The stronger your blood vessels, the longer your life! Do these 8 things to slow down the aging of your blood vessels!

Ruan Lei, deputy chief physician of the Department of Geriatrics at Tongji Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, wrote in an article on the hospital's official account in 2023 that the large and small blood vessels in the human body are connected for about 100,000 kilometers, and the blood vessels transport blood, oxygen and nutrients to various parts of the human body. The health of blood vessels is directly related to myocardial infarction, stroke, carotid artery stenosis, aneurysm, thrombosis and other diseases.

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As we age, our blood vessels gradually age. At the same time, stress, bad mood, and unhealthy lifestyles can also affect blood vessel health and accelerate blood vessel aging. After the age of 45, you should pay special attention to your blood vessel health.

01

These manifestations

This indicates that blood vessels may be unhealthy

1. Sudden loss of consciousness lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes may indicate cerebral vascular stenosis.

2. Feeling chest tightness or pain behind the sternum after running, climbing stairs, or other exercises, as if a stone slab is pressing on your chest, may indicate that the coronary artery supplying the heart is narrowed.

3. If the blood pressure difference between the two arms exceeds 20 mmHg, it indicates possible upper limb vascular stenosis.

4. Sudden pain, weakness or numbness in the lower limbs while walking, which is relieved after resting for a period of time, may indicate vascular stenosis in the lower limbs.

02

Do 8 things well

Blood vessels age more slowly

Wang Qi, deputy chief physician of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, wrote an article introducing that as long as you do the following 8 things, you can slow down the aging of your blood vessels.

1. Pay attention to blood lipid levels

It is very important to avoid a long-term high-cholesterol diet, including eating less animal brains, animal offal, egg yolks, etc. It is very important to pay attention to blood lipid levels during annual physical examinations and control cholesterol, especially low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, within the normal range.

2. Control blood pressure

Long-term high blood pressure will significantly accelerate the progression of arteriosclerosis. People with a family history of high blood pressure, in particular, need to monitor their blood pressure regularly. High blood pressure is related to genetic factors, as well as stress, staying up late, obesity, and unhealthy lifestyles. Once a significant increase in blood pressure is found, it should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

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3. Control diabetes

Long-term poor blood sugar control is like soaking the organs of the whole body in a sugar jar, which will lead to diffuse plaque formation in large and small blood vessels and cause serious arteriosclerosis. Long-term blood sugar control treatment is very important. The key is to control your mouth, move your legs, and take good medicine. In addition, you should also monitor your glycosylated hemoglobin level regularly.

4. Quit smoking

Smoking is one of the most important risk factors for arteriosclerosis. Nicotine, a harmful substance in tobacco, can induce repeated contraction of the vascular endothelium, leading to endothelial damage, accelerating the process of arteriosclerosis, and causing early coronary heart disease and other arteriosclerotic diseases. Quitting smoking is the most economical measure to maintain blood vessels, and secondhand smoke should also be avoided.

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5. Increase aerobic exercise

Proper exercise is essential for maintaining blood vessels. Exercise can increase cardiovascular reserve capacity, relieve sympathetic nerve overexcitation, and slow the progression of arteriosclerosis. You can choose running, swimming, cycling, racket sports, etc. according to your personal preferences, age, and cardiovascular capacity. Exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week, each time for more than 30 minutes.

6. Get a good night’s sleep

Try to maintain a normal work and rest habit and get enough sleep. People who stop breathing for a short time during snoring must rule out the possibility of sleep apnea syndrome. Studies have shown that snoring may be related to high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, arteriosclerosis, sudden death, etc.

7. Reduce stress appropriately

Long-term high-load work is also a risk factor for vascular sclerosis. Therefore, we should do a good job of self-regulation, have a balance between work and life, control our emotions appropriately, and don't be too impulsive when encountering things.

8. Control your weight

Metabolic syndrome, represented by abdominal obesity, can easily increase the cardiovascular burden, causing a series of problems such as high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar, leading to early onset of arteriosclerosis. Weight loss is an effective way to avoid this risk factor.

In short, arteriosclerosis is a normal aging process of the human body, and it may even begin to develop in childhood, just like wrinkles on our skin. It is unstoppable, but not terrible. What we need to do is to try to delay this process, prevent the blood vessels from aging too quickly, and prevent serious blockage of blood vessels.

Review｜Li Nannan Director of Hunan Science Writers Association, Deputy Director of Research and Publicity Department of Hunan Science and Technology Association, Second-level Researcher, Chinese Science Writer (Medical Field)

Source: Health Times

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