# Have A Heart



## Meanderer (Jan 22, 2015)

I read this about the heart in the February Prevention Magazine, and would like to share it with you.  The article is: Big Heart Mistakes You're Making Now, and #5 is: "You treat your heart like a pump". What do you think?


"The whole pump thing is old thinking". says Thomas Cowan, a family physician and the author of The ~our-fold Path to Healing, a holistic guide to health. 

"The heart does not pump the blood, ¬it's more like the blood pumps the heart," he says. Here's how it works: When blood moves through veins, it picks up speed as it approaches the heart, the same way rivulets gain momentum as they come together into a larger stream. 

"The heart then acts as a dam, holding back the onrush. When enough pressure builds in the heart's chambers, that energy bursts open the gates, or valves.

 "The heart doesn't contract as much as it collapses into itself when the blood rushes out," Cowan says. Thinking of the heart as a muscular dam that syncs the functions of all the other organs, Cowan says, gives you a more accurate rationale for both regular exercise (which encourages your heart and whole body into a healthy, consistent rhythm) and eating healthy fats (which releases water into your blood for more rushing action). Cool, huh"?


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## hollydolly (Jan 22, 2015)

I just had my blood pressure taken at the hospital a few days ago it was 120/80 which apparently is very good..


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## Josiah (Jan 22, 2015)

I find this description in Prevention hard to accept. If the heart isn't pumping the blood then what is  causing the blood to move?


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## QuickSilver (Jan 22, 2015)

Josiah09 said:


> I find this description in Prevention hard to accept. If the heart isn't pumping the blood then what is  causing the blood to move?



I agree... It's nonsense.   The heart is a pump made up of cardiac muscle... one of the three muscle types in the body... smooth, cardiac and somatic. And yes the heart very much contracts during systole  and relaxes during diastole 

Every single heart muscle cell is capable of generating an impulse to contract.  It's called excitability.   Normally the contraction impulse starts at the top of the right atria  in an area called the sinus node... down to the AV node which is at the juncture between the right atria and the right ventricle.. then down through the left and right bundle of HIS.. to the purkinji fibers and the entire organ contracts in this manor.. forcing blood through the right chambers, the lungs.. the left atria and finally the left ventricle where it travels through the aorta out to the rest of the body.   It returns to the heart via the inferior vena cava.   If that aint a pump... what is?   lol!!

Why would this person who CLAIMS to be a doctor write something as foolish as this?  He's got to be selling something..


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## Meanderer (Jan 22, 2015)

Here is an article by the same Doctor, that might help explain. http://www.lifeisapalindrome.com/content/heart-not-pump-tom-cowan-md


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## QuickSilver (Jan 22, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> Here is an article by the same Doctor, that might help explain. http://www.lifeisapalindrome.com/content/heart-not-pump-tom-cowan-md



Thanks Meanderer, but I'm not even going to bother... it's completely erroneous.


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## Falcon (Jan 22, 2015)

And, What does it have to do with love ?


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## Meanderer (Jan 22, 2015)

I do recall seeing a film of two individuals heart cells.  Each was pulsing at its own rate, and when they were joined together, they're pulsing became synchronized and they beat as one.


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## Meanderer (Jan 22, 2015)

Falcon said:


> And, What does it have to do with love ?


Love is in the brain and not the heart. http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...848a-74b6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_graphic.html


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## QuickSilver (Jan 22, 2015)

This pretty much explains heart muscle cells and their contraction..  It's technical and long, but interesting.. it's explained pretty well..  

http://www.khanacademy.org/science/...art-muscle-contraction/v/heart-cells-up-close#!


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## QuickSilver (Jan 22, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> Love is in the brain and not the heart. http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...848a-74b6-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_graphic.html




Now this is TRUE!!  love is all in the head...  the heart is a pump... nothing more nothing less... but pretty important anyway.. without it the brain would die in a few minutes.


