Heart, Blood & Circulation
Arteriosclerosis
A stiffening and narrowing of the arteries from calcium deposits and cholesterol plaque — a major cause of heart attack and stroke.
Also known as: Hardening of the arteries, Atherosclerosis, Plaque buildup in arteries, angina (definition: chest pain from reduced blood flow to heart), hypertension (definition: high blood pressure), arteriosclerosis (definition: hardening of the arteries)
📝 At a glance
Likely root causes: Diet high in animal fat, cholesterol, and saturated fat; Elevated cholesterol and triglycerides; Smoking and nicotine.
First thing to try: CAUTION -- hardening and narrowing of the arteries is managed with a doctor, because it raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Sudden chest pain, breathlessness, or one-sided weakness or slurred speech is a medical emergency -- call your local emergency number now. The diet and supplement measures below are supportive general heart-health steps only, are not a substitute for prescribed treatment, and must never replace medical care.
See a doctor if: This is a potentially serious condition that requires professional medical diagnosis and care. See a doctor promptly — the suggestions here are gentle, supportive measures only and are not a substitute for medical treatment.
🔎 Start with the cause
Lasting relief rarely comes from covering a symptom. First find what is feeding the problem, change what you can, and then help the body do what it was designed to do — heal.
Likely root causes
- Diet high in animal fat, cholesterol, and saturated fat
- Elevated cholesterol and triglycerides
- Smoking and nicotine
- Hypertension
- Obesity and diabetes
- Lack of exercise
- Refined sugar and hydrogenated oils
- Emotional stress
Change what you can
- CAUTION -- hardening and narrowing of the arteries is managed with a doctor, because it raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Sudden chest pain, breathlessness, or one-sided weakness or slurred speech is a medical emergency -- call your local emergency number now. The diet and supplement measures below are supportive general heart-health steps only, are not a substitute for prescribed treatment, and must never replace medical care.
- Adopt a strict plant-basedEating mostly or only foods that come from plants — fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds. More → diet — no meat, no dairy, no eggs, no hydrogenated oils.
- Eat garlic daily: it lowers LDL, raises HDL, and prevents clot formation.
- Take vitaminA natural substance your body needs in small amounts to stay healthy, like vitamin C or D. More → supplements: beta-carotene, B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E (ask your practitioner about the right amount for you), selenium (ask your practitioner about the right amount for you).
- Take lecithin (1-3 Tbsp. daily on cereal) — it emulsifies fats and breaks up existing plaques.
- Use hawthorn (ask your practitioner about the right amount for you), bilberry, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, and turmeric.
- Exercise daily — walking is best. Build up gradually.
- Keep extremities warm to maintain good circulation.
🌿 Then assist nature: remedies & protocols
With the cause being addressed, these are the actual things people do for this — ranked by the community. Vote ▲ on what helped you and ▼ on what didn't, and open How to do it for the steps. Each shows two quick signals: Evidence (how much science backs it) and Gentleness (how safe and in keeping with whole, natural health).
The dietary foundation for halting plaque progression.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Saturated animal fat, cholesterol, and refined sugar feed plaque buildup. A whole-food plant diet removes those inputs and supplies fiber and antioxidants, helping halt and sometimes reverse arterial narrowing.
- Drop meat, dairy, eggs, and hydrogenated oils.
- Build meals around vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
- Use only small amounts of whole-food fats like nuts and seeds.
- Eliminate refined sugar and fried foods.
- Stay consistent - arteries respond over months.
Lifelong · Every meal
Caution: Coordinate major diet changes with your doctor if you take heart or diabetes medicine. Supportive of, not a replacement for, prescribed cardiovascular care.
When to get help: Chest pain, sudden weakness, slurred speech, or facial droop are heart-attack or stroke emergencies - call now.
Source: Natural Remedies Encyclopedia 7th ed
Comments & experiences ▾
Modest cholesterol and clotting benefits as part of a heart-healthy diet.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Garlic's sulfur compounds modestly lower LDL and total cholesterol and discourage clot formation, supporting healthier blood flow as part of a whole-diet approach.
- Eat one to two fresh cloves daily, or take a quality garlic supplement.
- Crush fresh garlic and let it sit 10 minutes before use to activate compounds.
- Add to cooked dishes after heat where possible.
- Be consistent over months.
Ongoing · Daily
Caution: Garlic thins the blood - tell your doctor before surgery or if on blood thinners. Can irritate the stomach; take with food. Effect is modest, not a substitute for statins if prescribed.
When to get help: Chest pain or stroke signs are emergencies - call immediately.
Source: Natural Remedies Encyclopedia 7th ed
Comments & experiences ▾
Build up slowly; never push through chest pain.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Regular aerobic activity raises HDL, lowers blood pressure, and builds collateral circulation, all of which counter the effects of stiffened arteries.
- Get clearance from your doctor first.
- Start with 10 minutes at a comfortable pace.
- Build up gradually toward 30 minutes most days.
- Keep extremities warm to support circulation.
- Stop for chest pain or unusual breathlessness.
10-30 minutes · Most days
Caution: Stop immediately for chest pain, pressure, or severe breathlessness. Get medical clearance if you have known heart disease.
When to get help: Chest pain during exertion can signal a heart event - stop and seek care.
