Body Systems
Body Systems
Body functions are carried out by systems or groups of organs, muscles and cells. The stomach and intestines in the digestive system process food, eliminate waste and provide nutrients for the body. The heart and blood vessels in the cardiovascular system transport these nutrients to every cell. The lungs, nose and throat in the respiratory system provide oxygen which also nourishes the cells. The nervous and endocrine (hormonal) systems regulate the body, and instruct and direct every function. The integumentary system (skin, hair and nails) is the first line of defense against disease, infection and injury. The immune system serves to guard against intruders in the body. These systems function in harmony with each other, along with the lymphatic, musculoskeletal, reproductive and urinary systems. When all is well, each system plays its part in the grand symphony of the healthy body. However, like a real orchestra, if one system malfunctions or is sick, all of the other systems are negatively affected.
Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, arteries and veins, and nourishes each body cell by transporting nutrients throughout the body. Cardio refers to the heart, and vascular refers to the supply of blood vessels. The network of blood vessels spreads from the bones and muscles to the teeth, and is powered by the heart. Throughout an average lifetime, the heart will beat more than two billion times and will pump enough blood to fill over 100 full-sized swimming pools. The heart never rests.
Good circulation builds up the cells with oxygen, protein and other vital nutrients for fuel, as well as speeding the removal of cellular waste and toxins. Blood regulates the pH balance in the body to prevent it from becoming too acid or too alkaline. Blood also adjusts the body’s temperature through the heat-absorbing and coolant properties of its water content, and by modifying the rate of blood flow through the skin, excess heat can escape. Blood serves a protective function as well; its clotting mechanism prevents blood loss from wounds to the skin or from internal damage, and its white blood cells protect against toxins and foreign invaders.
Serious interruptions in circulation lead to strokes and heart attacks, but the body will suffer and cope with poor circulation long before this occurs. The skin and nails show the first subtle signs of poor health, before more serious symptoms such as a cold, pale skin and slow-healing cuts become obvious. The cardiovascular system is dependent on clear arteries to supply oxygen to all parts of the body. Leg or heart pain during exercise is a signal that the tissues are not getting enough oxygen. Anything that restricts blood flow will contribute to a poor venous system. If circulation stops, tissues die.
Digestive System
Eating is only the first step in getting nourishment from the foods we consume. Everything that we eat must be broken down before it can be utilized by the body. This is the digestive system’s purpose. The digestive tract provides the body with important nutrients available in the foods we eat. The digestive organs, liver, gall-bladder and pancreas, introduce vital ingredients for the proper digestion of food.
Digestion begins with the smell of food when we are hungry, which triggers the secretion of digestive enzymes in saliva, even before the first bite. Chewing food well increases these secretions. If small enough, some nutrients can be absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth directly into the bloodstream. Once swallowed, the food is pushed through the esophagus by the rhythmic action of its muscles. When it reaches the stomach, the food is churned and mixed with enzymes. The stomach’s high acid levels destroy germs and catalyze further digestive processes. Foods with a high-fat content take the longest to digest, carbohydrates the least.
Food enters the small intestine, where it is broken down further and the nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. Bile, manufactured in the liver and stored in the gall-bladder, is released into the intestine during a meal. Bile helps break down fats, and eliminate some waste from the liver via the digestive tract. The pancreas provides many enzymes necessary for the final breakdown of food. Excess particles are pushed through the intestines to be expelled.
Highly processed foods, medications, alcohol, smoking and a stressful, sedentary lifestyle promote illnesses. Many stomach complaints are traced to an overabundance of anxiety, stress and unresolved anger. In order for the digestive system to work properly, the nervous system requires rest and relaxation. Pain, gas, constipation, poor appetite, abdominal bloating and nausea are typical symptoms of digestive problems. Noticeable weight loss, blood or changes in stools and bad breath are also indications.
The liver plays a key role in the metabolism of fats and proteins. It also produces the blood-clotting factors and proteins for the immune system that are necessary to build cell membranes and certain hormones. As a blood cleanser, the liver breaks down remnants of hormones, medications, alcohol and other toxic substances, rendering them harmless.
The gall-bladder is intimately tied to the liver, since it is a holding vessel for the bile that the liver manufactures. During a meal, particularly one high in fat content, the gall-bladder contracts, releasing bile into the digestive tract.