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## Denise1952 (Jan 22, 2015)

Your thread really interested me Meanderer  I have some heart problems, so naturally, I wanted to read it.  My cardios have explained that the one issue I have with my heart is the "electrical", and of course they used that to help me understand it I suppose.  I'm going back to read the link, more info, but the thing that came to mind was that I have a 3rd degree AV Node block, which again, is what they called "the electrical" part of my heart isn't working right.  So, a pacemaker was implanted.  I kicks in when my natural "pacemaker" doesn't.  This makes me wonder if your guy isn't right.  Anyway, I'll go read and see what I come up with


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## Falcon (Jan 22, 2015)

Hearts are all over Hallmarks Valentines Day cards.  Just sayin.


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## Meanderer (Jan 22, 2015)

Falcon said:


> Hearts are all over Hallmarks Valentines Day cards.  Just sayin.


Yeah John, they found out cards with brains on just do not sell as well!....although you may be right.


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## Denise1952 (Jan 22, 2015)

Ok, I read it, and it is truly a lot to think about.  I can't agree more about eating "good" fats (oils etc) and good carbs (fruits, whole grains, dairy) and water.  Water is at the top of my list every day.  But instead of me trying to understand it all, I'll just keep doing what I do, and that is exercise, eat right, and drink lots of water.

Thank you for the read, I think there are tons of "old ideas" out there, as well as in my brain, so I am open-minded when it comes to different information Denise


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## Denise1952 (Jan 22, 2015)

I hear that, lol, who'd say "I love you with my whole brain".  Somehow, heart just became a symbol of love


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## Denise1952 (Jan 22, 2015)

hollydolly said:


> I just had my blood pressure taken at the hospital a few days ago it was 120/80 which apparently is very good..



Holly, mine was close, 118/80 I think, I can look at my med records online and see.  That's one thing I'm so thankful for, no BP problems, good for you too girlfriend!!


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## Denise1952 (Jan 22, 2015)

Josiah09 said:


> I find this description in Prevention hard to accept. If the heart isn't pumping the blood then what is  causing the blood to move?



No one's asking us to accept it as fact Josiah, it's just something to think about if it interests you


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## Denise1952 (Jan 22, 2015)

Falcon said:


> And, What does it have to do with love ?



You can always ask Tina Turner John


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## Falcon (Jan 22, 2015)

Nah, I'll aks Ike.


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## AZ Jim (Jan 22, 2015)

Medical science is debated among the professionals. I need not engage in theory with no more knowledge than this ole man has so I reckon I'll sit this one out!


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## Denise1952 (Jan 22, 2015)

hollydolly said:


> I just had my blood pressure taken at the hospital a few days ago it was 120/80 which apparently is very good..



Hmm, guess my last was 118/64, but 3rd from the last check was same as yours


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## Meanderer (Jan 22, 2015)




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## Denise1952 (Jan 22, 2015)

Meanderer said:


>



LOL, oh for sure, good one Jim


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## QuickSilver (Jan 22, 2015)

Here ya go Meanderer and AZ... the electrical system of the heart and how it pumps..

https://www.khanacademy.org/science...polarization/v/electrical-system-of-the-heart


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## Meanderer (Jan 22, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> Here ya go Meanderer and AZ... the electrical system of the heart and how it pumps..
> 
> https://www.khanacademy.org/science...polarization/v/electrical-system-of-the-heart


Thank you Q! That was very instructive and well done!


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## QuickSilver (Jan 22, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> Thank you Q! That was very instructive and well done!



You are welcome Meanderer...  What flummoxes me is why someone who claims to be an MD would put out such information..  People who read it believe it.. especially if it appears to be coming from a doctor..


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## cardiac-rhythm (Jan 6, 2016)

The function of the heart is to circulate (pump) blood throughout the body to provide oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste products. The heart then pumps the deoxygenated blood through the lungs to release carbon dioxide and collect oxygen.

The pumping ability of the heart is controlled by an internal electrical system. Problems with the heart's electrical system can cause heart rhythm disorders, such as atrioventricular block that you have, ventricular tachycardia. The ECG is crucial in detecting cardiac arrhythmias and myocardial infarction. The ECG is a non-invasive medical test that detects cardiac abnormalities by measuring the electrical activity generated by the heart as it contracts. It may also help to identify other cardiovascular disease including cardiac hypertrophy, heart inflammation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and electrolyte imbalance, etc.

High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans (49%) have at least one of these three risk factors.

To help prevent heart disease, you can:
Eat healthy and get active.
Watch your weight.
Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
Control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
Take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Manage stress.


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