Collateral Circulation

CAD- Coronary artery disease, is one of the leading causes of death in our country.  When the coronary vessels become blocked with plaque, our body formulates "collateral circulation", a kind of detour around the blockage in order to maintain function.  Unfortunately, these vessels are small and often times don't open, therefore this "detour" will close over time.

With physical exercise, (Strenuous physical exercise) such as running, our bodies formulate collateral circulation that is open all the time, due to the increase in oxygen demands.  I find it amazing that I have a back-up system of vessels that are simply being utilized for performance, not to save me from having a heart attack!  This, along with my ban of fast food for the past 5 years, I believe I am heading in the right direction!

 Today, I ran a nice and easy 4 mile run with Wenzyl.  We went on the trail and enjoyed being surrounded with the smells of the earth waking up. I would guess that 85% of the trail is open, with small patches of snow here and there.   The temperature reading in my car was a perfect 52 degrees.  I sprayed on some sport sunscreen on my way out the door, grabbed my sunglasses and enjoyed clearing my mind.  It's fascinating how running takes a different turn when you're surrounded with nothing but woods, the sky, the smells of the earth, the occasional bird flying overhead, your dog, God, and your breathing.  This is what I've been waiting for!

Happy Running and circulation building everyone!