Experiencing peripheral artery disease can be such a painful experience, leading to other serious issues such as amputations. That is why Plano peripheral artery disease specialists at Prime Heart and Vascular have for over a decade focused on helping patients with this condition get back to their quality of life. Dr. Rishin Shah, a vascular specialist, has extensive experience managing peripheral artery disease through innovative treatments that give you relief and help you lower your risks and avoid further complications. However, you can also help in slowing down the condition through the following ways.
- Engaging in Physical Activity Regularly
While you receive treatment for the plague buildup to improve your mobility, proper exercises can help in conditioning your muscles to utilize the oxygen efficiently. The exercise makes your muscles comfortable with less oxygen, and when done adequately, your plaque buildup can be reversed. Therefore, your provider can work with you and design a training program mostly around simple exercises such as walking with rest periods. This will increase the time you are comfortable walking. When deciding to have some home exercise plan, please consult your provider on the same.
- Eat Healthily
Several cases of peripheral artery disease are due to plaque build-up as a result of high cholesterol levels. Therefore, moving to a diet with low-fat constituents can lower your cholesterol levels, slowing down the disease. Don’t be worried about huge diet changes as many people do, with such simple changes you can improve your health.
Maybe it’s time to eat more fruits and vegetables, consume less red meat, and avoid fried foods. Switching to low-fat alternatives such as daily products can also be all you have to do to lower your cholesterol levels.
- Manage Diabetes
If you have diabetes and are at risk of peripheral artery disease, managing diabetes can slow down the PAD. This is because these two conditions have symptoms that overlap and only put your feet into more danger. Fortunately, even some ways of managing this condition also overlap, meaning if you manage your diabetes, you will manage or prevent peripheral artery disease. Therefore, take diabetes treatments, including lifestyle changes, seriously, and you can slow down the PAD.
- Stop Smoking
If you smoke, please don’t be surprised when your doctor recommends that you stop smoking to slow down peripheral artery disease. Smoking destroys heart tissues, raises blood pressure, and lowers beneficial cholesterols. All this increases your risks for peripheral artery disease and, therefore, essential for you to quit smoking even if you are an average smoker.
- Extra Foot Care
One of the important things you need to do to slow down your peripheral artery disease is to keep an eye on your feet’ health. The PAD can cause numbness and limit the blood flow to your feet, slowing the healing process. Therefore, taking extra care can improve the health of your feet, slowing down the disease. Always wear well-fitting shoes with thick and dry socks. Inspect your feet every day for injuries and promptly treat any fungal infections.
If you are experiencing any peripheral artery disease symptoms, the above tip can be your solid start. However, you need to seek expert treatment and advice. Therefore, reach out to your provider at Prime Heart and Vascular for better management of your condition.
