A closer look
Human hearts will literally reshape themselves and thicken their muscular walls to cope with the relentless strain of chronic high blood pressure. this adaptation, known as left ventricular hypertrophy, sounds like a cool superpower until you realize it makes the heart incredibly stiff and terrible at pumping blood to the rest of your body. your primary cardiovascular organ is desperately trying to adapt to the constant stress you put it under by overeating sodium and furiously refreshing stressful news feeds. it is profoundly depressing that your heart loves you enough to physically alter its own cellular architecture to keep you alive, while you repay its loyalty by skipping cardio for three consecutive years and ordering double-fried takeout for the fourth time this week
