Written by
Louise W Lu, PhD, MPH, BMLS
Reviewed by
Alexandra V Goldberg, Registered Dietitian
Welcome back to the second part of our guide to reversing atherosclerosis and plaque buildup. In Part 1, we explored the first five foundational strategies focused on diet, essential fats, cholesterol management, blood pressure control, and movement.
In Part 2, we're going deeper. These next five steps target the underlying metabolic, hormonal, and recovery systems that influence plaque stability and long-term cardiovascular risk — including stress, sleep, inflammation, and proactive health monitoring.
These are the advanced tools that help you stay ahead of silent vascular damage — and give your arteries the long-term support they need to heal.
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Step 6: Control Blood Sugar to Protect Arteries
When we think of blood sugar, most people immediately think of diabetes. But here's the truth: even if you don’t have diabetes, chronically high blood sugar can silently damage your arteries — long before symptoms appear.
Just like sugar can caramelize and harden things in your kitchen, too much sugar in your bloodstream can "stick" to your artery walls, trigger inflammation, and speed up plaque buildup. That’s bad news for your heart and brain.
🚨 Why It Matters:
- High blood sugar wears down the thin lining inside your blood vessels — the part that keeps them smooth and flexible.
- It helps create small, dense LDL particles (the most harmful kind).
- It stiffens your arteries, making them less able to expand.
- And it tends to go hand-in-hand with other risk factors like high blood pressure and belly fat.
🍎 What to do — even if you're not diabetic:
- Cut back on added sugar and refined carbs. That means soft drinks, white bread, pastries, and even many "low-fat" packaged snacks.
- Choose slow-burning carbs like oats, beans, lentils, and vegetables. These help keep your blood sugar stable.
- Pair carbs with fiber, protein, or healthy fat. For example, add avocado to toast, or nuts to fruit.
- Try time-restricted eating. Giving your body longer breaks between meals (like a 12:12 or 14:10 schedule) can help improve insulin sensitivity.
- Move after you eat. Just 10–15 minutes of light walking after meals can significantly reduce blood sugar spikes.
🔬 What Science Says:
Studies like the CARDIA and EPIC-InterAct trials have shown that even people with “high-normal” blood sugar have higher risk of artery calcification and cardiovascular disease later in life. It’s not just about diabetes anymore — it’s about preserving your arteries before things go wrong.
💊 Supplement Option:
- Berberine (500 mg, 2–3x/day): A plant extract shown to lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity — often called “nature’s metformin.”
- Myo-inositol + D-chiro inositol: Especially useful for people with PCOS or prediabetes.
- Chromium + magnesium: Both play important roles in glucose metabolism, and are often low in people with blood sugar issues.
- Enzogenol® (100–240 mg/day): A pine bark extract shown to reduce oxidative stress and improve insulin sensitivity. May support glucose control and vascular health, especially in metabolic syndrome.
- Propolis extract (200–400 mg/day): This bee-derived antioxidant helps lower systemic inflammation, and some studies suggest it may modestly improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetics.
- Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) (300–600 mg/day): Known to enhance insulin sensitivity and reduce nerve damage risk in diabetics.
Product recommendation:
Melrose MCT Oil Kick Start 500ml (Buy Now)
Health Life® Bee Propolis + NZ Pine Bark 200s (Buy Now)
Pharma New Zealand™ ADIPOACTIVA™ Enzogenol™ New Zealand Maritime Pine Bark Extract (Buy Now)
Step 7: Reduce Chronic Stress
Chronic stress doesn’t just affect your mood — it creates a storm of biological changes that silently damage your arteries. When cortisol stays high, it raises blood pressure, increases inflammation, disrupts sleep, and worsens insulin resistance.
