In the time it takes you to read my column, your heart is pumping about five quarts of blood (that’s 10 pints) through more than 60,000 miles of arteries, veins and capillaries – that’s further than twice around the world. Depending on how long you live, your heart could beat 3,000,000,000 times in your lifetime. Your fist is about the size of your heart. The organ is not heart-shaped at all: it’s more like a cone and weighs about 11 ounces. It’s a muscle sandwiched between two protective layers; inside are four chambers, two on the right side and two on the left. Blood that is low in oxygen, from all parts of the body, returns to the right side of the heart to be pumped through the lungs where oxygen is replenished. Then, once again, it is pumped around the body by the left side of the heart.
So you’re wondering why I’m telling you all this? Well, quite simply, your heart’s purpose is life support. No heart beat: no life. All the press lately about Canada’s New Food Guide got me thinking about what could happen to our vital organ if we don’t start changing our established lifestyles and ensuring we are feeding our body well, both physically and mentally.
With two busy teenagers, I know how hard it can be to have “sit-down” family dinners together. For us, it’s all about planning. I map out what the week looks like for each of our schedules and make sure the refrigerator has a mix of everything, but not too much as to have very little waste. It can be tough, as my children have very different tastes. But my go-to is still the ol’ crock pot! It has saved the day, time and time again.
With a dual focus on both Health & Wellness and Weddings this month, we’ve packed this issue with plenty of features to inspire you on your journey, whether it be to a healthier you or to the altar.
So follow the yellow brick road to health and happiness (and love!), counting yourself lucky that, unlike the Tin Man, you have a heart, so let’s protect it.
