Whole Food Nutrition
Your Healthy Heart At Work
Relentless, the human heart doesn’t ever sleep until it’s time
to sleep for good. Beating approximately 72 times per minute,
perhaps its tireless, selfless labor represents the best parts
of us. Surrounded by the ribcage, the heart is our greatest
muscle of all, contracting and expanding like every other human
muscle. However, unlike our skeletal muscles, every time the
heart contracts, it does so with every ounce of its force.
The heart pumps the blood, carries all the vital materials
such as oxygen, glucose and amino acids and removes waste
products that the body does not need. Everything that the heart
does helps the entire body to function. For instance, if the
brain does not receive oxygen and glucose continuously, we will
lose consciousness. Muscles require oxygen, glucose and amino
acids as well as a divine ratio of sodium, calcium and potassium
salts in order to contract normally. The heart provides these
things, distributing everything through the body’s blood. That
is why if the heart quits its job, the entire body will shut
down after a dangerously short period of time.
A complex and intricate muscle, the heart consists of three
layers, while the cavity itself is divided into four parts.
There are two upper chambers called the right and left atria and
two lower chambers called the right and left ventricles. Blood
that has already visited the body’s cells and has already
distributed its nutrients is drawn from the body by the right
half of the heart and then sent to the lungs to be reoxygenated.
After the blood has been reoxygenated, the left side of the
heart draws it into itself and the blood is then pumped into the
bloodstream. Essentially, the atria draw the blood from the
lungs and body and the ventricles pump it to the lungs and body.
Of course, this is an over-simplification of what the heart
actually does. To learn more about the heart, visit
www.theheart.org.
Don’t Break Your Heart . . . . . . .
It’s almost unfathomable to think that something the size of our
fist can push and pull such large quantities of blood to every
cell in our body. The heart pumps billions of gallons of blood
in the average human lifetime. Throughout our lives, we must
keep our hearts healthy. Just like everything else, if we don’t
take good care of our hearts, a myriad of malfunctions can
result. The following are some friendly suggestions for a
healthy heart. Exercise is like reading--there’s something out
there for everyone. For instance, don’t try taking up jogging
for the fifth time if you know you will get bored with it after
a month and drop it like a hot potato. If you detest climbing
stairs, you may not want to hop on the stair climber or take a
step aerobics class.
Too many of us associate exercise with torture and we willingly
put ourselves through things we hate, making physical exercise
rather short-lived.
The trick is to engage in a type of exercise that you look
forward to doing throughout the week. Find a physical activity
that not only gets your heart pumping, but fits your personality
and your lifestyle.
Today’s gyms have a vast variety of
creative ways of making the heart dance, from elliptical
machines to group aqua activities. Some of us need group
exercise classes (such as body toning and step classes) to keep
us motivated and challenged. Some of us need to join the
volleyball or softball team to make exercise a sport, a friendly
competition or a playground of camaraderie. And then some of us
just want to exercise alone whether it’s swimming, biking or
jogging.
...TICK ... TICK ... TICK ... Goes
Your Heart and Time
There is also your schedule to consider. Are you a morning
person? Or is your snooze button all too familiar with the
inside of your palm? This, along with your work schedule, should
help you determine when to exercise. If you decide to do
something solitary to begin with, start with a small sliver of
time like 15 minutes. Think of it as time you may normally spend
in front of the television. After you get into a routine, start
increasing it slowly and repeat your exercise routine three to
four times per week. You can also capitalize on pockets of time
throughout the day. How about not fighting for that close
parking spot? Why not take the stairs instead of the elevator?
Stand up and pace while talking on the phone. Think of all the
moments of the day you can capitalize on to become more active.
Recreational Substances
Smoking, taking drugs and drinking alcohol excessively places
meaningless strain on the heart. Because the heart’s job is to
pump nutrient-rich blood through the body and get rid of waste,
toxins (such as the ones mentioned) will taint your blood and
make it harder for nutrients to nourish all of your needy cells.
Over time, these practices will make your heart suffer.
