Fun Friday The Letter H: The Heart

Yes, it is Fun Friday again, and we are up to the letter H, in our A-Z meme. Being someone who homeschools, and a nurse, I thought a post on the heart would be fitting. The two videos below are great, so be sure to check them out. If you have a microscope, prick your finger, and put a drop on a bandaide, let it dry, and then place it under the microscope. It is amazing what you will see.

Your heart is about the size, of a closed fist. It has thick muscular walls, and is divided in two by the septum. There are four chambers, of the heart, two on each side. The upper chambers, called the atrium, receives blood coming in from the veins, or returning to the heart. While the lower chambers, called ventricles, push the blood out to the rest of the body through the Aorta. There are valves in the heart, to be sure your blood always travels in one direction, with no backwards flow. You can feel the blood pumping through your body, by feeling your pulse. The most popular pulse point, is located at the wrist. Place two, or three fingers, lightly on the thumb side of your hand, with your palm up, and you will feel your pulse. It feels like a tiny impulse on your finger tips.

Of course this is a very simplified version of the heart. It is actually a very complex, yet wonderful system, that keeps us all alive. Take care of your heart, and avoid stress, exercise if you can, watch cholesterol, and fat intake, and your heart will keep you healthy for a long time. If you have heart disease already, or someone in your family does, I highly recommend CPR for you and family members. CPR is simple to learn, and it can save the life of someone you love.