FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 6, 2020 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 37
National Wear Red Day
Amazing facts about the human heart
Every Valentine’s Day homes and
businesses dress up their decor with
cupids and hearts to celebrate a day
all about love and aff ection. Th e heart
shape has been used to symbolically
represent the human heart as the
center of emotion and romantic love.
Hearts symbolizing love can be traced
back to the Middle Ages.
Th ose familiar with human anatomy
realize that an actual heart bares
very little resemblance to the
ideographic heart shape used
in art and imagery. Similarly,
the human heart really has
nothing to do with human
emotions. Despite this,
there are many interesting
components of the heart,
and a man or woman
truly cannot love or live
without one.
Th e heart as an organ
is relatively small
in size. It is roughly
the size of a fi st
and weighs only 11
ounces on average.
Although diminutive,
the heart is
responsible for pumping
2,000 gallons
of blood through
60,000 miles of
blood vessels each
day. It accomplishes
this by beating
72 times a minute
Three heart tips for women
Th e U.S. Food and Drug Administration
off ers the following advice to women
looking to prioritize their heart health:
A heart-friendly diet
Th anks to food labels, it’s easier than
ever for women to consume heart-healthy
diets. When examining labels, look for
foods that are low in sodium and sugar.
When planning meals, avoid foods that
are high in trans fats.
In 2015, the Food and Drug
Administration ruled that trans fats were
not recognized as safe for use in human
foods and gave manufacturers three years
to remove them from their products. Th e
Cleveland Clinic advises consumers to
check labels for “partially hydrogenated
oils,” which are a hidden source of trans fats.
In addition, the Cleveland Clinic notes that
foods such as cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits,
microwavable breakfast sandwiches, and
many types of crackers contain trans fats.
High-risk conditions
Certain conditions can increase a woman’s
risk for heart disease. While women
may not be able to turn back the clocks
and prevent these conditions from developing,
they can take them for the serious
threat they are and do their best to manage
them.
High blood pressure, diabetes, and high
cholesterol can increase a woman’s risk for
heart disease. Take medications as directed,
monitor blood sugar levels if you
have diabetes, and routinely have your
blood pressure and cholesterol tested to
ensure any preexisting conditions are not
increasing your risk for heart disease.
Aspirin intake
Th e Food and Drug Administration
notes that many physicians prescribe aspirin
to lower patients’ risk of heart disease,
clot-related strokes, and other problems
related to cardiovascular disease.
However, there are risks associated with
long-term aspirin use, and such risks
should be discussed with a physician.
According to the Administration, bleeding
in the stomach, bleeding in the brain,
kidney failure, and certain types of stroke
are some of the potential side eff ects of
long-term aspirin use. Such side eff ects
may never appear, but the risk that they
might makes discussing the pros and cons
of aspirin well worth it.
Women can learn more about heart
disease by visiting www.fda.gov.
in a healthy adult. All of the cells in
the body receive blood except for the
corneas in the eye.
Th e heart works harder than any
other muscle in the body. In a fetus, it
begins beating at four weeks aft er conception
and will not stop until a person’s
time of death. Even then, sometimes
the heart can be revived. A heart
can also continue to beat outside of
the body provided it has an adequate
oxygen supply.
Although many people refer to all
of the blood vessels in their body as
“veins,” they’re actually a combination
of veins and arteries. Veins carry fresh,
oxygenated blood to the body through
arteries. Th e main artery leaving the
left heart ventricle is called the aorta,
while the main artery leaving the
right ventricle is known as the pulmonary
artery. Blood traveling back
to the heart fl ows through veins aft er
it has passed the lungs to pick up oxygen.
Th e thumping noise that is heard
while the heart is beating is actually
the chambers of the heart closing and
opening as blood fl ows through.
While the heart may not be the cornerstone
of emotions, it can be aff ected
by feelings. Studies have shown
that a “broken heart” is a real occurrence,
according to Live Science. Bad
news or a breakup with a loved one
can put a person at increased risk
for heart attack. Th is type of trauma
releases stress hormones into the body
that can stun the heart. Chest pain and
shortness of breath ensue but can be
remedied aft er some rest.
Conversely, laughter and positive
feelings can be benefi cial for the
heart. Research has shown that a good
laughing fi t can cause the lining of
the blood vessel walls — called the
endothelium — to relax. Th is helps
increase blood fl ow for up to 45 minutes
aft erward.
Although having a big heart colloquially
means that a person is loving
and goes out of his way for others,
physically speaking, a big heart is
unhealthy. An enlarged heart can be
a sign of heart disease and compromise
the heart’s ability to pump blood
eff ectively. Left untreated, it can lead
to heart failure.
Th ere is good reason to get amorous
with a loved one on Valentine’s
Day or other times during the month.
Being intimate can provide a physical
workout, in some instances doubling a
person’s heart rate and burning up to
200 calories. Th at’s the equivalent of a
brisk 15-minute run. Also, a study of
2,500 men aged 49 to 54 found having
an orgasm at least three times a
week can cut the likelihood of death
from coronary disease in half, according
to Th e New England Journal of
Medicine.
Th e heart is an amazing organ
responsible for sustaining life.
Although it is not directly tied to love
and emotions, without the heart such
feelings wouldn’t be possible.
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