The Heart of the Matter that is Heart Care
We would often see heart diseases depicted in the media and literature as something that only happens to elders but recent data show that cardiac problems are becoming more common in young adults. In the USA, it’s been observed that young men between 25 and 35 years old are suffering from heart attacks, and while there are many risk factors at play the message is clear—we shouldn’t take our hearts for granted literally and metaphorically. But before we get to its care, let’s refresh our memories with the most basic but critical functions of the heart—
1. It pumps blood throughout your body
Being the center of the circulatory system, the heart takes the lead role that is pumping life into your entire body. This means making sure enough blood flows through your veins to the right directions to make sure your organs are all working properly. The blood in turn helps carry important nutrients throughout the different parts of your body as well as carbon dioxide back to your lungs so you can breathe it out.
2. It maintains normal blood pressure levels
The heart’s inherent electrical system ensures that your heartbeat is normal. Any injury or undue stress can disrupt your heart’s rate and rhythm and can make it difficult for the heart to pump blood so it’s crucial that your heart has enough supply of oxygen and that your blood vessels are healthy.
3. It regulates its own muscle
Apart from the brain, the heart is probably one of the most hardworking organs inside our body because not only does it help regulate the flow of blood and essential nutrients, it also tends to itself by pumping so that its muscles stay strong. It’s crucial that your heart doesn’t experience difficulty in contracting and pumping so that it receives its own supply of blood and oxygen and keeps everything else basically working.