With atherosclerosis, there's good news and there's bad news. The bad news is that atherosclerosis may be slow in developing, but its end results can be debilitating and often fatal. But the good news is that you have the power to prevent and even reverse atherosclerosis by changing the ways in which you live, work, and play. An active, healthy lifestyle is your first line of defense against atherosclerosis.

Healthy lifestyle choices include:

• quitting smoking,
• losing weight if overweight,
• eating a healthy diet with few saturated fats and no trans fats;
• more fruits, vegetables, and fiber; and moderate alcohol intake,
• exercising regularly (30-45 minutes, 3-5 times per week),
• controlling diabetes and high blood pressure,
• managing stress.

Your doctor may also prescribe medications, such as:

• cholesterol medications,
• antiplatelet medications,
• anticoagulants (blood thinning medications),
• blood pressure medications, and
• pain medications.

Actively treating your atherosclerosis will do more than just lower your LDL cholesterol readings or control your blood pressure, as important as those changes are. Living a healthy lifestyle and taking your medications as prescribed is also likely to provide you with increased energy, more restful sleep, a more positive outlook...and a longer, healthier life.

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