BE WELL GARDENS
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Fruit-Based Recipes >
      • Desserts
      • Beverages
      • Entree
      • Snacks
    • Vegetable-Based Recipe >
      • Desserts
      • Beverages
      • Entree
      • Snacks
    • Whole Grains >
      • Desserts
      • Beverages
      • Entree
      • Snacks
  • Garden
    • Synergy
    • Plants
    • Soil
    • Place
  • Lifestyle
    • Stress Relief

​Cardiovascular or Circulatory System

Picturehttps://www.istockphoto.com/photos/cardiovascular-system
The cardiovascular system consists of three main functions: transportation, protection, and regulation with three main parts; blood, blood Vessels, and the heart. It helps to transport nutrients, gases and waste products to all body tissues, through blood vessels. Veins act as highways to deliver blood to the heart. The blood delivers both nutrients and oxygen while removing waste and carbon dioxide. The cardiovascular system consists of two circulatory loops, the pulmonary loop, and the circulatory loop. The pulmonary loop transports deoxygenated blood to the lungs, from the left side of the heart, to pick up oxygen. While the circulatory loop takes the oxygen rich blood, from the right side of the heat, to all the parts of the body. The circulatory loops are made of blood vessels, which are the body's highway that transport blood, three major types of vessel are arteries, capillaries and veins. The white blood cells act as protectors in our body help get rid of waste that enters our body. Blood carries antibodies in order to build immunity too pathogens that find a way into our system and fight diseases foreign to our bodies. ​

Nutrient Support FoR the Cardiovascular System

Phytoestrogens: 
Picture
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/foods-high-in-estrogen#definition
Are substances in plants such as flaxseed, that have a weak estrogen-like action in the body. Studies suggest that flaxseed lowers the risk of blood clots, stroke, and cardiac arrhythmia. It may also help lower total and LDL "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides, and even blood pressure.
Phytosterols: Are plant sterols that chemically resemble cholesterol and may to reduce blood cholesterol. All nuts and seeds, including wheat germ, have phytosterols.
Picture
https://www.bistromd.com/cholesterol/10-foods-high-in-plant-sterols
High Sterol Whole Foods
  • Nuts and seeds - almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
  • Fruits - apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, oranges, pineapple
  • Vegetables - artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, green beans, sweet potatoes
  • Beans and legumes - chickpeas, lentils, peanuts, soybeans
  •  Oils - argan, olive, sesame, sunflower
  • Grains - brown rice, oat bran, wheat germ
  • Spices - paprika, sage, thyme
Carotenoids: Are heart-protective antioxidants in many colorful fruits and veggies. Alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene are carotenoids.
Picture
https://healthjade.com/carotenoids/
High Carotenoid Whole Foods
  • α-Carotene -  Banana, butternut, carrot, pumpkin
  • β-Carotene - Apricots, banana, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrot, dairy products, honeydew, kale, mango, nectarine, peach, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, tomato
  • Crocetin - Gardenia fruit, saffron stigma
  • Crocin - Gardenia fruit, saffron stigma
  • β-Cryptoxanthin - Apple, broccoli, celery, chili, crustaceans, grape, green beans, papaya, pea, peach, peppers, salmonid fish, squashes, tangerine
  • Lutein - Apple, basil, broccoli, celery, crustaceans, cucumber, dairy products, grapes, green pepper, kale, kiwi, maize, parsley, pea, pumpkin, salmonid fish, spinach, squash
  • Lycopene - Grapefruit, guava, tomato, watermelon
  • Zeaxanthin - Basil, crustaceans, cucumber, dairy products, honeydew, kale, maize, mango, orange, parsley, salmonid fish, spinach
  • Astaxanthin - Crustaceans, algae, salmonid fish
  • Fucoxanthin​ - Brown seaweeds
Polyphenols: Are another set of antioxidants that protect blood vessels, lower blood pressure, reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol
Picture
https://www.caloriesecrets.net/foods-high-in-polyphenols/
High Polyphenol Whole Foods
​
Berries 
  1. ​​​​Chokeberries - 1,123 mg/.5 cup
  2. Elderberries - 870 mg/.5 cup 
  3. Blueberries - 535 mg/.5 cup
  4. Blackcurrant - 485 mg/.5 cup
  5. Blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries - 160 mg/.5 cup
Herbs and Spices
  1. Cloves  - 542 mg/oz.
  2. Peppermint -  427 mg/oz.
  3. Star anise - 195 mg/oz.
  4. Oregano, sage, rosemary, and thyme - @ 30 /oz.
Cocoa Powder - 516 mg/Tbsp.
  • Heating reduces polyphenol content The darker the chocolate the higher the polyphenols.
Nuts
  1. ​Chestnuts - 347 mg/oz — about three nuts. 
  2. Hazelnuts and pecans - @ 40 mg/oz.
  3. Almonds - 53 mg/oz.
Flaxseeds - 229 mg/Tbsp.  
Vegetables - We need 2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables per day and most contain polyphenols
  1. Artichoke - 260 mg/ 1 cup
  2. Red Onion - 168 mg/cup
  3. Spinach or Shallots 40 mg/cup
Olives - 113 mg/5 black olives  & 70 mg/5 olives green olives 
Coffee and Tea - 35mg/ 1 cup
Omega-3 fatty acids and Alpha-linolenic fatty acids: Are  found in plant foods like walnuts and found in fatty fish like salmon, help boost the immune system, reduce blood clots, and protect against heart attacks. They also increase good HDL levels, lower triglyceride levels, protect arteries from plaque buildup, are anti-inflammatories, and lower blood pressure.
B-complex vitamins: Protect against blood clots and atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Vitamins C and E: Are antioxidants that protect cells from free radical damage.
Magnesium, potassium, and calcium: Help lower blood pressure.

