With Valentine’s day being in the middle of February, it is rather appropriate that it is also the month assigned to raise awareness of heart-related issues. In the U.K., on average someone dies from heart and circulatory disease every 1-3 minutes. The majority of these deaths are due to coronary heart disease and strokes.
Whilst nobody wants to think about losing a loved one, there are things that we can do to understand better how to live a healthy life and to improve one’s chances of not developing heart-related issues where possible.
The human heart is a vital organ that pumps blood throughout the body via vessels of the circulatory system, supplying oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and removing carbon dioxide and other waste products. It is the first functional organ to develop about 3 weeks after an embryo is formed and even at that point it starts to pump blood and beat!!
Five facts about the heart:
- It supplies blood to every cell
Apart from the cornea, every cell in the human body gets blood from the heart.
- It works hard
In a day, the heart beats around 100,000 times and pumps around 1.5 gallons of blood per minute.
- It is spiritually significant
The heart is an emblematic symbol in many religions, signifying truth, conscience, or moral courage.
- It has its own electrical impulse
Due to this, the heart can continue to beat even when separated from the body, as long as it has an adequate supply of oxygen.
- It is psychologically influenced
Happiness and a strong sense of emotional vitality help lower the risk of heart disease.
There are well-known risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (diseases associated with the heart and blood vessels), including high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and high cholesterol, to name the most prevalent. These are often related to lifestyle and other factors with increasing age adding to the mix and risk.
Can we do things to help improve our ‘heart health’?
Yes, there are lots of things you can do!
- Improve your health habits – think about the kind of foods you eat. Increase the fruit and veg and fibre, lessen the takeaways for example.
- Exercise – aim for 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise, both cardio and strength training. Over time, you will benefit both your whole body and heart.
- Quit smoking if you smoke, try drinking less alcohol if you drink a lot.
- Get some sleep! People who don’t get enough sleep are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure and cardiovascular-related issues.
- Practise good dental hygiene – those with poor periodontal health often have the same risk factors for heart disease.
And lastly, spread information about heart health, that’s why heart awareness month exists. If we can help share information on important facts and tips about keeping the heart in the best form, we will be helping more people than you realise. This is probably the most powerful thing you can do to help!