Scientific study has proven that smoking greatly increases risk
of heart attacks and cardiac death. It’s never too late to quit.
Since illegal drugs are foreign substances, they can certainly
affect your heart. This is also the case with prescribed
medications, except the difference is that because they’re
legal, the doctor can control the dosage, thus controlling the
effect the drug will have on your heart. The only way you can
control the effect illegal drugs have on the body is to refrain
from taking them.
Some Hearty Facts
The heart is linked to Valentine's Day because it was once
considered the source of all human emotions. The custom of
drawing a heart shape is believed to come from early attempts to
draw an organ no one had ever seen. The symbol progressed to
become known as a sign of love.
A person’s heart is about the size of that person’s fist. As the
body develops, the heart grows at the same rate as the fist.
This is the case at every point in a person’s life except in the
womb during the first few weeks after conception, when the fetal
heart occupies most of the fetus’ mid-section.
Heart rate slows with age. During infancy, the heart beats at
120 beats per minute. The average seven year old child’s heart
beats about 90 times per minute. By age 18, the heart rate has
stabilized to about 70 beats per minute. This essentially means
that the heart is not fully developed until adulthood.
The heart is the most protected organ of the body. Located in
the center of the chest behind the breastbone and between the
lungs, the heart rests in a moistened chamber known as the
pericardial cavity, which is surrounded by the ribcage. Below
that is the diaphragm, a tough layer of muscle.
The heart is the body’s Fort Knox!
Something Else to Consider…
Aside from the above suggestions for a healthy heart also keep
in mind the importance of integrating
omega 3 essential fatty acids into your diet whether
it’s through eating fish or through using a dietary supplement.
The American Heart Association recommends eating foods
containing omega-3 fatty acids to protect the heart. In the long
run, your heart will thank you for it!
Following a heart-healthy lifestyle doesn't
have to be complicated, and it doesn't mean you need to live a
life of self-deprivation. Instead, find ways to incorporate
heart-healthy habits into your lifestyle — and you may well
enjoy a healthier life for years to come.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are five key areas to focus
on when it comes to looking out for your heart.
Learn How To Love Your Heart
1. Don't smoke or use tobacco products: "If you smoke, quit,"
advises Sharonne Hayes, M.D., a
cardiologist and director of the Women's Heart Clinic at Mayo
Clinic, Rochester, Minn. "That's the most powerful, preventable
risk factor for heart disease." When you quit smoking your risk
of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. And no
matter how long or how much you smoked, you'll start reaping
rewards as soon as you quit.
2. Exercise, exercise, exercise: Regular exercise helps prevent
heart disease by increasing blood flow to your heart and
strengthening your heart's contractions so that your heart pumps
more blood with less effort. Physical activity also helps you
control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing
other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as
high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Exercise can
also reduce stress, which may also be a factor in heart disease.
3. Get regular health screenings: High blood pressure and high
cholesterol can damage your cardiovascular system, including
your heart. But without testing for them, you probably won't
know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can
tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take
action.
4. Maintain a healthy weight: As you put on weight in adulthood,
you gain mostly fatty tissue. This excess weight can lead to
conditions that increase your chances of heart disease, high
blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Even small
reductions in weight can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by
just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your
blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.
5. Eat a heart-healthy diet: Consistently eating a diet rich in
fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can
help protect your heart. Most people, for instance, need to add
more fruits and vegetables to their diet — with a goal of five
to 10 servings a day. "There's a huge amount of data to suggest
that fruits and vegetables are highly effective in preventing
not just cardiovascular disease, but cancer and other diseases
as well," Dr. Hayes says.
When it comes to eating healthy, convenience is the key. All of
The Wholefood Farmacy foods come ready-to-eat. There’s no
shopping, no preparation, no cooking and no dishes to wash. Let
The Wholefood Farmacy be your path to a healthier you! Some
healthy heart peoducts are
PhiPlus,
Farmacy Gourmet V-6 Creamy Tomato Soup, AmpliPhi
As always, we are at your service,
The Wholefood Farmacy Team
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