The Human Pump
Your heart is about the size of your closed hand, and it weighs only about 280 grms. But it is very strong. It is the engine of the human body. The heart beats over 100000 beats a day. It never stops pumping blood through your body.
The heart brings fresh blood to the rest of the body. The bloog contains the food and oxygen that the body needs. The heart also recycles blood and cleans it of waste before it sends it on its journey through the body.
You have about 9.5 liters of blood in your body. Your heart pumps about 20000 liters of blood a day, every day, all your life. The blood travels through tubes called vessels. The total length of blood vessels in the body is 96000 kilometers.
So, in order to have a healthy heart, observe the following rules:
Smoking: Don't smoke. Smokers have twice the risk of heart disease.
Overweight: Eat healthy food. Overweight people have an increased risk of heart disease.
Stress: People with stressful jobs have a higher risk of heart disease.
High blood pressure: People with high blood pressure have more heart attacks. Normal blood pressure is 120 over 80.
Fitness: Physical activities and exercise reduce the risk of heart disease.