

The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body. It is located in the chest and consists of four chambers: two upper atria (upper chambers) and two lower ventricles (lower chambers). The heart receives blood from the lungs through arteries, which branch into smaller vessels called arterioles. It is a fist-sized organ that helps to pump oxygenated blood throughout our body. Read on to learn some interesting facts about the heart that you probably didn’t know earlier.
What are Some Interesting Facts about the Heart?
Here are some amazing facts about the heart that you should not miss.
- The heart in our body is a fist-sized organ with smooth sides, a thick blood vessel at the top, and a rounded bottom.
- One of the fun facts about the heart is that it beats more than 115,000 times every day.
- Every day, our hearts pump more than 2,000 gallons of oxygenated blood.
- The rhythm of our heart is controlled by an electrical system, which is known as the CCS, or cardiac conduction system.
- Another interesting fact about the heart includes its ability to keep beating even when it is not attached to the body. Shocking isn’t it?
- Open heart surgery was first done in 1893. The operation was done by Daniel Hale Williams. He was one of the few African American cardiologists in the US back in 1893.
- An Implantable pacemaker was first used in 1958. The recipient of the pacemaker, Arne Larsson, lived way more than the surgeon who helped to implant the pacemaker. Arne Larsson passed away at the age of 86 because of a disease. Although, this disease was not related to the heart.
- The youngest person in history who received heart surgery was only 1 minute old. She had a defect in her heart that most babies fail to survive. The surgery was done successfully. However, she needs to have a heart transplant later in life.
- The first heart disease case was found in the 3500 years old remains of an Egyptian mummy.
- The smallest heart can be found in a wasp, known as a fairy fly.
- The heart of the smallest mammal ( American Pygmy) beats faster than any other living creature. The heart beats about 1,200 times in a minute.
- Among mammals, the largest hearts can be found in whales.
- The lopsided heart can be found in giraffes. Their left ventricle is thicker than their right, as their left side needs to move the blood up their long neck to reach the brain.
- Studies have shown that most people suffer or die from a heart attack on Mondays.
- One of the facts about the heart that might surprise you is that the most common day for heart attacks is Christmas Day.
- The heart in the human body weighs less than one pound. Although, the hearts of women weigh 2 ounces less than a man’s heart.
- The heartbeat of a woman is faster than a man’s.
- The opening and closing of the valves are the reason behind the sound of your heartbeat.
- The shape of the heart looks like a symbol of love. People used to think that the heart looked like a silphium plant, which is good for birth control.
- If the blood vessel system of your heart is stretched out, it can extend about 60,000 miles.
- Once we are into adulthood, the cells in our hearts stop dividing.
What Foods are Best for the Heart?
It is very important to look after your heart health. It helps in the circulation of nutrient-rich blood throughout your entire body. The heart removes waste and toxins and supplies you with fresh oxygen and is responsible for many other things that keep you alive, including increasing your immunity. While keeping this in mind, let’s have a look at some of the best foods for the heart:
1. Nuts
There are a variety of nuts that help keep your heart strong, including peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, and pecans. These nuts contain high quantities of fibre, antioxidants, protein, vitamins and minerals. Walnuts, particularly, are rich with omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Flaxseeds and Chia Seeds
Both the seeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids like alpha-linolenic acid. The fatty acids present in these seeds serve you with various benefits like helping reduce total cholesterol (LDL), levels of triglyceride, and lowers the risk of clot formation (thrombosis). Adding these seeds to your diet can help you reduce your blood pressure as well. Moreover, the fatty acids even help reduce the dangers of disorders related to your heart like arrhythmias.
3. Dark chocolate
As per some studies, there are a lot of benefits that dark chocolate serves you with. It helps combat atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when a fatty plaque forms within your arteries. This formation can heighten the risk of heart attack or a stroke. Dark chocolate may help improve the flexibility of arteries and help prevent whole blood cells from getting glued to the walls of your blood vessels.
4. Coffee
According to a recent study, drinking coffee regularly can help to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or failure and stroke.
5. Black Beans
The black beans that are tender and mild are rich with nutrients essential for your heart health. Nutrients like antioxidants, folate, and magnesium can help keep your blood pressure low. The presence of fibre in black beans may help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Conclusion
Needless to say, the heart is a pivotal organ in the body – a muscle that pumps blood as well as oxygen to every body part. This is why it is important to maintain the health of your heart and so you must make the foods mentioned above a part of your daily diet. With some crucial changes in your lifestyle, you will be able to ensure optimum heart health.