of folic acid. Wheat flour is not naturally high in folic acid, but since 1998 the U.S. has fortified wheat flour with folic acid, so you can use wheat as a source.
• If you wish, take a multivitamin that contains folic acid.

Why It Works

Adding folic acid to your diet by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is likely to improve your health for a variety of reasons, not all of which have to do with the increase in your intake of folic acid. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables will provide the body with a multitude of nutrients that promote good health, as well as providing fiber (which can reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood) and crowding out possible dietary sources of fat. If the folic acid itself helps, it probably does so by helping to break down the amino acid homocysteine, thereby reducing the amount of homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is thought to damage the cells on the inner surface of the arteries.

Precautions

Before attempting to treat arteriosclerosis with home remedies or lifestyle changes, it is important to speak with your doctor. Your doctor should approve your plan before you start. Follow up with your doctor regularly to monitor the effects of any dietary changes on your health. For example, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may cause you to lose weight. If you are overweight to begin with, losing weight may be healthy for you, but it is prudent not to lose too much weight too fast. Losing weight slowly and gradually is healthier for the body.

In general, eating a healthier diet and adding fruits and vegetables, or a broad spectrum multivitamin, to the diet will not cause any harmful side effects. However, if you are not used to eating foods that are high in fiber, you may want to start slowly and ramp up your intake over time, to give your digestive tract time to adjust to increased amounts of fiber. If you have trouble digesting raw fruits and vegetables at first, try steaming your vegetables instead, or eating vegetables that have been stir-fried or added to soups or stews.

Do not add supplements other than a broad-spectrum multivitamin to your diet in an attempt to increases folic acid intake.

More Remedies

• Click here for all Arteriosclerosis remedies