Plaque: How does it affect blood pressure?

Plaque in our arteries is a major cause for concern. But why exactly is it a problem?

Put simply, it is a garden hose problem. Allow me to explain.

If you have ever watered a garden using a hose, you would have likely pinched the hose at some point. Your goal was to increase the flow of water, perhaps to reach a plant in the distance.

Pinching the hose increased the velocity of the water, making it travel further with greater force. The same thing happens in our arteries when plaque builds up.

Your arteries get “pinched” increasing the velocity and flow of blood, once it crossed the area.

But what is the problem?

The increased velocity and flow, in our case, is not encountering air. Instead, it is collides against the walls of your arteries.

The walls are made up of a thin layer known as the epithelium. The epithelium gets damaged, creating micro tears, creating leaks.

The arterial walls stiffen in response to the increased pressure.

Your body is simply trying to cope. But the effect is less pliability of the walls, reducing your flexibility to deal with a variance in the pressure of the blood flowing. That is why plaque in your arteries is not desirable.

But why did the plaque build up in the first place?

This is a problem of plenty. You transport lipids through out your body through your blood. The lipids, LDL, HDL, for example, are life saving. It becomes a problem only when there is too much.

Excess lipids start getting stored all over and some of it builds up in your arteries resulting in plaque.

One of the best ways to reduce arterial stiffness is by spending time in a sauna. In an ideal world, three times a week, for up to thirty minutes each time.

Yes, that is where I went yesterday, before my cold plunge.

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