When it comes to your heart, the beat goes on

The heart is often considered to be the centre of love and compassion in the human body in ancient mythology.

Where the brain is the higher centre of logic, reason and thinking, the heart is seen as the emotional centre.

The heart is a muscular hollow organ with four chambers that pumps blood throughout the human body. It is located in the middle chest just slightly left of centre and is protected by the rib cage. It is about the size of two fists clasped together. The average heart weighs about 300 grams, or just over ½ pound. A woman’s heart is slightly smaller and weighs slightly less than a man’s heart.

The average heart rate is 72 beats per minute, ranging from 60 to 100 beats per minute at rest. A heart rate of less than 60 beats is slow and a heart rate greater than 100 beats is fast. Deviations from normal may be considered normal for some people and pathological for others.

The heart usually beats in an amazing harmonious synchronicity. A heart that beats 72 beats per minute, beats 4,320 times per hour, 103,680 times per day, 35 million times per year and 2 ½ billion times per average lifetime. A woman’s heart usually beats slightly faster than a man’s heart.

The average volume of blood in the human body is about five litres, slightly more for males and slightly less for females. The heart pumps about 60 to 100 millilitres of blood per stroke volume, about five litres of blood per minute and 7,000 litres of blood per day. That volume can increase dramatically by three to four times during periods of intense exercise.

The heart is a delicate organ that can be damaged in several ways. Damage to the electrical system of the heart can disrupt the rate and rhythm of contractions leading to an arrhythmia. Damage to the heart muscle itself can also impair muscular contraction. Damage the coronary arteries, mainly because of atherosclerosis or hardening of the blood vessels, can lead to a heart attack.

A healthy diet emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods, high-quality proteins and fats, fresh fruits and vegetables is best for a healthy heart. A diet high in ultra-processed foods, sugar, saturated fats, salt, alcohol is not that healthy for the heart.

Lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, increased drug and alcohol consumption and lack of exercise can negatively affect the heart. A high level of perceived negative stress can also impact heart function.

Magnesium is a vital macro-mineral that plays a vital role in over 300 different unique functions in the human body. It is intimately involved in energy generation and muscular relaxation. It is considered to be nature’s calcium channel blocker and can relax the heart muscle and blood vessels alike.

Co-enzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like compound that is a rate-limiting step in cellular mitochondrial energy generation. The heart muscle has among the highest concentration of mitochondria in the human body. Q10 can help to ensure optimal mitochondrial function in the heart muscle. Several drugs including cholesterol lowering medicines or statins decrease Q10 levels dramatically. Q10 can slightly improve heart muscle contractility and ejection fraction.

Omega 3 oils, primarily fish and plant oils, can help reduce bad LDL cholesterol levels in the human body. These oils can decrease inflammatory pathways, decrease platelet aggregation and prevent oxidative damage to the delicate inner lining of the coronary arteries that can lead to atherosclerosis.

Carnitine is a non-essential amino acid that is the main transport vehicle of fats to the mitochondria. Carnitine ensures that mitochondrial have a constant, regular supply of dietary fats that can then be broken down for the generation of energy. Carnitine can slightly improve heart muscle function and ejection fraction.

Taurine is one of the most abundant non-essential sulfur containing amino acid in the human body. It is a normal constituent of bile in the liver. It is used to enhance fat absorption from the digestive tract. Taurine is involved in calcium regulation in the heart muscle, reduces blood pressure, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol compound in dark red and purple grapes, berries and red wine. Resveratrol reduces both inflammation and oxidation in the heart and blood vessels. It can help to reduce blood pressure, improve oxygen supply and increase heart muscle function.

Hawthorn is a flowering tree from the Rose family with bright red berries that are rich in bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids can reduce blood pressure slightly, improve oxygenation of the heart, prevent oxidative damage to the arterial wall and can slightly increase heart muscle contraction.

You should consult a licensed health care professional before adding supplements to your nutritional program, especially if you have a pre-existing heart condition.

The information provided in this article is not intended to constitute medical advice. All information and content are for general information purposes only.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.