CALIFORNIA COUNTRY GAL | GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY

Isn't it amazing that Mother Nature has provided all the nutrients we need to maintain our bodies intricate workings?  However, Mother Nature can't force us to eat from her garden!

Just knowing a few basics is a great way to get re-aquainted with the body that lugs that silly head around all day...

*The Body is made up of tiny living units called Cells.  Groups of cells come together to form Tissue (such as the stomach lining).  Different tissues come together to form Organs (such as the stomach).  These Organs form systems (such as the Digestive System) that work together to maintain the Whole Body.

Your Cells

The union of two tiny Cells during conception is how life begins. The Cell Membrane is the Cell's outside boundary.  The interior Nucleus regulates the Cell's functions.  Cytoplasm is the liquid part of the Cell which connects the specialized parts.

Your Brain

The Human Brain is one of the largest organs in the body, weighing about three pounds in the average adult male. It floats in a shock absorbent fluid within the protection of the skull.  It has over 100 billion nerve cells (neurons) that pass messages on to one another by means of fast-moving electrical impulses. that are produced through cell division during pregnancy and infancy.  The cells may grow in size but will not increase in number. 

A biological computer, it is responsible for voluntary and involuntary body processes.  It controls thought, memory, feelings, and all the body's functions, even when asleep.  It consumes about a quarter of all the body's energy.  This may explain why 'mental stress' is so detrimental to our health.  Real, or imagined stress can make you sick and age your body.  The Brain is connected to the rest of the body through a network of fine cables, like telephone wires, we call Nerves.  Nerves are bundles of thin fibers.  Neurons carry signals from Receptor Cells in different parts of the Body to the Brain.

The Cerebrum is the largest section of the brain.  It is divided into hemispheres, each controlling  the opposite side of the body.   It controls all conscious body sensations such as pain and voluntary  functions such as learning, memory, judgment and emotional states.  Glands, located within the Cerebrum secrete Chemical Messengers, which we call Hormones.  With the Hormones they release, these Glands (the Pituitary, Thalamus and Hypothalamus) control many body activities such as body temperature and the expression of emotions.  Hunger, thirst and sleep are controlled by the Hypothalamus.

The Cerebellum and Brain Stem control automatic functions, such as heart rate, blood vessel constriction, breathing, Muscle moordination and balance and involuntary muscle movements (such as reflexes)

Other sections of the Brain carry Nerve Impulses and Visual and Auditory (speech) responses.

Your Heart

Our cells get oxygen from the Circulatory system (the Heart, Arteries and Veins).  Red Blood Cells carry oxygen and nutrients to our different organs and also carry Carbon Dioxide away from the Cells and disposes of waste.  White Blood Cells attack infection by eating germs or by producing Antibodies to destroy them.

The Heart is a muscular pump that pumps blood around the body with each beat.  The Heart receives used or deoxygenated blood from various parts of the body, passes it into the lungs where it is reoxygenated and pumped back through all the vessels of the body.  The normal Heart beats about seventy times per minute while at rest, pumping about four thousand gallons of blood per day or five ounces per minute!  The Heart Beat is when the valves shut after blood is forced through them under pressure. 

The Heart has two sides, each with two Chambers.  Two upper, or Atria which receive blood entering the Heart; and two lower Ventricles which pump blood out of the Heart.  There are four Valves located in the Heart to prevent backflow of blood into the wrong Chamber.  The Right Ventricle receives blood with all its oxygen used up from the body which it pumps back into the Lungs. The Left Ventricle receives oxygen-rich blood from the Lungs which it pumps out into the body.  Arteries carry blood away from the heart.  They have thick walls to ensure they don't burst under the high pressure by the Heart Beat.

Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to the all parts of the body while Veins carry the oxygen depleted blood back the heart to be re-oxygenated once it's pumped to the lungs.  The largest, main Arteries are the Aorta, which pumps blood to the body and the Vena Cava which pumps blood from the body.  The Pulmonary Artery pumps blood to the Lungs, the Pulmonary Vein pumps blood from the lungs.  The Cartoid Artery pumps blood to the Head and the Cartoid Vein pumps blood from the Head. The  Hepatic Artery pumps blood to the Liver and the Hepatic Vein pumps it away.  The Renal Artery pumps blood to the Kidneys, the Renal Vein carries blood away from the Kidney.  Femoral Artery carries blood to the Legs and the Femoral Vein carries it away.

Much of the waste products in blood are filtered out through the Kidneys and carried to the Bladder by the Ureter to be excreted in Urine.

Your Kidneys

The Kidneys are located just above the waistline on each side of the Spine.  Lima Bean shape they weigh less than 6 ounces and are protected by fat and fibrous tissue.  The Kidney's function are to continuously filter certain substances from the blood through Special Clusters of Blood Cells and send wastes out through the urine.  The same Special Clusters reabsorb nearly all of the water and dissolved substances that were filtered out, regulating the body fluids and keeping the balance between water and minerals within very narrow limits.  *1700 Quarts of Blood flow through the Kidneys each day; however, only 1/1000 of this is converted to urine!

Renal or Kidney failure refers to the inability of the Kidneys to filter all of the wastes from the Blood, which causes toxic substances to remain in the body.  Death results in a few days from the accumulated toxins.

Your Liver

Your Piehole, Gut and Beyond

* The Human Body by Dr. Nick Graham, Ladybird Press

 MORE COMING SOON, I PROMISE!