There are two atria in the human heart – the left atrium receives blood from the pulmonary (lung) circulation, and the right atrium receives blood from the venae cavae (venous circulation). The atria receive blood while relaxed (diastole), then contract (systole) to move blood to the ventricles.

The left Atrium recieves oxygenated blood from the lungs and the left Ventricle discharges the oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. What is the job of the right Atrium and right Ventricle? The right atria receives unoxygenated blood. The right Ventricle discharges that blood into the lungs so it can be oxygenated.

The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from systemic veins; the left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins.

The right atrium receives blood from the veins that has already circulated through the body and pumps it over to the right ventricle. The right ventricle passes the blood on to the pulmonary artery, which sends it to the lungs to pick up oxygen.

Atria are upper chambers of the heart, whereas auricles are small appendages that make rough interior parts of atria. The function of atrium is to receive the blood into the heart and pass into ventricles in order to complete circulation cycles.

The walls of the atria are thinner than the ventricle walls because they have less myocardium. The thicker ventricle walls are needed to generate more power to force blood out of the heart chambers.

The blood vessels include the superior and inferior vena cava. These bring blood from the body to the right atrium. Next is the pulmonary artery that carries blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. The aorta is the body’s largest artery.

The right side of your heart receives oxygen-poor blood from your veins and pumps it to your lungs, where it picks up oxygen and gets rid of carbon dioxide. The left side of your heart receives oxygen-rich blood from your lungs and pumps it through your arteries to the rest of your body.

aorta

The right side of the heart is on the left side of the heart pictures. The left side of the heart is on the right side of the pictures. Your heart has four separate chambers that pump blood. The chambers are called the right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle.

septum (SEP-tum): The septum is a thick wall of muscle that divides the heart. It separates the left and right sides of the heart.

left ventricle

So there you have it – one heart – two pumps: the right ventricle and the left ventricle.

Blood is pumped to the lungs: The right ventricle pumps this deoxygenated blood out of the heart and towards the lungs. The lungs provide oxygen to the blood: Deoxygenated blood exchanges carbon dioxide for oxygen in the lungs. Thus, the human heart is called a double pump.

Tips for circulatory health

1. Maintain a healthy weight.
2. Don’t smoke.
3. Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day, most days of the week.
4. Maintain a healthy, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet with more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
5. Avoid trans fats and saturated fats, which are often found in processed foods and fast food.

Top 10 Beverages to Keep Your Heart Healthy

• #1 Water. Water is the ideal beverage, with zero calories, and 100% hydration!
• #2 Milk.
• #3 Whole fruit juice.
• #4 Tea.
• #5 Sports drinks.
• #6 Coffee.
• #7 Alcohol.
• #8 Soft drinks.

Exercises to improve circulation

• Walking – probably one of the easiest ways to boost your circulation is to go for a brisk walk.
• Jogging is another great option because it not only gets your heart rate pumping and blood flowing round your body, but can also help build cardio endurance.

Here are 15 foods that you should be eating to maximize your heart health.

• Leafy Green Vegetables. Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale and collard greens are well-known for their wealth of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• Whole Grains.
• Berries.
• Avocados.
• Fatty Fish and Fish Oil.
• Walnuts.
• Beans.
• Dark Chocolate.

A study published in May in the journal Heart(link opens in new window) found that an egg a day just may keep the doctor away. Researchers studied nearly half a million Chinese adults over nine years and found up to one egg per day led to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

Although chicken can certainly fit into a healthy diet, some types are loaded with extra calories, fat, or sodium. Here are a few types of chicken that you should limit or avoid: Fried chicken. Because it’s typically deep-fried and breaded, fried chicken is usually high in calories, carbs, and unhealthy fats ( 11 ).

Eating eggs leads to elevated levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as the “good” cholesterol. People who have higher HDL levels have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and other health issues. According to one study, eating two eggs a day for six weeks increased HDL levels by 10%.

Potatoes. As long as you don’t deep fry them or load them with unhealthy toppings, a couple of servings of potatoes a week is great for your heart health. Potatoes are high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure. They are also loaded with fiber, which has been shown to help lower the risk of heart disease.