We know the heart is associated with love, but do you know about this vital organ? We all have hearts, and they’re all made out of involuntary muscle. It works every hour, minute, and second. We even feel it, and sometimes we can hear it beating. So, you might be wondering—why are hearts important?
Why is the heart important?
Our heart is important because it helps us live healthily and keeps our body running. If our heart stops working, the lack of oxygen and blood can quickly cause death or permanent brain damage to us.
How does the heart work?
Our heart is an involuntary muscle that tirelessly pumps rich and healthy blood to all parts of our body. The blood that is pumped by it provides our body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function. It helps us walk, digest, and move.
Where is the heart located?
Our heart is in the front of our chest. It slightly tilted to the left of our sternum (breastbone) and our lungs. If you’re wondering how big it is, just put a fist. Because you put out a fist, we can see its size.
Why do we need to take care of our hearts?
We need to take care of our heart to keep it beating so it will keep pumping the blood and oxygen we need. If we don’t take care of it, we might get a heart pain called angina. It doesn’t really hurt, but it gives you discomfort.
Not taking care of the heart can give us high blood pressure, problems
with our eyes, brain, and kidneys. Ignoring its needs, the oxygen won’t travel successfully through the body. It also won’t pump enough blood too. Continuously ignoring the heart can lead to cardiac arrest and heart failure.
How can we take care of our hearts?
We should make a conscious effort to:
– Get enough sleep
– Not to be stressed too much
– Stay positive
– Have your blood pressure and blood sugar checked regularly
– Being active
– Do some meditation
To do so, we need to:
– Balance junk and healthy food
– Exercise
– Not smoking or vaping (It’s bad for your heart and lungs)
– Don’t gain too much weight
– Include healthy protein sources, mostly plants and seafood
– Subtract the added sugars from foods recipes
– Stop drinking too much caffeine
– Avoid use of tobacco and alcohol
– If we feel pressure on the heart, contact a doctor
If you do all these, you’ll live a healthy lifestyle with a healthy heart.
About the Author
Angela is 9 years old and currently in Year five. She loves swimming. In her free time, she sings, practices dancing, and follows the moves of different K-Pop groups. She loves Filipino food, especially chicharon and dried fish.