Organs: The Giver of Life and Good Health

Organs... they’re the powertrain of our powerful, mighty human body. We have the brain, the mainframe that controls everything else. Our heart pumps blood through a network of arteries and veins, the cardiovascular system. The heart brings blood, delivers vitality and energy. Lungs too, major organs that play a key role in distributing oxygen to our cells. Did you ever hear the term antioxidant? That’s a fancy word for saying taker of life. For humans, oxygen is life and lack of it is death. This is where lung health comes in. Did you know that iron brings energy to the blood which enables the heart to pump oxygen to the far corners of your body? That’s an example of organs working in tandem with one another, with food as the energy source to fuel the process. People who are anemic have become low in red blood cells or hemoglobin as you may have heard the term being used. A red blood cell shortage means your body doesn’t have the energy to oxygenate itself -- and again, oxygen, that life giver, is critical to your health. What about the stomach? Another vital organ. A healthy stomach processes nutrition and carries it to the intestines which remove waste from the body. If the stomach is in bad health and we aren’t able to fully absorb the nutrition of our food, what does that do to our organs?

Healthy organs mean a longer life. So if you’re already doing the work of looking good on the outside, getting your exercise in, why not take the extra steps and treat your organs right, too?

The health of our organs is based on such simple practices. And yet the way humans live can make it so complicated to simply give ourselves a healthy dose of life- giving energy each day.

How many years do you think we could add on to our total lifespan by simply taking a few extra moments to slow down and eat our meals mindfully, without the stress hormone cortisol pumping through our nervous system wreaking havoc on all systems?

The nervous system, the brain which controls every other organ of our body, sending messages down our spine through neural pathways.

Maybe we didn’t think much about our brain when we considered what to eat for lunch today that would help us feel better and look healthier and not gain weight. But that major organ, the brain, requires nourishment and good care just like any other part of our body even though we can’t see it.

Eating for Heart Health and Weight Loss

The health of your heart is critical. But when you’re young, you’re probably more concerned about matters of the heart. Giving love to another person, finding that special someone. Maybe your goals to look healthy and feel good are a part of that. You want to give your best and most fit self to another.

But heart health eventually catches up with us. Sure, it may take a few decades and some hard living before your heart shows signs of wear and tear. But if you could peer into the telescope of your future, sitting with your grandkids

at your knee, who do you want to see peering back at you?

Not many people can take a look into that magic mirror of the future, it’s simply too hard to imagine an older version of ourselves. But the truth is that you have a say in what the older you looks like, how he or she feels. Older you can be as active or a sedentary as you choose. The path to get there is taking control of your own health.

No matter what age you are at this moment... you can begin your education on healthy practices to nourish your heart, the force of energy beating life into your limbs from inside that armored cage of your chest.

Today maybe you’re staying out late, taking your head on a mini trip with a few substances, eating what you want, sleeping in, skipping that workout.

Tomorrow though, you’re going to want to set some routines and practices for yourself. Because one day you’ll wake up in your mid-40s, fifties, sixties, wondering where all the time has gone and why your health went with it. Somehow we instinctively know to protect our heart emotionally. But physical care of our heart is part of the equation as well and the two relate to one another.

Studies have shown that people who think positively are able to improve their health by relaxing the nervous system. When they feel calm and think loving, grateful thoughts, their taxed nervous system brings itself out of a high cortisol production stress state and goes into regulated parasympathetic nervous system function.

This means your body is taking a little downtime, that background mode where all functions shift into rest and repair.

That’s a form of nourishment for your heart. And you probably well know the benefits of cardio exercise. The health gurus have been preaching that we get those beats up to 140 a minute for many decades now.. and through many phases of exercise experts who have come and gone.

Whether it was Jane Fonda or Richard Simmons or Jillian Michaels or your favorite modern-day social media influencer, one thing is certain. They will all tell you that we need to get our heart rate up and sustain that elevated heart rate to keep our most important muscle fit and functioning.

Exercise Your Way to a Healthy Cardio-Vascular System

What kind of exercise is good for your heart? It doesn’t matter what type of personality you have or what your chosen exercise is for getting in your cardio. There’s a heart healthy type of movement for every preference.

Prefer to do cardio in the privacy of your own home? Invest in a home gym and get a cardio machine or a couple of them. Try a stationary bike, if you love an at-home spin session. Or build your gluteus while you get those BMPs up, with a StairMaster or elliptical. The treadmill is perfect for those rainy days when you want to hit the pavement but just don’t feel like weathering the elements.

Cardio doesn’t have to involve machines. You can get your heart rate up with

some simple equipment that won’t cost a lot of money. A hula hoop can be a really fun way to burn calories, move those muscles and get your heart pumping. In fact, it is said that 10 to 15 minutes of hula hooping a day will drastically reduce your waist and improve your cardiovascular condition significantly.

Jumping rope is another low cost way to speed up the beats of your heart and have some fun. Maybe you can do 15 minutes of hooping and 15 minutes of jumping rope.

Got a flight of stairs in the house? Pop on those headphones, crank up your favorite tunes and do 15 or 20 flights. Stairs are a great way to firm up your backside, tighten those quads and give your heart and lungs a healthy, cleansing workout.

What about jogging? You don’t have to be a long distance cross country runner to benefit from a daily or several days a week jogging session. Jog where you want, when you want. If smooth terrain is your ideal, then hit the trails at your local jogging path at the park.

If traffic lights and crosswalks don’t phase you, trot along the city streets with your headphones cranking your favorite tunes. Next time you’re out and about, look around. No matter where you roam, you’re bound to see a jogger getting those paces in for the health of their heart and vascular system.

Other simple ways to get some cardio in while multitasking in your busy life? Instead of sitting on the sidelines while your kids play sports, jump in the game. Boost your heart rate while tearing around those bases in a game of kickball or softball. Exercise your heart muscle scoring that soccer goal or playing defense.

Any number of outdoor sports that your children are likely to participate in will be enhanced if you join in offer some pointers and use the time to improve your fitness level and direct that energy to a healthy heart, lungs and body.

southern charm reborn.