Heart Health: What You Need to Know and Why It Matters

The human heart is a muscle about the size of your fist. It beats over 100,000 times a day, pumping blood through a network of blood vessels over 60,000 miles long. Yet despite its reliability, the heart is vulnerable. Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death globally. The good news: many heart problems are preventable with informed daily choices. Understanding the Heart: Function and Risks The heart has four chambers and acts as a double pump. The right side sends blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen, and the left side sends oxygen-rich blood to the body. The blood vessels—arteries, veins, and capillaries—work in tandem to keep every cell in your body alive. The most critical vessels for heart health are the coronary arteries, which supply the heart muscle itself with oxygen. Problems arise when these arteries narrow due to plaque buildup—a condition known as atherosclerosis. Plaque is made of cholesterol, fat, calcium, and other substances fo...