3 Heart Facts That Will Surprise You

When it comes to matters of the heart, we tend to think back to the fundamental details we learned in biology class. But, there’s much more to the heart than you could ever imagine. These three lesser-known heart facts from WebMD will make you appreciate this vital organ that much more.

1. Your heart’s daily achievements

Your heart beats about 100,000 times every day, ensuring that the blood flows through the 60,000 miles of blood vessels that connect to all of your organs and tissues. With the incredible distance and multitude of organs to cover, the heart sends approximately 2,000 gallons of blood throughout your body each day.

2. Male hearts vs. female hearts

From heartbeats to heart attack symptoms, male hearts and female hearts have their differences. For instance, a man’s heart normally weighs about 10 ounces, while a woman’s heart weighs approximately 8 ounces. On top of that, the Heart and Vascular Team at Cleveland Clinic states that a woman’s heartbeat is faster by almost 8 beats per minute (on average).

Heart attack signs also differ slightly between the two sexes. Women, for example, are more likely to have nausea, indigestion and shoulder aches compared to the traditional chest pain.

Even with the heart differences, heart disease is the number one killer for both men and women, but can be greatly reduced with a few lifestyle changes.

3. Your heart and sex

For men, having an active sex life can reduce the risks of dying from heart disease by 50%. While it’s not clear whether sex has a similar effect on women, it is a great stress reliever and way to exercise – both of which are good for heart health. You can burn as much as 85 calories per half-hour of sex.

The heart is a fascinating and incredible organ that needs to be kept in tip-top shape. Visit MOCACARE.com to learn how MOCAheart can help you track and maintain your cardiovascular health.