🚨 Why It Matters:
- Elevated cortisol triggers chronic low-grade inflammation
- Stress hormones raise blood pressure and blood sugar
- It worsens lipid profiles (lower HDL, raise LDL and triglycerides)
- Stress impairs sleep — which is crucial for vascular repair
🍎 What to Do:
- Practice mindfulness or breathing exercises daily — even 5–10 minutes helps
- Get outside — nature walks reduce stress hormones measurably
- Set digital boundaries — reduce evening screen time and notifications
- Schedule recovery — not just activity: add rest, naps, or creative time
- Laugh, stretch, journal, or hug someone — all help balance the nervous system
🔬 What Science Says:
A 2020 review in Integrative Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology found that long-term stress exposure increases vascular inflammation and impairs endothelial function. Interventions like meditation, tai chi, and breathing exercises lower CRP, cortisol, and IL-6 — all markers of arterial damage.
💊 Supplement Option:
This combination delivers therapeutic levels of adaptogens and amino acids — without overstimulation.
- Ashwagandha (300–600 mg/day): One of the most studied adaptogens for reducing cortisol and improving stress resilience
- Rhodiola rosea (200–400 mg/day): Helps reduce fatigue and stabilize mood under chronic stress
- Holy basil (Tulsi): Traditionally used in Ayurveda to calm the mind and support adrenal balance
- L-theanine (100–200 mg/day): Found in green tea, promotes alpha brain waves and relaxation without drowsiness
- Magnesium glycinate: Calms the nervous system, supports sleep and heart rhythm
- Ginkgo biloba (120–240 mg/day): Enhances blood flow to the brain, may help reduce stress-related cognitive fog and support vascular tone
- GABA (100–300 mg/day): A calming neurotransmitter that supports parasympathetic activation and relaxation, especially in anxious individuals
- 5-HTP (50–100 mg/day): Precursor to serotonin, can support mood and stress resilience — often used for stress-related emotional eating or sleep disruption
Product recommendation:
Health Life® Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract 9000mg 60s (Buy Now)
Pharma New Zealand™ Nervactiva® GABA + 5HTP Neurotransmitters 300mg (Buy Now)
Step 8: Prioritize Deep, Restorative Sleep
You might not think of sleep as a cardiovascular intervention, but poor sleep has a direct impact on your arteries. When you’re not getting enough deep, restful sleep, your blood pressure stays elevated, inflammation rises, and your body's repair systems don’t work as they should.
🚨 Why It Matters:
- Short or fragmented sleep increases cortisol and blood pressure
- Disrupted sleep impairs glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity
- Poor sleep is linked to arterial stiffness and faster plaque growth
- Sleep apnea is strongly associated with heart disease and stroke
🍎 What to Do:
- Aim for 7–8 hours of sleep with regular timing — your body loves consistency
- Optimize your sleep environment: dark, cool, and quiet
- Limit screens and blue light at least 1 hour before bedtime
- Use a wind-down ritual: journaling, stretching, herbal tea, or reading
- Get morning sunlight — it resets your internal clock
🔬 What Science Says:
The MESA Sleep Study showed that poor sleep efficiency, sleep apnea, and short sleep duration were all independently associated with greater coronary artery calcification — even after controlling for traditional risk factors.
A 2023 review in Current Cardiology Reports confirmed that restoring circadian rhythm and sleep quality can lower nighttime blood pressure, improve glucose control, and reduce sympathetic overactivation — all essential for vascular health.
💊 Supplement Option:
- Magnesium glycinate: Calms the nervous system and supports deep sleep
- L-theanine (100–200 mg): Promotes relaxation without sedation
- GABA (100–300 mg): Supports parasympathetic activity and falling asleep
- 5-HTP (50–100 mg): Boosts serotonin, which converts to melatonin
- Melatonin (0.3–3 mg): Supports circadian rhythm, especially for shift workers or jet lag
- Adaptogens (ashwagandha, holy basil): Help regulate cortisol, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep
Product recommendation:
Pharma New Zealand™ Nervactiva® GABA + 5HTP Neurotransmitters 300mg (Buy Now)
Step 9: Track Your Artery Health
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. While lifestyle changes are powerful, the only way to know if they’re working is to check in on your artery health. Today, there are non-invasive and affordable ways to monitor your risk — long before symptoms appear.
