Far from being passive conduits, blood vessels are lined with muscles that contract and relax to accommodate blood flow. The left ventricle is the most important part of the heart, being the one that sends oxygen-carrying blood to the rest of your body. Investigators at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, compared blood vessel ability to expand during exercise and with the left ventricle's ability to do the same.Their study, published in August 2014 in the journal Open Heart, included...
96 people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and
10 nondiabetics.
The brachial artery, located in the arm, and the left ventricle were measured at rest and during exercise. Exercise was measured in metabolic equivalents, or the amount of energy expended over a given amount of time. It was found the heart of each diabetic together with their arteries expanded less during exercise than did those of the nondiabetics. From this information it was concluded improving blood vessel function would be expected to improve the heart as well.Eating a wide variety of fresh produce is one great way to keep your blood vessels supple. The more variety you eat the easier it will be to stick with eating fresh produce, so shop at a market with a good supply. Make a point of trying at least one new fruit or vegetable every time you go grocery shopping. Not only are fresh fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants which are good for your blood vessels but, in general, they are less expensive than more processed foods. See how colorful you can make your plate with purple eggplant, golden turnips, and heirloom tomatoes in all their rainbow hues. Try a dessert salad with cherries, peaches, purple grapes, and kiwi fruit. The more colorful the dish, the more types of phytonutrients or plant foods, it contains. Go for variety to get the benefits of many phytonutrients.
The more a body part is used, the better it becomes at doing its job. That goes for blood vessels as much as for muscles and bones. So have a regular exercise program...
take a four-legged family member for a walk.
use your feet instead of your wheels for short errands.
go on a walk-a-thon for your favorite cause.
go for a refreshing swim or go dancing.
Ride your bike to the grocery store and see how many colorful fruits and vegetables you can get into the basket.
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