Heart, Blood, Circulation

The term ‘blood thinners’ refers to a group of allopathic medications known as anticoagulants. They are used to prevent the cells in the blood from clotting too readily and forming blood clots within the vessels. Although they are referred to as blood thinners, they do not actually thin the blood. They work by decreasing the blood’s ability to clot so that blood vessels remain unblocked.

It’s in the blood where the body’s main immune system defenses are based - protecting you from illness and infection, and it’s the blood that helps to seal off wounds in cases of injury. Blood is vital to the body, and the health of your blood affects the health of your body functioning.

While the body has ingenious ways of purifying the blood, it sometimes helps to give these systems a little helping hand. The liver, kidneys and lymphatic system work tirelessly to cleanse the blood of unwanted toxins and impurities. However, sometimes the work load is just too much and these toxins begin to build up in our muscle tissue and blood.

Blood pressure is the force that the blood exerts on the veins and arteries while it circulates through the body. We express the measurement of blood pressure as a ratio, such as 120/80 mmHg. The first number is the pressure exerted when blood is pumped into the arteries as the heart muscle contracts (systolic pressure). The second number is the pressure exerted on the arteries while the heart muscle relaxes (diastolic pressure).

In a healthy individual, this blood pressure reading is usually around 120/80 mmHg while at rest, although the reading fluctuates throughout the day and continues to change depending on a multitude of factors such as activity level, temperature, diet, emotional or physical state, and the use of various medications.