Ever wondered how many organs the human body has? Think about it, while I Google-search to find out. Wow! Google informs me the number is 23. Isn’t it surprising that, in spite of the human body having 23 important organs, and all equally important, and working together to keep us alive and functioning, only one organ instantly comes to mind and is also talked about the most? And look, I’m doing it too; I am talking about the Heart.
Doctors ask you to take good care of it. Most women have really fragile ones, while most men wear theirs on their sleeve. We all have one, though we each use it differently. Some use it sparingly while others are too generous with theirs. And then, there are some who almost never use their own. Then there are still others who like to play with other people’s hearts.
The heart is a favourite topic with poets and writers, with reams and reams written about it and around it. Singers sing to it, for it, about it and sometimes even against it. According to both, at different times and depending on their current state of emotions, sometimes the heart is as hard as stone. At other times it is cold as ice. Sometimes, it is filled with innocent love while at other times it is cruel, unforgiving and deceitful. They certainly can’t seem to make up their minds, can they?
Even the Gods know of its value. And the manner in which Hanuman, the monkey-God, has proved his loyalty to Lord Rama remains etched in the memory forever. The story goes as such; On being reprimanded by Sita for pulling apart a gift of a necklace of precious pearls and holding each beautiful pearl up to his ear, biting it, shaking it, then throwing it to the ground in disgust, Hanuman replied that he wanted to see if the pearls were saying the name of Rama, further adding “Only something which says the name of the Lord has meaning to me.” When Sita explained that the pearl is an inanimate object that cannot speak, Hanuman countered, “Everything that is saturated with the love of God speaks his name.” Nobody believed Hanuman, saying his reverence and love for Rama and Sita could not possibly be as deep as he was claiming. In response, Hanuman ripped open his chest and everyone was stunned to see to see the image of Rama and Sita in his heart.
According to lovers/those in love/those who have been in love, their heart has been stolen, broken, taken, crushed, betrayed and many more things. Phew! And here I imagined that all that this very important organ was supposed to be doing was pump blood to keep us alive! I think the heart might have multi-tasking qualities that are revealed only when its possessor is in love. I guess American novelist and short-story author George Dennison knew what he was talking about when he said, “When a young man complains that a young lady has no heart, it’s pretty certain that she has his.”
And going by what lovers say the heart seems to be a steady survivor too. As it is wrecked, it’s trodden on, it’s stolen, it’s cheated on but it survives it all! Albeit, with a few dents and scratches, some deep while others superficial and still others that are maybe purely imaginatory. Nothing that time, and the helping aid of another heart cannot heal.
The heart brings you happiness, and sometimes causes you pain. There are times you are accused of not having one at all, or dealing out bits of yours too freely. Whatever you do with it, keep it healthy and keep it safe. Because one thing is for sure, you can’t live without it!
A well researched article. Congratulations on bringing out such well researched articles on the topic
Being a septuagenarian, I would like your esteemed readers –whether young or old– to start taking care of their hearts from today in ways possible. A few well documented tips that I have employed to keep my heart ticking all along these long years are presented here.
1.Brisk walk twenty to thirty mnts a day reduces risk by 20 to 30 per cent. Twenty mnts of pranayam yoga daily is also equally useful]. Elderly persons may avoid hard exercise like aerobics.
2. Maintain BP within 75 to 115 range . Reduce intake of salt and sugar and take foods low in fat. Medication if necessary to keep BP within the range
3. Eat ten to fifteen grams of nuts viz Almonds/Groundnuts/ Walnuts without roasting everyday.
4 Have healthy omega3 fatty acids in the shape of fish oil/capsules, or flaxseed / oil [one tsp]Avoid taking more than a tsp of saturated and trans fats as far as possible
5.A glass of wine is good but more of it is harmful for the health of your heart . Those who are teetotalers may drink green tea instead
6. A cup of freshly prepared gourd juice a day helps open your arteries and keeps your bowls moving. While extracting juice, you may add a tomato plus a bitter gourd to help check your diabetic problem, if any
7..Prepare your own tomato sauce with very little salt and consume two tbsp everyday [but not with potato prantha /samosa]
8. Lay emphasis on your oral health especially your gums by brushing your teeth two to three times a day.
9. Avoid processed and canned foods. Instead, take at least five servings of fresh fruits and fresh veggies a day