Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Here are 10 facts about our amazing heart. The heart is one miraculous machine. Weighing in at under a pound, it is the most important muscle in our body. I thought I'd devote today's post to a few interesting facts about this organ that helps us do what we do each and every day.
1. The average adult resting heart rate is about 72 beats.
2. Women typically have a slightly higher baseline heart rate than men.
3. The heart pumps about 1900 gallons of blood a day!
4. The heart beats about 100,000 times a day. (6)
5. By the age of 70 years, the human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times.
6. The human heart typically weighs between 9 and 11 ounces.
7. Ancient Egyptians believed the heart, not the brain, was the source of all wisdom, memory and emotion. (3)
8. It takes about 60 seconds for a single blood cell to travel throughout the entire body. (4)
9. Laughing can send 20% more blood through your body. Laugh through a funny movie - and your heart will thank you! (5)
10. The force behind a heartbeat could shoot blood upwards of 30 feet.
What you do with your heart is up to you. The food you eat and the way you move have the ability to literally make or break it.
Traci is a nationally-recognized health and fitness coach, and the current coach working with Steve Harvey's Bridal Bootcamp. Traci has also been featured on Dr. Oz, The TODAY Show, in SHAPE, SELF and local news programs. Her specialty is weight loss through clean eating and interval-style training. Traci is available for private coaching and corporate consulting. To contact Traci, please email [email protected].
1 clevelandclinic.org (2011). Women and Abnormal Heart Rates. Retrieved 12 February 2011 from clevelandclinic.org: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/women/conditions_arrhythmia.asp
3 Dunn, Jimmy. The Ancient Egyptian Heart. Retrieved 12 February 2011 from touregypt.com: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/heart.htm
4 science-facts.com. Human Facts. Retrieved 12 February 2011 from science-facts.com: http://www.science-facts.com/?page_id=16
5 Watson, Stephanie (). Amazing Facts About Heart Health and Heart Disease. Retrieved 12 February 2011 from webmd.com: http://www.webmd.com/heart/features/amazing-facts-about-heart-health-and-heart-disease_
6 Amarante, Joe (2007). The Heart Beats 100,000 Times a Day. Retrieved 12 February 2011 from newhaven.edu: http://www.newhaven.edu/news-events/13455.pdf