The pancreas manufactures enzymes for the digestion of all foods, and produces the hormone, insulin, which is necessary in order for the cells to use glucose, a simple sugar. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose, the major source of energy for the body. Without insulin, glucose is unavailable to the cells and remains in the bloodstream, causing problems such as hyperglycemia, polydipsia (excessive thirst) and polyuria (excessive urine production). Collectively, these symptoms are known as diabetes. Sweets are detrimental because they are absorbed immediately, abruptly increasing blood-sugar levels and forcing the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin quickly.
Endocrine System
The body contains two kinds of glands: exocrine and endocrine. Glands are a collection of specialized cells which secrete substances into the body. Exocrine glands (sweat, mucus, digestive and salivary glands), secrete substances such as sweat, oil and saliva, into ducts which are then carried into body cavities. Endocrine glands secrete dozens of chemical messengers called hormones, and release them into the bloodstream to regulate all the systems in the body. The endocrine system is made up of nine major glands: the adrenal glands, pancreas, parathyroid, pineal gland, pituitary gland, male and female sex glands, thymus and thyroid gland.
All hormones are made up of proteins. Hormones are part of another exceedingly complex message system, important for the collective work the organs and tissues perform in harmony.
The adrenal glands lie on top of the kidneys, and their secretions regulate metabolism and maintain proper levels of sodium and potassium in the blood. The pancreas (which is an organ, as well as a gland) is located behind and a little lower than the stomach. Its most important function is to produce insulin, the hormone that breaks down glucose.
In the brain, lie the pineal and pituitary glands. The pineal gland releases melatonin which is responsible for maintaining the body’s internal clock and rhythms. The pituitary is the most important gland in the endocrine system because the hormones it releases control other endocrine glands. The sex glands are responsible for the development and maintenance of the reproductive system. The ovaries, which produce estrogen and progesterone, lie in a woman’s pelvic cavity; in men, the testes, which produce testosterone, are located in the scrotum.
Behind the sternum, between the lungs, is the thymus, and its hormones promote the production and maturation of infection-fighting T cells. Below the larynx (voice box) is the thyroid, a U-shaped gland with lobes lying on either side of the trachea. It is the only gland to store its secretions in large quantities. The thyroid regulates metabolic rate. Attached behind the thyroid is the parathyroid. Its hormones increase the number and activity of bone-destroying cells, which are important for releasing calcium into the blood.
Since many hormones are activated by the liver, the health of this organ is vital for hormone health. Regular doses of sunshine have been found to have a regulatory effect on the endocrine system, and help certain cases of overactive thyroid, depression, developmental disturbances and absent menstrual periods.
The endocrine glands can become ill from autoimmune processes, viruses and bacteria like any other body system. A weakened immune system, psychological stress and physical exhaustion all affect the hormonal system adversely. Some hormones, such as the human growth hormone, are regulated by patterns according to sleep and waking cycles, or the passage of night and day.
Immune System
The immune system is an exceedingly complex system of specialized cells that defends the body from infectious disease-causing organisms. Bone marrow, the lymphatic system, the thymus in the breastbone, the liver and the spleen all share a major responsibility in resisting disease.
Bone marrow is either red or yellow. Red marrow produces red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Stored in the cells of yellow marrow are lipids, which provide an important chemical energy reserve. The spleen aids the immune system by accelerating the production of red blood cells and by activating blood clotting in case of injury. Besides breaking down glycogen to provide energy, the liver can increase body temperature and induce sweating; both of which are essential for fighting off infections. The thymus produces B cells (plasma cells which produce antibodies) and T cells (white blood cells).
White blood cells, called lymphocytes, immobilize germs with chemical weapons. The immune system memorizes the invader that causes the disease. Once the immune system has recognized a germ and built a matching weapon, the body is able to fight off the intruder more quickly and easily next time. Many childhood diseases are thought to be a kind of training ground for the immune system, helping it learn to defend itself properly and to gain strength.
The immune system can be weakened by surgery, a long illness, extreme physical or emotional stress, poor dietary habits, lack of sleep or exposure to toxic chemicals. When the immune system is weak, the body becomes more susceptible to various germs, allowing even simple illnesses to recur more easily and to stay longer. With age, the immune system functions less effectively; the number of lymphocytes decreases and the production of antibodies against self-proteins increases.
The immune system must also learn to recognize its own tissue and differentiate it from foreign cells. When recognition does not occur, a foundation is built for autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, AIDS and lupus.
