The cardiovascular system is the fancy name for one of the most important parts of your body. Made up of the heart, blood and blood vessels, the cardiovascular system is your body's delivery man so cardiovascular health, and in particular exercise, is something everyone should be interested in. The blood is pumped from your heart, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every part of the body. On the return trip, the blood picks up waste products so that your body can dispose of them.
The core of the cardiovascular system is your heart, a muscle about the size of your clenched fist. It contracts and relaxes about or seventy so times a minute at rest - more if you are exercising, less if you are Lance Armstrong - and squeezes and pumps blood through its chambers to all parts of the body.
On this remarkable journey, your blood travels through a series of rubbery pipelines both big and small. It is estimated that if you strung all your blood vessels together end to end, they would circle the earth 2 1/2 times!
Your blood picks up get oxygen in your lungs, then is pumped through arteries and capillaries to the whole body, delivering oxygen to all the cells in the body -- including bones, skin and other organs. Veins then carry the oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart for another ride.
Clearly this is a part of the body that is crucial for good health. There are numerous ways you can help it to function better:
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Control your weight
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Lower your cholesterol and fat levels
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Eat fish oil, nuts, and omega-3 fatty acids regularly
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Pay attention to your carbohydrates and the glycemic index
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Eat sufficient fibre
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Exercise regularly and stay active
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Quit smoking
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Control your blood pressure
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Reduce your alcohol consumption
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Be aware of the damaging effects of stress, emotions and depression
Treated well, your heart will keep beating for eighty years or more - time spent looking after it will be the best investment you'll ever make.
