Cardiovascular System

The heart and many blood vessels in the body make up the cardiovascular system or circulatory system. the heart uses the far-reaching, intricate network of blood vessels to deliver oxygen and other necessary things to the whole body. This network also removes the things the body doesn’t need and takes them to organs that can get rid of the waste. the blood carries the oxygen, nutrients and waste through the entire body.

Cardiovascular System

The parts of the circulatory system are the:

  • Heart, a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body.
  • Blood vessels, which include the arteries, veins and capillaries..
  • Blood, made up of red and white blood cells, plasma and platelets.

There are three main types of blood vessels:

Arteries: Arteries are thin, muscular tubes that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart and to every part of the body. The aorta is the body’s largest artery. It starts at the heart and travels up the chest (ascending aorta) and then down into the stomach.

  • (descending aorta). The coronary arteries branch off the aorta, which then branch into smaller arteries (arterioles) as they get farther from the heart.
  • Veins: These blood vessels return oxygendepleted blood to the heart. Veins start small (venules) and get larger as they approach the heart. Two central veins deliver blood to the heart. The superior vena cava carries blood from the upper body (head and arms) to the heart. The inferior vena cava brings blood up from the lower body (stomach, pelvis and legs) to the heart. Veins in the legs have valves to keep blood from flowing backward.
  • Capillaries: These blood vessels connect very small arteries (arterioles) and veins (venules). Capillaries have thin walls that allow oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients and waste products to pass into and out of cells.

Functions

The circulatory system’s function is to move blood throughout the body. This blood circulation keeps organs, muscles and tissues healthy and working to keep you alive.The circulatory system also helps the body get rid of waste products. This waste includes:

  • Carbon dioxide from respiration (breathing).
  • Other chemical byproducts from the organs.
  • Waste from things you eat and drink.

Sometimes glands produce too much or not enough of a hormone. This imbalance can cause health problems, such as weight gain, high blood pressure and changes in sleep, mood and behavior. Many things can affect how the body creates and releases hormones. Illness, stress and certain medications can cause a hormone imbalance.

 

    Diseases

    Many conditions can affect the health of the circulatory system, including:

    • Aneurysms: Aneurysms occur when an artery wall weakens and enlarges. The weak spot can bulge as blood moves through the artery. The weak spot may tear, causing a life-threatening rupture. Aneurysms can affect any artery, but aortic aneurysms, abdominal aortic aneurysms and brain aneurysms are the most common.
    • High blood pressure: the arteries work hard to circulate blood throughout the body. When the pressure (force of blood against the blood vessel walls) gets too high, you develop high blood pressure. When the arteries become less elastic (stretchy), less blood and oxygen reaches organs like the heart. High blood pressure puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes.
    • Plaque deposits: High cholesterol and diabetes can lead to fat and other substances collecting in the blood. These substances form deposits called plaques on artery walls. This condition is atherosclerosis, or narrowed or hardened arteries. Atherosclerosis increases the risk of blood clots and strokes, coronary artery disease.
    • peripheral artery disease (and other artery diseases), heart attacks and kidney disease.
    • Venous disease: Venous diseases tend to affect veins in the lower body. Problems like chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins occur when blood can’t flow back to the heart and pools in leg veins. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in the legs, can lead to a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

    Detoxing 

    • Restorative Sleep: Restorative Sleep helps the brain relax, and a proper sleep cycle helps detox the brain.
    • Restorative Yoga.
    • Consumption of Vitamin B and Vitamin C helps detox the brain.