Physiology

Every time we visit the doctor for a check up we are told various indicators that we are suppose to understand what they mean. The problem is most of us do not fully understand these measurements and what they mean. But worst of all we usually don't know how to change them to improve our health. Below is a compiled list of various physiological measurements.

All our movement, thoughts, sensations, and bodily functions are controlled by the brain and nervous system, the most highly evolved among all living creatures and the least understood. Neuroscientists are only beginning to unravel the myriad mysteries of the human brain, and many predict we will never fully understand so many of the things we take for granted: memory, language, and creativity.

Breathing is the process of taking air from the atmosphere and inhaling it into the lungs. It occurs all the time without any thought processing, so it is referred to as an automatic process, however, it can also be controlled if desired. The breathing mechanism is initiated when sensors in the brain detect low levels of oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. During times of physical exertion oxygen levels decrease and carbon dioxide levels increase which results in an increase in breathing rate and breathing depth. During times of rest the opposite occurs.

The adult body has some 60,000 miles of blood vessels that supply oxygen and other nutrients to every cell and carry away carbon dioxide and other wastes. The heart, on of nature's most durable pumps, constantly circulates 8 to 10 pints of blood through this vast network.

Digestion is a complex chemical and mechanical process that begins when food is chewed and mixed with saliva, which adds moisture and also begins breaking down starches. Swallowing forces a bolus of food into the esophagus, a 10-inch muscular tube that transports it to the stomach.

Below are some nutritional myths that I'm sure most of us have heard of. Always be aware of any claims made without scientific evidence, and always do your homework.

The body's excretory system is made up of a paid of kidneys and ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra. Kidneys do most of the work; the other structures just transport and store urine.

Of all the substances needed to sustain life, oxygen -- an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas -- is perhaps the most critical because it is essential for all stages of metabolism, the various biochemical functions that maintain the body. Without oxygen, cells begin to die within minutes.

The human body is constantly bombarded by millions of viruses, bacteria, and other disease-causing microorganisms, or pathogens. Fortunately, most of these are thwarted by the body's own protective physical and chemical barriers, such as the skin, saliva, tears, mucus, and stomach acid.