Smoking, lack of exercise and being overweight all contribute to this cardiovascular disease. High levels of saturated fat, red meat, salt, sugar and alcohol also increases your risk. The good news is that these conditions can be prevented by following a nutritional programme that will help to protect against arterial damage, relieve and deter plaque build up, reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure.

Protect Your Arteries - Arterial plaque builds up in areas where the arteries are damaged. Vitamin C is essential to produce the collagen and elastin that holds our skin, cells and membranes together, including the artery and vascular walls.

Anti-Oxidant Protection - Free oxidising radicals are harmful molecules that cause damage to artery walls. Cigarette smoke, fried and roasted food, pollution and radiation all expose us to free radicals. The anti-oxidants vitamins E, C and A, the minerals zinc and selenium, and Co-enzyme Q10 help maintain our antioxidant protection by neutralising free radicals.

Reduce The Load - High blood pressure is caused by high stress, a narrowing or constriction of the arteries, by an increase in blood volume and by being overweight. It can cause the heart to enlarge and eventually fail. As the heart is a muscle and there is a layer of muscle within the walls of arteries, the balance of two minerals, calcium and magnesium, is most important. If magnesium is deficient the muscles can go into spasm causing sharp pain and temporary constriction of blood flow. If the arteries are already narrowed, low levels of magnesium could initiate a heart attack.

Salt - Salt regulates fluid levels in the body. The more salt we eat, the more fluid we retain. This raises blood pressure and increases the load on the heart. Try not to add salt to your food when cooking or at the table. Use fresh herbs and spices or a high potassium salt to flavour food instead.