Top Foods that Increase Circulation & Support the Heart

Almonds & Walnuts: Are high in fiber, vitamin E, and  omega 3 fatty acids.
Watermelon: Contains  antioxidants  called  lycopene  which  improve  circulation
​Cayenne  Pepper: 
Increases  metabolic  rate  and  circulation,  it  strengths  arteries  and  blood  vessels.
Dark  Chocolate: Cocoa  contains  flavonoids  which  improve  blood  circulation.
​
Oranges  and  other  Citrus: Contain  vitamin  C  which  prevent  poor  circulation, reduces artery inflammation and lowers blood pressure.
Ginger: Increases  blood  circulation. 
​Salmon  and  Avocado: Both  contain  heart-health  omega  3  fatty  acids  which  support  the  cardiovascular  system  in  general.

Oatmeal: Helps reduces cholesterol
​Blueberries: Rich in antioxidants.
​Green Tea: Reduces blood clots.

Basics of the Cardiovascular System

Blood 

Pictureimage from: http://charlottewellnessclinic.blogspot.com/2010/03/different-parts-of-blood.html
.Blood is what transports nutrients and oxygen to all the parts of the body, it consists of red blood cells, white blood cells, Platelets, and liquid plasma. Red blood cells are what transport oxygen throughout the body, their unique shape increases their surface to volume ratio, and is attributed to the fact that when they are infants they reject their nucleus. White blood cells are small part of the blood in your body, but they are a key part of the immune system, their main function is to eradicate foreign invaders. Plasma is the non-cellular, liquid part of blood. Blood contains three types of cells: white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. 

WHITE BLOOD CELLS: White blood cells are supposed to detect foreign bodies and infection, then kill them by creating antibodies to help the immune system battle off the attack.

RED BLOOD CELLS: Their job is to transport oxygen through your body. Blood goes into your body through the alveoli of the lungs and sticks to the protein hemoglobin.
PLATELETS: They are responsible for clotting your blood when you hurt yourself by sticking to the edges of a cut. If the body has a low level of platelets then clotting may not occur and bleeding can continue. But if the body has too many platelet cells, then clotting can be produced within blood vessels, possibly causing a heart attack or stroke.

