Blood – Your Miracle River Of Life!
The blood circulates in a average network of around 60,000 miles of blood vessels that reach every cell in the body, from those of the heart itself to the top of the scalp and to the tips of the fingers and toes. The average individual has about five to six quarts of blood circulating throughout their vast body network.
During rest or inactivity the blood makes one round trip per minute. During strenuous activity or exercise, however, it may make as many as eight or nine round trips per minute in order to supply the necessary fuel and oxygen for increased energy, and to help remove waste products and toxins from the body.
The blood vessels that carry blood from the heart are known as arteries. Those that return blood to the heart are veins. Both vary greatly in size, and are organized just like streams, brooks and creeks flowing into a river, which then join a larger river.
The smallest blood vessels are called capillaries. They are so tiny that most are visible only under a microscope! Through these capillaries the last of the food and oxygen is given off and the return trip is made via the veins, which carry the oxygen-depleted blood and toxic wastes back to the heart for purification. En route to the heart, however, most of the water-soluble wastes are transferred to the kidneys for elimination through the urine. Poisonous carbon dioxide gas, a major residue of energizing oxidation, is brought back to the heart to be expelled through the lungs.
Blood is the river of life that flows through the human body.
We cannot live without it. The heart pumps blood to all
our body’s cells, supplying them with oxygen and food.
To reduce your risk of heart disease, boost your good blood cholesterol and reduce the bad. This can be done by following a healthy low-fat diet and reducing total cholesterol intake. Exercise also boosts good cholesterol, as does being trim and fit and, of course, not smoking. And don’t expect results overnight! It takes time for exercising and diet to bring about a significant change in your cholesterol level. But be faithful and diligent – it works!
– UC Berkeley Wellness Letter
