'Softening of blood vessels' has deceived Chinese people for decades. Mature vinegar, fungus, and red wine are all nonsense
What is the most terrible disease in the world? Many people may say it is cancer, but do you know that cardiovascular disease is no less terrifying than it.
On June 23, the "China Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report (2021)" was officially released. The report pointed out that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Chinese residents, surpassing tumors , and the prevalence rate continues to rise.
It is estimated that there are 330 million patients with cardiovascular diseases in China , of which:
Hypertension 245 million
Lower extremity arterial disease 45.3 million
Stroke 13 million
Coronary heart disease 11.39 million
Heart failure 8.9 million
……
For cardiovascular disease, what is its "root"? How to eat and drink can prevent hardening of blood vessels? Uncle Jiu is here to tell you today.
1. The "hardening" of blood vessels is the root cause of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
In fact, the culprit of many cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases is " hardening of blood vessels ", that is, atherosclerosis in medical terms .
When everyone is born, the arteries and vessels are elastic and the inner walls are smooth. But as we grow older, blood vessels are affected by diseases or living habits, and gradually lose their elasticity and smoothness, that is, arteriosclerosis.
During this process, if the inner wall of the artery is damaged, lipids continue to accumulate, fibrous tissue hyperplasia, and calcium deposits, vascular plaques will form, showing yellow atheroma, which is called atherosclerosis .
Atherosclerosis is related to age, but also to factors such as heredity, gender, region, and environment. Atherosclerosis is severe to a certain extent, which may cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as carotid artery plaque, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction, resulting in serious consequences.
In the face of atherosclerosis, some people treat it scientifically, while others take an unusual path.
2. If you insist on drinking vinegar every day, how will your body change after half a year?
Mr. Liu is 50 years old this year. He often felt dizzy at the beginning of the year and did not improve. Helpless, had to go to the hospital to see a doctor.
When he arrived at the outpatient clinic, the doctor gave him a head CT and neck color ultrasound checklist based on his symptoms, and the report came out, suggesting carotid plaque .
This result made Mr. Liu very nervous, because his mother died of cerebral infarction.
After returning home, he began to search for information, looking for ways to soften blood vessels. Finally, he found a simple principle - drinking vinegar, vinegar is sour, can dissolve fat and calcium in blood vessels, and soften blood vessels.
As if he had found a treasure, Mr. Liu immediately went to the supermarket to buy a few bottles of vinegar, endured the sour taste, and drank a small cup every day.
Before he knew it, half a year had passed , and Mr. Liu decided to go to the hospital for a reexamination to check and accept the " results ". But the results of the re-examination surprised Mr. Liu— not only did the vascular plaque not shrink, but it increased, and the stomach pain gradually increased, and the doctor suspected that it was a gastric ulcer.
He couldn't figure it out, many people said that drinking vinegar can soften blood vessels, why didn't it work for him ?
So, can drinking vinegar really soften blood vessels?
Xiao Pingxi , Chief Physician of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shaw Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, explained that the main component of vinegar is acetic acid, which will be digested and absorbed after entering the stomach, and will not directly enter the blood vessels , so it cannot play an acidic role.
In addition, the mechanism of arteriosclerosis is very complicated. Generally, on the basis of long-term lipid metabolism disorder, fibrous tissue hyperplasia, calcium deposition or atherosclerotic changes appear. Drinking vinegar alone will not work at all. Therefore, there is no scientific basis for "drinking vinegar to soften blood vessels". Instead, it will stimulate gastric acid secretion, cause discomfort, and even aggravate gastric ulcers.
The treatment of atherosclerosis
In fact, it is almost impossible to reverse atherosclerosis by "eating" alone , and persistence in treatment is the key.
The treatment of atherosclerosis is mainly divided into three steps:
The first step is to control the "three highs" through drugs, At the same time, improve the lifestyle, quit smoking, drinking and other bad habits, inhibit the further development of plaque, and protect the arterial intima.
The second step is to take lipid-lowering drugs, reduce plaque volume, make plaque stable, and prevent plaque rupture.
In the third step , if the plaque is very unstable, antiplatelet drugs should be taken to reduce the risk of thrombosis.
Here is a brief introduction to commonly used drugs.
For lipid-lowering drugs with high low-density lipoprotein , one is statins , such as atorva, rosuva, pitava, prava, etc.; the other is cholesterol absorption inhibitors , such as ezetimibe.
Lipid-lowering drugs for high triglycerides include fibrates , such as clofibrate, bezafibrate, and fenofibrate.
Antiplatelet drugs include aspirin, clopidogrel, and ticagrelor.
However, no matter what kind of drug it is, patients must strictly follow the doctor's advice and not change or stop the drug on their own, otherwise the curative effect may be affected.
3. To prevent vascular disease, it is better to start with "eating"
To prevent vascular diseases, diet is very important. According to the " 2021 Dietary Guidelines for Improving Cardiovascular Health", Uncle Jiusummarize the following points for you.
1. Eat more fruits and vegetables
Eat more fruits and vegetables. Different fruits and vegetables have different nutritional components. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can protect the cardiovascular system and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is recommended to choose fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables , especially dark fruits and vegetables , which are often rich in nutrients.
2. Prefer whole grains
Studies have found that a diet rich in whole grains is good for cardiovascular health, and the dietary fiber in it can also prevent constipation and protect intestinal health.
According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", whole grains refer to "the endosperm, germ, bran, etc. Grains with natural nutrients."
Common brown rice, oatmeal, buckwheat, rye, corn, sorghum, millet, barley, barley , etc. are considered whole grains.
3. Choose healthy protein
Eat healthy protein such as plant protein, fish and seafood, milk and dairy products, and unprocessed lean meats.
4. Choose Unsaturated Fatty Acids
Studies have found that excessive intake of saturated fatty acids is harmful to cardiovascular health. It is recommended to choose unsaturated fatty acids as much as possible , such as tea oil, soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil and other liquid vegetable oils, and reduce the use of animal oils.
5. Choose unprocessed or low-processed foods
Excessively processed food not only loses nutrients, but also may produce harmful substances. Long-term consumption is not conducive to health, such as causing overweight or metabolic disorders. It is recommended to choose unprocessed or low-processed foods. In addition, sugar-sweetened beverages and foods, high-salt foods, alcoholic beverages, etc. should also be reduced.
References:
[1] China Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report Writing Group. Summary of China Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report 2021. Chinese Journal of Circulation, 2022, 36: 553-578
[2] Drinking vinegar can soften blood vessels? Beware of backfire! .Health Times. 2020-08-04
[3] Cardiovascular Health Diet Guidelines Released, 10 Top Suggestions Let You Eat a Good Heart! .Cardiovascular channel in medical circles. 2021-11-25
Reproduction is prohibited without the author's permission