The Most Important Organ for Health

The Endothelium, the lining of your blood vessels and the largest organ of your endocrine system, contains metabolically active cells that function like microscopic medicine bottles, releasing hormones and other substances to maintain blood vessel health. The hormones released by endothelium act like chemical messengers. The endothelium releases dozens of medicines (including Nitric Oxide, the master substance) that regulate:

• Blood flow & pressure & clotting

• Cholesterol

• Inflammation

• Growth and repair

A healthy endothelium squirts anti-clotting substances to keep platelets from sticking together; smooths blood vessel lining, secretes grow-n-repair substances, and self-maintenance system that keeps the surface smooth. Constant beating of blood on lining can cause tiny tears which prompt the road crew to start repairs which is the inflammatory response. Nitric Oxide is only one of many substances released by the endothelium.

In healthy endothelium, the potholes are filled quickly and correctly. But an unhealthy endothelium has rough edges & uneven surfaces:

• · Platelets get stuck & balls of fat/cholesterol get stuck producing plaque.

• · Plaque can break off and cause clot/heart attack/stroke

Eventually even healthy endothelium will wear out and need to be replaced. Thankfully, endothelium secretes resurfacing substances and growth factors.

Two habits influence whether our medicine bottles are open: 1) what you eat 2) how much you move.

As we age four changes occur that slow blood flow through arteries and strain the heart:

1. arteries narrow,

2. arteries harden,

3. arteries become rough. and

4. blood thickens.

High Blood Sugar (HBS) & High Body Fat (HBF) stimulate the endothelium to release “sticky stuff” that promotes blood clotting and buildup of plaque. HBS & HBF function as an endocrine organ, releasing their own chemical messengers which impair the maintenance crew.

• Excess Abdominal Fat in midsection is metabolically active fat that releases heart-harming chemicals. Toxic fat cells increase risk of getting all cancers and spew cytokines, pro-inflammatory chemicals.

Blood vessel walls should be flexible. They get stiffer and harder due to inflammation and stress. Nerves surround arteries and stress makes them tighten. Red blood cells are thin, flexible & can change shape and squeeze thru smallest blood vessels. Poor nutrition damages the flexible membranes in the blood cells. Blood cells should be not sticky.

Exercise opens the Endothelial pharmacy. Movement keeps blood vessels relaxed longer; decreases bad cholesterol; increases good cholesterol. LDL gets into blood vessel walls & lining and contributes to arteriosclerosis/hardening of arteries. Exercise releases 3 internal medicines which:

• Reduce fatty buildup

• Control overzealous inflammatory response

• Lessen stickiness of blood cells

Keep Moving!! Learn more about healthy aging with me in the New Year!