Understanding the Heart
It’s that time of year again where the heart grows fonder!
Defining the Heart Organ
The heart exclusively pumps blood throughout the body. The blood helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to each part of your body, fueling it for thinking, moving, and general staying alive-ing. It also removes all the body crap. No, not that kind. Things like waste products of using the nutrients that were delivered as well as carbon dioxide.
Why the Heart Must be in Tip Top Shape
Electrical impulses direct the heart to pump via a specialized cluster of cells in the Sinoartrial Node. Each impulse gets the heart to pump on one side, then the other with the help of the Atrioventricular Node. When the SA and AV nodes fire regularly, the heart has a “regular” rhythm.
When the heart’s movement is ineffective, one can develop dizzy spells, feel sluggish, feel overwhelmed, and more. That’s not even talking about the very serious conditions of heart attacks and congestive heart failure! Eek.
Even when the heart itself is running smoothly, narrowed artery walls can lead to the heart running overtime to get the blood out to your whole body, working hard to continue pumping despite the decreased oxygen and nutrients being delivered to it. When the heart continues to work in these conditions, it is more likely to experience an attack.
How to Keep It Pumping
Don’t Smoke
Smoking increases the likelihood of blood clots forming as well as decreasing the amount of oxygen the body receives, instead replacing it with carbon monoxide, which is… not healthy.
Avoid Diabetes
High levels of sugar in the blood, which occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or develops a resistance to it, can lead to plaque buildup. Arteries with smaller passageways for blood to pass lead to a weak heart.
Maintain “Normal” Blood Pressure
Blood pressure that remains high for long periods of time can lead to hardening of artery walls, chance of heart attack, thickening of heart walls, and more. The condition is called Hypertension and can have an effect on mood.
Control Blood Cholesterol
Two types of cholesterol are found in humans, which we refer to as “good” cholesterol and “bad,” or HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) and LDL (Low-density Lipoprotein) respectively. Keeping your HDL high allows the body to absorb more cholesterol to be disposed of by the liver, whereas having high levels of LDL leads to the narrowing of artery walls.
Visit the Doctor
Getting the doctor for a yearly physical will help monitor levels, i.e. cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure. These yearly appointments allow people to ask their doctor any questions about symptoms that have been bugging them, even for something as simple as being out of breath. There are no dumb questions with doctors, and if the doctor makes someone feel stupid, then ask to see another one.
All of these parts are both easy and tall orders. What’s a way to work on most, if not all of them?
Exercising
Exercising time and time again has been shown to improve cardiovascular endurance by making the heart stronger. A stronger heart leads to improved blood flow and a less stressed heart. There’s a laundry list of improvements to the body from exercising 30 minutes a day:
- Lower LDL and higher HDL
- Lower blood pressure
- Improves lung function
- Overall lower risk for developing heart disease
- Improves mood
- Improves sleep
These benefits of exercising do not appear after one session: take it one day at a time and learning what exercises will lead to consistency in moving every day to get the most out of working out. Whatever leads a person to stick to moving regularly is the best exercise for him or her!
For people new to exercise, it is always a good idea to visit the doctor to ask what types of exercise to avoid, then find a fitness professional who isn’t just a drill sergeant. Finding a trainer who teaches about long term change is the coach a person committed to getting healthier needs.
The heart pumps blood throughout the entire body, keeping it running smoothly. Taking care of the heart will lead to a healthier life with less stress and more fun. Exercising helps keep the heart strong and the rest of the body will benefit from moving more.
Sources
- Arrhythmia Cleveland Clinic
- Benefits of Physical Activity National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health
- Better Sleep Found by Exercising on a Regular Basis: Exercise improves sleep, but it takes time to reap the benefits. by Michael J Breus, PhD Psychology Today
- Clogged Arteries (Arterial Plaque) WedMD
- Exercise’s Effects on the Heart New York Times
- Heart & Blood Vessels: How Does the Heart Beat? Cleveland Clinic
- High Blood Pressure Often Undiagnosed, Untreated: Half of mobile clinic patients with the condition said they didn’t know they had it, study finds by Mary Elizabeth Dallas HealthDay News, WebMD
- How High Blood Pressure Can Lead to a Heart Attack American Heart Association
- How the Heart Works WebMD
- Human Heart: Anatomy, Function, and Facts by Tanya Lewis LiveScience
- LDL and HDL: “Bad” and “Good” Cholesterol Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- What Causes Heart Disease? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health
- What is High Blood Pressure? American Heart Association
- Who is at Risk for Heart Disease? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health
