If your calcium score is ZERO, how confident should you feel about not having heart disease, and having nice clean arteries?
Did you recently get your coronary calcium score measured and it was zero, but you’re wondering if this absolutely for SURE means you have crystal clear arteries?
“It may not mean totally clear arteries,” says Dr. Sameer Sayeed, a cardiologist at ColumbiaDoctors of Somers, NY.
“There may be some very mild plaques that are essentially clinically insignificant and are not calcified enough to be detected on the calcium score,” continues Dr. Sayeed. “Technically it does mean clear arteries in the big scheme.”
How to Help Prevent Clogging of Your Coronary Arteries
So if you are concerned that you may still have some mild heart disease or not perfectly clear arteries despite having a coronary calcium score of zero, there are several things you can do to dramatically reduce the risk of eventually developing significant levels of coronary heart disease.
AVOID TRANS FATS AT ALL COSTS.
While consuming trans fats a few times a month might not seem harmful, it’s crucial to ensure that this frequency doesn’t escalate to a few times a week.
Even occasional consumption can add up over time, leading to significant trans fat intake over a decade.
Since there is no definitive data on the long-term risks associated with occasional trans fat consumption, it’s prudent to err on the side of caution.
To protect your health, it’s best to avoid trans fats altogether and focus on a diet rich in healthier fats, such as those from nuts, seeds and fish.
LIMIT PROCESSED FOODS (even if they don’t contain trans fats) as much as you can.
Make a homemade chicken pot pie; forget Marie Callender’s.
To limit processed foods, focus on preparing fresh, whole foods at home.
Choose fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. Read ingredient labels carefully to avoid hidden sugars, unhealthy fats and additives.
Plan meals ahead of time and cook in batches to reduce the temptation of convenience foods.
Gradually replace processed snacks with healthier alternatives like nuts, yogurt and fresh fruit.
Replace bottled juice with whole fruit.
There are numerous other ways to protect against developing coronary artery plaque buildup and maintaining clean arteries and keeping your calcium score at zero.
These include taking the supplements of green tea extract, turmeric, garlic and krill oil, and eating omega-3-rich fish several times a week.
Fish offers numerous benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving heart health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, supporting brain function and enhancing joint health.
It can also contribute to better mood and cognitive function.
And finally, DO HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING.
Dr. Sayeed performs echocardiograms and stress tests at the Midtown Manhattan and Westchester offices at Columbia Doctors. He is also trained in cardiac CT imaging.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
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