Let’s talk about your heart. It’s probably the most incredible machine known to man, and although we may not always think about it, it’s constantly working to keep us alive. So, in the spirit of all the hearts surrounding us this month, here are some fascinating facts about your real heart:

1. During an average lifetime, the human heart will have pumped about 1 million barrels of blood.
2. Every day, your heart produces enough energy to power a truck for 20 miles of driving. Over an average lifespan, it creates enough energy to drive a truck to the moon and back.
3. A woman’s heart beats faster than a man’s by an average of 8 beats per minute.
4. The sound of your heart beating is actually the clap of valve leaflets opening and closing.
5. The size of your heart is close to the size of your two hands clasped together. In children, it is about the size of a fist.
6. As long as it has enough oxygen, your heart can continue to beat even when it is separated from your body. This is because the heart has its own electrical impulse.
7. The only place in your body that does not receive blood from your heart are the corneas. Everything else (all 75 trillion cells) depend on blood from your heart.
8. Every day, a healthy heart beats an average of 100,000 times a day, delivering 2,000 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels.
9. Heart disease is the greatest threat to our health: it is a bigger danger than breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
10. Regular exercise, a diet of whole foods, reducing stress, and getting enough vitamin D are simple actions you can take every day to help your heart stay healthy. Here are four more ways you can love your heart every day.

The human heart is an incredible machine that works tirelessly to keep us alive. So, the next time you make a choice that can affect your heart, think of how hard it works every minute of your life, and make a smart choice to help it out a little bit.

Learn more about what you can do to protect yourself against heart disease, or about your own risks at the Heart Center at Bumrungrad , where our specialists provide world-class, holistic care starting with prevention to dealing with the most complicated cardiac treatments. And while you’re at it, take a look at our Healthy Heart Package , designed to help you keep your ticker going strong.