The Human Heart- Glossary

 Aerobic: exercises that need oxygen to power the

muscles and works the lungs and heart.
 Arteries: a blood vessel that carries blood away from the
heart to other parts of the body.
 Atria: refers to the two upper chambers of the heart that
receive blood.
 Balanced: A dietary term signifying a diet that provides
all nutrients, fiber, and energy in amounts enough to
maintaining good health and body weight.
 Blood: the red liquid containing oxygen and nutrients
that pumps through the veins and arteries of humans
and many other animals.
 Blood Pressure: measures how hard the blood is pushing
against the walls of the arteries.
 Blood Vessels: any of the tubes in the body through
which the blood moves (arteries, veins, and capillaries
are types of blood vessels).
 Calorie: A calorie is a unit that is used to measure
energy in your body.
 Cardio: Refers to anything that has to do with the heart.
 Cardiovascular system: is the network of the heart, lungs
and blood vessels that delivers blood throughout the
body.
 Dairy: Containing or made of milk.
 Fruit: The sweet and fleshy product of a tree or other
plant that contains seed and can be eaten as food.
 Grain: Wheat or any other cultivated cereal crop used as
food.
 Healthy: In good health.
 Heart Chambers: are the four, hollow sections of the
heart that receive and distribute blood.
 Heart Disease: Means there are problems with the heart
and blood vessels.
 Heart rate: a measurement of the number of times a
person's heart beats in one minute.
 Heart Valves: are the four doors between the heart
chambers that open and close to let the blood flow in
only one direction.
 •Inflammation: condition in which part of the body
becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful,
especially as a reaction to injury or infection.
 Minerals: Minerals are those elements on the earth and
in foods that our bodies need to develop and function
normally.
 Nutrients: A substance that provides nourishment
essential for growth and the maintenance of life.
 Nutrition: The process of providing or obtaining the food
necessary for health and growth.
 Plaque: a sticky usually colorless thin film on the teeth
that is formed by and contains bacteria.
 Plasma: the clear, liquid part of blood; blood cells are
suspended in the plasma.
 Platelets: helps blood clot (stick together).
 Protein: A nutrient found in food that is made up of many
amino acids joined together.
 Red Blood Cell: a cell in the blood that carries oxygen to
the body’s tissues.
 Vascular: Refers to anything that has to do with the
body’s network of blood vessels (veins, arteries and
capillaries).
 Veins: a small vessel that carries blood to the heart.
 Vegetable: A plant or part of a plant used as food,
typically as accompaniment to meat or fish, such as a
cabbage, potato, carrot, or bean.
 Ventricles: refers to the two lower chambers of the heart
that distribute blood.
 Vitamins: Any of a group of organic compounds which
are essential for normal growth and nutrition and are
 required in small quantities in the diet because they
cannot be synthesized by the body.
 White Blood Cell: small blood cell with no color that
helps protect the body against infections and bacteria.