🚨 Why It Matters:
- Plaque can build up silently for decades with no obvious symptoms
- Most heart attacks and strokes occur without warning signs
- Tracking metrics like blood pressure, lipids, and inflammation helps personalize your plan
- Early detection gives you a chance to take action before it’s too late
🍎 What to Do:
- Check your blood pressure at home regularly — aim for under 120/80 mmHg
- Test fasting lipids: LDL, HDL, triglycerides — at least once a year
- Ask for hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) — a marker of inflammation linked to plaque instability
- For blood sugar: check fasting glucose + HbA1c
- Consider an arterial imaging test such as:
- Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan
- Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ultrasound
- Ankle-brachial index (ABI) — compares leg and arm blood pressure
🔬 What Science Says:
Research shows that coronary calcium scoring and carotid ultrasound can reveal subclinical atherosclerosis in people with no symptoms and help guide early intervention. The 2023 AHA guidelines recommend using tools like CAC scoring for personalising risk — especially in borderline or intermediate-risk individuals.
💊 Supplement Option:
- No supplement can replace testing — but the right nutrients support the numbers you're tracking.
- For inflammation (CRP): Omega-3s, turmeric, propolis, Enzogenol
- For LDL: Niacin, red yeast rice, soluble fiber
- For glucose and insulin markers: Berberine, magnesium, alpha-lipoic acid
Step 10: Consider Medically-Guided Therapies
Lifestyle changes can do a lot — but in some cases, they may not be enough. If your artery scans show significant plaque, your LDL stays elevated despite your best efforts, or you already have cardiovascular disease, it’s time to consider medical options.
🚨 Why It Matters:
- Some forms of plaque are dangerous even if you feel fine
- LDL levels above 130 mg/dL in high-risk individuals often require pharmacological support
- People with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or family history may need additional protection
- Combining lifestyle and medication often produces the best results — not one or the other
🍎 What to Do:
- Talk to your doctor about your 10-year ASCVD risk score and recent test results
- If LDL remains high, consider prescription options alongside your current supplement plan
- If blood sugar or weight is hard to control, newer classes of medications may help
- Always ask your doctor about side effects and benefits — and track how you feel over time
🔬 What Science Says:
The 2019 ACC/AHA guidelines recommend high-intensity statins or PCSK9 inhibitors for patients at high cardiovascular risk. These therapies can lower LDL by 50% or more and significantly reduce future heart attack or stroke.
GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors have also shown strong Tcardiovascular benefits in people with type 2 diabetes — including plaque stabilization, blood pressure reduction, and improved weight and glycemic control.
💊 Medical Therapies to Ask About:
- Statins — First-line option to reduce LDL and plaque risk
- PCSK9 inhibitors — Injectable therapies for people with familial hypercholesterolemia or statin intolerance
- Low-dose aspirin — For those with existing cardiovascular disease (not for general prevention)
- GLP-1 receptor agonists — For blood sugar and weight in diabetics with heart risk
- SGLT2 inhibitors — Help lower blood sugar and reduce heart failure risk
Medications don’t mean you’ve failed. They mean you’re using every available tool to protect your heart, your brain, and your future.
Product recommendation:
Calocurb® Complete Kit (Buy Now)
Final Thoughts: Putting It All Together
Reversing atherosclerosis isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about small, consistent actions that protect and repair your arteries over time. The steps you’ve learned — from nourishing foods and targeted nutrients, to sleep, stress relief, and medical monitoring — work together to halt plaque growth and improve your long-term cardiovascular health.
If you’ve already taken action on Part 1, great! Now you have five more high-impact tools from Part 2 that address the deeper, invisible drivers of arterial aging.
Most importantly: you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep showing up. One small change at a time can literally change the course of your life.
Take care of your arteries today — so your heart and brain can take care of you for decades to come.
Missed Part 1? Read it here.
