Circulatory System
The circulatory system, also known as the cardiovascular system, is a vast network of organs and vessels that is responsible for the flow of blood, nutrients, hormones, oxygen, and other gases to and from cells. This system allows the body to fight disease and maintain a stable internal environment – such as proper temperature and pH – through the process of homeostasis.
This system is made up of three independent systems that work together:
- The heart (cardiovascular)
- Lungs (pulmonary): a “loop” through the lungs where blood is oxygenated and then returned to the heart after carbon dioxide is released from the blood and oxygen is absorbed.
- Arteries, veins, coronary and portal vessels (systemic): The systemic circulation is a network of veins, arteries, and blood vessels that transport oxygenated blood from the heart, delivers oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells, and then returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart.
In addition to blood, which is made up of plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, the circulatory system moves lymph, which is a clear fluid that helps rid the body of unwanted material. Because of this systems vastness and critical nature, it is one of the systems of the body most prone to disease.
Diseases of the Circulatory System
- Arteriosclerosis: the fatty deposits in the arteries causes the walls to stiffen and thicken. The causes are a buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other material in the artery walls. This can restrict blood flow or in severe cases stop it all together, resulting in a heart attack or stroke. Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
- Hypertension – high blood pressure – which causes the heart to work harder and can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.
- An aortic aneurysm occurs when the aorta is damaged and starts to bulge or eventually tear, which can cause severe internal bleeding. This weakness can be present at birth or the result of atherosclerosis, obesity, high blood pressure or a combination of these conditions.
Symptoms and their Emotions
- Blood pressure:
High: Longstanding emotional problem not solved.
Low: Lack of love as a child. Defeatism.
- Arteries: Carry the joy of life.
- Cholesterol: Clogging the channels of joy. Fear of accepting joy.
- Circulation: Represents the ability to feel and express the emotions in positive ways.
- Heart attack: Squeezing all the joy out of the heart in favor of money or position. Feeling alone and scared. “I’m not good enough. I don’t do enough. I’ll never make it.”
- Heart problems: Long-standing emotional problems. Lack of joy. Hardening of the heart. Belief in strain and stress.
- Heartburn: Fear. Fear. Fear. Clutching fear.
- Stroke: Giving up. Resistance. Rather die than change. Rejection of life.
Holistic ways to Heal:
