The Cardiovascular System Explained

Our cardiovascular system is one of the most complex yet unbelievably simple systems of the body. It is immensely powerful, not just in its ability to keep us alive and thriving, but in its ability to heal itself when given the right support. I find this system to be one of the most fascinating systems of our body.

If we were to view our body as a bustling city the heart would be seen as the town center, while the arteries would be the highways, the capillaries the backroads, and the major arteries the super highways in and out of the city. This complex system is moving a pint of blood per minute from the heart, through the body and liver and then back to the heart. 

While working with the lungs, your heart brings oxygen into your blood which is necessary for each cell in the body to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the main source of energy for the heart. This life giving blood also delivers nutrients, hormones, and immune cells to where they need to go. Along with picking up waste and then dropping it off while passing by the liver on its way back to the heart just to start the process all over again. It does this all day, every day, without us ever having to think about it. Kinda mind blowing, no?

Unfortunately, heart disease is the leading cause of death these days with stroke (cardiovascular attack of the brain) coming in at a close second. High cholesterol, hypertension, and elevated inflammation markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine serve as early warning signs. The health of our cardiovascular system is also closely linked to energy levels, brain health, sexual function, and risk of diabetes, obesity, and more. 

When taking a holistic approach to both prevention and management of cardiovascular disease it is important to include diet, mind-body connection (i.e. yoga, breath work, meditation), exercise (walking, weight lifting, being active in ways you enjoy), along with herbs to support more specific aspects of heart health. 

Diet is an incredibly powerful tool and the best way to support our body with staying in balance. A heart healthy diet may look a little different for everyone but should include primarily whole foods in the form of fruits, vegetables, and protein, along with whole grains. A daily intake of soluble fiber is one of the best ways we can support this system along with our detoxification process. Soluble fiber actually slows the release of sugar and other compounds from food into the bloodstream, which helps lower triglycerides and cholesterol, while also helping the body eliminate cholesterol and fats more efficiently through the colon. 

Meditation, breathwork, and mind body exercise like yoga and tai chi have actually been shown to reduce heart damaging stress and not just slow but even reverse heart disease. That's some crazy powerful stuff right there. 

Regular cardio workouts help strengthen the functions of the heart, keep blood pressure steady, and cholesterol levels in a good range. Then add in some weight lifting three to four times a week to improve the body's resting metabolism and you’re really winning now! 

Bitter herbs / greens can be used to improve digestion and liver function along with helping to lower blood sugar and cholesterol, keeping heart disease at bay. 

Aside from bitter herbs there are some beautiful heart tonic herbs that provide powerful antioxidants, protecting the heart from oxidative stress and helping to maintain good endothelial (blood vessel lining) health. These herbs include hawthorn, hibiscus, cacao, green tea, and garlic. 

It’s also incredibly important to remember that our heart is the center of emotion for our body and how we deal with these emotions plays a big part in the health of our heart and its system. It has been shown that just laughing improves blood flow by approximately 20 percent . Stress is one of the greatest triggers for heart disease. We have the ability to produce around 70 different toxic chemicals in our body just by being under extreme stress. While some stress is unavoidable (and can even be beneficial at times), we do have the power to remove other stress from our lives or even remove ourselves from the other stress. We also have herbs to gladden and relax the heart. Herbs like motherwort, linden, rose, valerian, holy basil, gotu kola, and lemon balm. 

Keeping the road ways clear by supporting vascular health is also incredibly important. Your blood vessels (the “vascular” in cardiovascular) need to be flexible and strong in order to handle the day to day traffic. The blood itself should also be of good quality and viscosity for easy flow. When the body becomes inflamed or endures a lot of oxidative stress, the blood vessel lining also becomes inflamed. We see signs of this in symptoms like high cholesterol, high inflammatory markers like CRP, diabetes, hypertension, and low libido. Keep inflammation and stress down with the before mentioned diet, exercise, mind body connection, and herbs. 

Blood pressure is affected by the volume and viscosity of the blood, as well as levels of tension in the blood vessel linings themselves. Your kidneys are the true super stars of the show here. They help regulate blood pressure and the general balance of fluids in the body. Sodium and potassium help increase and decrease blood pressure via the bloodstream. Diuretics support this system in lowering blood pressure by making you pee more often, releasing fluids and thus pressure. Celery, dandelion, burdock, chicory, and parsley are all incredibly supportive in balancing blood pressure. 

While there are a lot of moving parts to this system, there are also many different ways in which you can support it. Utilizing diet, mind-body connection, exercise and herbs all together is going to be your golden ticket to building a strong, yet flexible and supportive cardiovascular system that can last you a lifetime.