Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk by Improving Your Coronary Calcium Score

Early detection and prevention of heart events are essential in reducing risk. The coronary score can be used to assess your risk for heart disease. It measures how much calcium is in your coronary blood vessels. A high score on the coronary calcium scale indicates an increased chance of heart disease. Fortunately, there are things you can do to improve the score of your coronary capillaries and, therefore, your overall heart health. In this article, we will discuss how to reduce the risk of developing heart disease by improving your calcium score.

Coronary Calcium Score

This score is a measure of your coronary calcium. Before you can improve this score, you need to understand it. The Agatston or coronary score is based on calcium deposits found in coronary arteries. These deposits are indicative of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is when plaque builds up inside the arteries, causing them to narrow and increase the risk of heart attack.

The score comes from a chest CT scan, which takes images of your coronary arteries. The higher your coronary score, the more likely you are to develop heart disease or experience a heart-related incident like a stroke.

We’ll now look at ways to lower your score on the coronary calcium scale and improve your cardiovascular health.

Healthy Diet Choices:

• Reduce Fats: Limit your consumption of foods high in fats like red meat, whole-fat dairy, and processed snacks. These fats are known to contribute to plaque build-up.
• Choose Heart Healthy Fats: Opt for Unsaturated Fats, such as those found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish like mackerel and salmon. These fats are known to help lower inflammation and improve cholesterol.
• Increase Fiber Intake: Include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes in your diet. Fiber helps lower cholesterol, which is good for heart health.

Regular Exercise:

• Try to engage in regular physical activities. You can aim for 75 minutes or more of vigorous-intensity activity per week, but at least 150 minutes. Exercise can lower blood pressure and improve heart health.
• Strength training will build muscle and improve metabolism.

Manage your Blood Pressure

• You can keep your blood pressure in a healthy range if you follow a diet low in sodium, maintain a healthy weight, and use prescribed medications if required.
• Consult your healthcare professional for help managing your blood pressure.

Control Cholesterol-Levels

• Limit Trans and saturated fats, which will reduce LDL cholesterol.
• Increase HDL (“good”) cholesterin by including healthy fats in your diet, exercising frequently, and not smoking.
• If necessary, your doctor may recommend cholesterol-lowering medicines.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

• To achieve and maintain a healthy, balanced body weight, you should eat a nutritious diet and engage in regular physical activities.
• Reduce your risk of developing heart disease by losing weight.

Conclusion

Your coronary Calcium Score can be a valuable indicator of your heart disease risks, but it is not a static number. A heart-healthy diet and lifestyle will improve your score, reducing your risk of developing heart disease. You must make lasting changes to your diet, lifestyle, and exercise.

Remind yourself that improving your cardiovascular health will take time. Regular visits with your healthcare provider are essential for you to track your progress and make necessary adjustments to your treatment.