The pain and danger of clogged arteries is an epidemic.

Millions suffer from pain, shortness of breath, slowed lifstyles, and not to mention the threat of death or disability if the artery closes completely or if there is a thrombosis from a clot.

Yes there are all over the world patients having their arteries reamed out with hot lasers and with cold lasers. Others are having their arteries cleaned out with mecanical devices. Some are having mesh-like wires implanted to widen the arteries. Others are forced to resort to open-heart surgery to by-pass the arteries clogged in the heart itself.

But are there things we can do that are safe, that are natural, that do not entail cholesterol lowering drugs or dangerous and invasive surgical techniques? The answer would have to be that, yes there are those in the health fields that emphatically claim we can have healthy arteries and hearts, and do it naturally. We will look at one such approach here, the dietary help.

Mike Adams, health guru and author of several books on nutrition, see "Natural Health Solutions", www.truthpublishing.com, says there are most definately some things we can and must do that will work.

First, he says, stop doing what caused your atherosclerosis in the first place. Stop what caused the problem, then you can work on reversing the process. In the 80's people were told to reduce fat, all fats, whether it was from beef lard or fish oils. It is now known, however, that that there are harmful fats and helpful fats.

The first practical thing then is to switch from unhealthy fats in your diet to healthy ones. That means giving up all fried foods due to all fried foods having trans fatty acids. Switch to raw and natural foods. Give up the cheap fats such as low cost vegetable oils. Move to more expensive fats such as cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.

Also something probably more important than getting good fats into you rdiet is to avoid hydrogenated oils and any food made with hydrogenated oils. That is because hydrogenated oils are the number one cause of heart disease and a major contributor to neurological disorders around the world. Hydrogenated oils are, simply put, poison in the human body. They accelerate buildup of plaque in the arteries.

Hydrogenated oils are artificially processed oils that never appear in nature. They are created by food poducers primarily to add shelf life and consistency to food so they taste good and will sit on the shelves for months.

Hydrogenated oils are found in virtually every baked or fried and sometimes even frozen food products in the grocery store. Isles in stores where the cookies and crackers are located are so contaminated with hydrogenated oils that they should be called the hydrogenated oil isles. Every snack chip, every cracker, and every baked good, whether sweet or not, is made with this dietary poison.

This then is perhaps the most important thing you can do to prevent the buildup of plaque in your arteries, and to allow the breakdown and elimination of the plaque. Avoid eating any food products made with hydrogenated oils.

How do you do that? Simple. Read labels. Don't touch any food whatsoever without reading the labels. What you are looking for is either hydrogenated vegetable oil or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. It can be partially hydrogenated soybean oil or saflower oil. What you are looking for is "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated". If it has either one of those that food is poison. Don't touch it. Put it back on the shelf.

Some foods to consider eating more often

Sweet potatoes

Green leafy vegetables

Carrots, Broccoli and Greens (lightly cooked to keep the carotenoids)

Pumpkin, canned or cooked

Squash

97% or greater fat free chicken or turkey breast (I look for 99% fat free.)

Low fat tomato sauces and pasta

Onions and Garlic (Chop or crush to release the photonutrients)

Homemade pizza with 99% fat free chicken as meat sauce

Foods with low/no salt for those who have high blood pressure

Peanuts, walnuts, almonds in moderation (be careful not to gain weight)

Olive oil and canola oil substituted for other oils, (the key is to monounsaturated fats vs trans-fatty acids or partially hydrogenated fat)

Salmon and other fish (mackerel, sardines, herring), including the skin and fat (Research suggests this omega 3 fat (EPA fat) has the ability to raise HDLs.

1-5 servings per week recommended)

Defatted soy flour (at least 1/3 of a cup per day recommended)

Fat free milk (skim)

Oatmeal, shredded wheat, low-no sugar added cereals

Whole wheat bread

Fresh fruits

Apples (with skin for flavonids)

Oranges (Eat pulpy parts for flavonids)

Red or black grapes

Grape juice (1 cup per day recommended)

Grapefruit, especially pink which has 40% more beta carotene than white

Dried fruits, especially apricots, dates, prunes

Cantaloupes

Fat free homemade yogurt with extra dry milk to increase the magnesium and calcium content

Tupelo honey as a substitute for sugar in cakes, cookies, breads, etc.

Salad dressings and dips with non-fat sour cream or homemade yogurt

Baked whole wheat chips and tortillas

Bean and chickpea dishes and dips

Tomato salsas

Walnuts (for omega3)

Almonds and Avocados (for monounsaturated fat)

Broccoli Sprouts

With all of this you need to maintain your normal weight by watching your calorie intake, and getting plenty of exercise

Foods to consider avoiding

1%, 2% and whole milk

Meats with 96% or less fat

Red meats

Hydrogenated oils such as stick margarine, and when listed as an ingredient in foods

Food with high butter fat and other animal fats, e.g., cheese, full fat yogurt, sauces

Hot dogs, hamburgers

Deep-fried foods

Sugar

Ice cream

Salt (if you have high blood pressure)

Candy, baked goods and ice cream made with fats

High fat snacks, chips

Pies, pastry's, cookies made with fat and sugar