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Healthy Heart
HOW OUR HEART FUNCTIONS
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The heart is actually a muscle about the size of a clenched fist. It is located
in the centre of the chest and tilted a little towards the left. It is the heart
that is mainly responsible for nourishing the organs with blood, oxygen and nutrients,
through the blood vessels.
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The
heart is divided into 2 major parts, the left and the right, which work as two
pumps. The left side of the heart receives oxygen rich blood from lungs and pumps
it to all parts of the body through blood vessels called arteries. The right side
of the heart receives the used up (deoxygenated) blood returning from the organs
of the body through blood vessels called veins and pumps it to the lungs for purification.
The heart then collects the oxygen-enriched blood from the lungs and pumps it
to the tissues of the entire body via its left side to continue the cycle of blood
circulation in our body. Like
all other organs in the body, the heart too needs oxygen-rich blood to perform
all its functions and oxygen-depleted blood must be carried away. For its own
oxygen and nutrients, it depends upon the three major arteries called the "Coronary
Arteries". Excessive deposition of fat in any of these three arteries leads
to the formation of a plaque (a thick, waxy, yellowish fatty substance) which
narrows down the blood supply to the heart. If the blood flow is partially restricted,
the heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen, which leads to discomfort and pain
in the chest, giddiness, and pain in the hand and back. It may be accompanied
by shortness of breath, sweating or nausea. Medication can be administered to
dilate the arteries, which helps to relieve this discomfort immediately. Such
a condition is a step towards heart attack. The
problem multiplies when the fat deposition is so high that it forms a clot in
the artery already filled with plaque. This results in a complete blockage of
blood flow to the heart and is named as HEART ATTACK. This
explains that the heart is such an important and precious organ that it becomes
imperative to ensure a healthy heart and minimise the risk of heart disease. Special
attention needs to be paid to nourishing this all-important organ throughout our
life and treating it with respect.
Also in this Section
Introduction
Causes
of Heart Diseases
Facts
about Fat
Eating
Smart for a Healthy Heart
Are
all Beverages good for Heart?
Fortify
your Diet with Fibre
Surrender the Sugar
& Salt Habit
Cooking Healthy at
Home
Eating Out Sensibly
Energize
with Exercise
Healthy
Heart Recipes
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