Source: Natural Remedies Encyclopedia 7th ed
Comments & experiences ▾
Supportive nutrients, secondary to diet and exercise.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Lecithin is traditionally used to help emulsify dietary fats, while antioxidant nutrients (vitamin C, E, beta-carotene, selenium) help protect vessel walls from oxidative damage.
- Favor antioxidant-rich whole foods: citrus, berries, leafy greens, nuts, seeds.
- If using lecithin granules, sprinkle on cereal as directed.
- Discuss any high-dose supplements with your doctor.
- Keep these as supports to the core plant-based diet.
Ongoing · Daily
Caution: High-dose vitamin E can interact with blood thinners - check first. Whole-food sources are preferable to megadoses. Supportive only.
When to get help: Heart-attack or stroke symptoms require emergency care, not supplements.
Source: Natural Remedies Encyclopedia 7th ed
Comments & experiences ▾
How the numbers work: a weighted voting system — trusted published sources cast endorsement votes for each protocol, and your ▲/▼ adds to them. Not medical advice.
🩺 When to see a doctor
- This is a potentially serious condition that requires professional medical diagnosis and care. See a doctor promptly — the suggestions here are gentle, supportive measures only and are not a substitute for medical treatment.
- Chest pain on exertion
- Leg pain when walking that stops at rest
- Stroke symptoms
- Heart attack symptoms
🌿 The seven pathways to health
Seven pathways for your arteriosclerosis — tap the circle to check one off (saved on your device), or ask Remy for help.
“Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health... In case of sickness 1cause should be ascertained, 2go to work intelligently to remove the disease. 3Unhealthful conditions should be changed, 4wrong habits corrected. 5Then nature is to be assisted in her effort 6to expel impurities and 7to re-establish right conditions in the system.”
🌿 Overview
Arteriosclerosis (hardened artery walls) and atherosclerosis (fatty plaque buildup) narrow the arteries, raise blood pressure, and ultimately cause heart attacks and strokes. A strict plant-basedEating mostly or only foods that come from plants — fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds. More → diet eliminating animal fat, combined with garlic, hawthorn, and key antioxidants, addresses the root cause.
Arteriosclerosis means hardening of the arterial walls; atherosclerosis means plaque deposits that narrow the inside of arteries. Both raise blood pressure and eventually cause heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease. Plaque builds up over decades — triggered by eating meat and dairy, sedentary living, and emotional stress. There is NO pain as it worsens — until the crisis comes. The good news is that diet change may help reverse plaque buildup for some people, even in advanced cases.
Common signs
- Often none until a crisis occurs
- Intermittent claudication — leg pain when walking, relieved by rest
- High blood pressure
- Chest pain (angina) on exertion
- Stroke symptoms in severe cases
🍃 Supporting foods & habits
The gentle, everyday foods and supports that help in the background — secondary to the active remedies above. Vote on what helped you.
Good hydration supports healthy blood flow as part of an artery-friendly lifestyle.1000
Garlic is one of the most heart-friendly foods, supporting flexible arteries and healthy cholesterol.870
A jewel-seeded fruit rich in antioxidants, eaten or juiced to support the heart and healthy blood pressure.830
How the numbers work: this is a weighted voting system — every published book or article recommending a remedy counts as an endorsement vote, and your ▲/▼ counts too. Not medical advice. *Ties are broken by our editor score (sources, safety, simplicity, cost, lifestyle fit, eight-laws alignment).
🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
Favor these
- Broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe
- All fresh vegetable and fruit juices
- High-fiber vegetables, fruits, and legumes
- Dark green leafy vegetables
- Whole grains, nuts, and seeds
Go easy on
- All animal protein — meat, dairy, eggs
- Hydrogenated oils, margarine, and butter
- Refined sugar and white flour
- Salt and processed foods
- Coffee, cola, and alcohol
A strict whole-food plant diet is the most powerful medicine against arterial disease.
⚖️ Good to know
- Too much vitamin D can elevate blood cholesterol.
- Glucose intolerance doubles atherosclerosis risk — watch blood sugar.
⚕️ What a doctor may offerConventional treatments for this condition — for your information.Show ▾
RemedyRank's heart is natural healing — and honest information. Here is what conventional medical care commonly involves for this condition, listed to inform, never to promote. Decisions about treatment belong with you and your own physician.
Hardening/narrowing of the arteries is managed by reducing cardiovascular risk.
Commonly offered
- Statins and blood-pressure control–
- Stopping smoking; diet and exercise–
- Antiplatelet medication (e.g., aspirin) when indicated–
- Procedures (stents, bypass) for severe blockages–
Worth knowing
- Chest pain, leg pain when walking, or stroke symptoms need evaluation.
- It's the root of heart attacks and strokes — risk control matters.
- Manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes together.
👍/👎 shares whether a treatment helped you — community experience, not medical advice. For full professional details, see the sources under “Learn more” below.
📜 A note from history
Dean Ornish, M.D. found evidence that a low-fat plant-based diet with lifestyle changes may help reverse coronary artery disease in some people. This supports what natural health advocates have taught for over a century.
📚 Learn more
Sources for further reading. These open in a new tab.
💚 Was this page helpful?
A quick tap helps us improve these guides. Saved on your device in this preview.