How the Heart Works – Part 1 - Health Plus Digest

Everyone knows that the body won’t live without the heart. If the heart doesn’t beat for more than 3 minutes then brain cells begin to die. After 6 minutes other cells in the body begin to die from lack of oxygen that the blood supplies.

The heart is a pump. Just like the pump in the fish tank circulates water delivering oxygen to the water, and thus to the fish, the heart circulates the blood full of oxygen to the cells throughout the body.

On a very simple scale this pump can get clogged, break down or just plain need repair. The more you know and understand how the heart works the better you’ll be able to take care of the pump that keeps your body functioning and working.

Heart disease is a growing problem. People live fast-paced lives in a fast-paced society. They don’t pay attention to their stress levels, nutrition, rest, or exercise needs. Our bodies are not machines that can be repaired in the shop while you drive around a rental. They are complex mechanisms that need time and care to stay in the best shape possible.

What is extremely important is that our bodies will attempt to repair themselves if given the necessary tools. Those tools are a balanced diet, adequate water, good amount of rest and exercise. According to the American Heart Association there are almost 2,000 Americans who die of heart disease each day. This number includes people who have all types of heart disease, not just coronary artery disease leading to heart attack.

Resources:

MayoClinic: Heart Disease

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/circulatory-system/MM00636

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: How the Heart Works

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/heartmurmur/heartworks.html

LifeBeat: How Your Heart Works

http://www.bostonscientific.com/lifebeat-online/heart-smart/how-your-heart-works.html

KidsHealth: Your Heart and Circulatory System

http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/heart.html

Yale-New Haven Hospital: How the Heart Works

http://www.ynhh.org/heart-and-vascular-center/heart_works.aspx