Blood Vessels

Picture
The blood vessels are what transport the blood throughout the body.
It consists of:
  • Arteries- carry blood away from the heart (highest blood pressures)
  • Arterioles-  very small arteries
  • Capillaries- act as a bridge between arteries and veins. (extremely thin-walled vessels) They allow oxygen and nutrients to pass from the blood to the tissues and let waste go from the tissues to the blood
  • Venules- (very small veins) blood goes from capillaries to venules then to veins
  • Veins- have much less blood pressure than arteries. They lead back to the heart and they are able to dilate according to blood flow

The Heart

Picture
image from: http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/aa54865
Picture
image from: http://pixgood.com/pulmonary-circuit-diagram.html
Heart
The cardiovascular system is centered around the heart, which is capable of pumping 5 liters of blood throughout the body every minute when at rest. The heart is a four chamber "double pump", left side of the heart pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen, while the right side pumps the oxygen rich blood to all the parts of the body. Consists of 4 chambers:
2 upper chambers (the atria)
2 lower chambers (the ventricles)
  • There is a wall made of muscle that separates the left and right sides of the heart called the septum.
The heart circulates the blood through 2 pathways: Pulmonary Circuit & Systemic Circuit
Pulmonary Circuit:

deoxygenated blood leaves the right ventricle of the heart through the pulmonary artery and travels to the lungs, then returns as oxygenated blood to the left atrium of the heart through the pulmonary vein.
Systemic Circuit:
oxygenated blood leaves the body through the left ventricle to the aorta, and from there enters the arteries and capillaries where it supplies the body's tissues with oxygen. Deoxygenated blood returns through veins to the venae cavae, re-entering the heart's right atrium.


POOR  CIRCULATION ​

Poor  circulation  is  the  most  common  problem of the circulatory system, it  occurs  when  the  blood  flow  to  a  specific  part  of  the  body  is  reduced. It  is  most  likely  to  happen  in  your  extremities,  such  as  legs  arms. hands and feet.
CAUSES OF  POOR  CIRCULATION
  • Tobacco  use
  • Diabetes
  • Lack  of  exercise
  • Too  much  high fat and sugar foods
SYMPTOMS
  • Tingling  
  • Numbness
  • Pain
  • Muscle  cramps

Does Exercise Help and How much is enough?

*exercising 30 minutes a day five days a week will improve your heart health and help reduce your risk of heart disease

Heart and Vascular Diseases

Heart Attack:
Also called "myocardial infarction" , a heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is severely reduced . Due to the hardening and narrowing of the coronary arteries from the build-up of fat, cholesterol, and other substances, known together as "plaque." A blood clot forms around the plaque, blocking blood flow. This results in permanent damage or death of part of the heart muscle. This is the number one killer in the United States.
Arrhythmia:
It is involve with the the electrical impulses of the heart—not the arteries or blockages. These electrical impulses may happen too fast, too slow, or irregularly, which causes the heart to beat the same way. When the heart doesn’t beat normally, it can’t pump blood effectively to the lungs, brain, and other organs, causing them to potentially shut down or become damaged.

Heart Failure:
Heart failure doesn't mean that the heart is no longer working. Heart failure is when the heart’s ability to pump is weaker Blood moves through the heart and body at a slower rate, pressure increases in the heart, and the heart can’t supply enough blood and oxygen to the body’s cells, resulting in fatigue and shortness of breath.
Congenital Heart Defects
Different than other types of heart conditions, congenital heart defects are present at birth. These defects are not a disease, but rather an abnormality that occurs while a fetus is developing. Examples include a leaky heart valve or malformations in the walls that separate the heart chambers. Some heart defects may produce symptoms at birth or during childhood, while others aren’t discovered until a person is an adult. Treatment may or may not be needed, depending on the severity of the defect.

Cardiomyopathy:
A progressive disease that causes the heart to become abnormally enlarged, thickened, and/or stiffened, cardiomyopathy (also known as heart muscle disease) limits the heart muscle’s ability to pump blood effectively. This often leads to other heart conditions such as heart failure or arrhythmia.

References



Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Fruit-Based Recipes >
      • Desserts
      • Beverages
      • Entree
      • Snacks
    • Vegetable-Based Recipe >
      • Desserts
      • Beverages
      • Entree
      • Snacks
    • Whole Grains >
      • Desserts
      • Beverages
      • Entree
      • Snacks
  • Garden
    • Synergy
    • Plants
    • Soil
    • Place
  • Lifestyle
    • Stress Relief