Integumentary System
Skin, hair and nails are valued highly as traits of beauty, however, they are incredibly important for the healthy maintenance of the body. While it may be the most physically appealing body system, the integumentary system (which includes skin, hair, nails, glands and nerve endings), receives the most exposure to infection, disease and injury because it is the protective barrier against sun, wind, cold, heat, bacteria and physical trauma.
Proper elimination of toxins happens through the liver and bowels. However, if these organs cannot carry out their functions properly, or are overburdened from a poor diet of rich, oily foods and sweets, the skin becomes an additional means of elimination. With this added work, skin problems like acne are more likely to occur.
The skin keeps the body from dehydrating and keeps its temperature constant. It also offers us sensors for touch and pain, and is capable of absorbing substances, including hormones like estrogen and poisons like lead. The skin is a multi-layered system in a continual process of renewal that completes its cycle about every twenty-seven days. Since this renewal process is most active at night during sleep, sufficient rest is important.
The skin consists of several layers. The outer layer is the epidermis; the inner layer is the dermis, a tough yet elastic tissue; and the third layer, which is composed chiefly of fat cells, is called the subcutis. The epidermis repairs and renews skin tissue. The outermost cells are constantly worn away and replaced by new cells growing from below. The dermis contains the blood vessels, hair follicles, sweat glands and nerves. It is here where temperature, fluids and circulation are regulated. The fat layer serves as protection for the organs, bones and muscles, as a storehouse of energy, and as an insulator from the cold.
The primary function of hair is protection. Hair on the head protects the scalp from sunburn and injury, and prevents heat loss. Eyebrows and eyelashes guard the eyes from foreign particles. Hair in the nostrils and external ear canal prevent insects and foreign particles from entering through the nasal and auditory orifices.
Nails are tightly-packed, hardened cells of the epidermis that form a solid cover to protect the ends of the fingers and toes from injury. Although nails are clear, most of the nail body looks pink because of the blood flowing beneath it. Nails allow us to grasp and manoeuvre small objects.
The glands associated with the skin are the oil glands, sweat glands, ceruminous glands (a type of sweat gland in the ear) and mammary glands. The excretions from these glands help to eliminate waste and toxins from the body, lubricate the skin and hair to keep them soft, and prevent foreign particles from entering the body. The mammary glands release milk from a woman’s breast for nursing an infant.
Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system plays a particularly important role in the elimination of toxic waste and bacteria from the tissues, and is a vital part of the body’s immune system. It also carries digested fats away from the intestines. The lymphatic system is made up of lymph fluid, lymphatic vessels, bone marrow (the production site of lymphocytes), and other structures and organs that contain lymph, such as lymph nodes, the spleen and tonsils.
The clear fluid in tissue spaces, called interstitial fluid, collects accumulated waste and carries it into the lymphatic vessels where it becomes lymph. Lymphatic vessels are similar to the veins of the cardiovascular system, but the vessel walls are much thinner and have more valves. Unlike the bloodstream, the lymphatic vessels travel in one direction only, from the tissues to the bloodstream. In a continual process, this fluid collects in the tissues from the arterial system. Once it is swept up into the lymphatic system, the fluid is cleansed and filtered by the lymph nodes before it re-enters the bloodstream.
Unlike the circulatory system, the lymph vessels depend largely on muscles, not the heart, to pump fluid through its vessels. A sluggish lymphatic system is often due to lack of exercise, but it can also be the result of excess waste or fluid in the body. When an infection is being fought in nearby tissues, lymph glands become swollen with the additional burden.
If the lymphatic system is not capable of halting the progress of infection, infectious material will be allowed to spill into the bloodstream.
The tonsils and spleen are well endowed with lymphatic tissue. The tonsils, a collection of lymph nodes at the back of the throat, are defense stations designed to fight off infectious agents that are inhaled or ingested before they can do greater damage or reach farther into the body. The spleen, located in the upper left of the abdomen, does not actually filter lymph because it does not have lymphatic vessels. Its contribution to immunity is the manufacturing of lymphocytes, and the destruction of damaged or worn-out red blood cells.
Nervous System
Information from all over the body travels quickly to and from the central nervous system. This system consists of the brain and spinal cord, and the information is sent with impulses via the nerves. Some of these impulses reach speeds from anywhere between 27 and 280 miles per hour. The central nervous system is divided into two branches, the somatic (body) nervous system and the autonomic (self-governing) nervous system.
In the somatic nervous system, information is picked up from the five senses and receptors that sense pain and temperature. This information is sent to the brain for interpretation and quickly assimilated according to previous experience. If necessary, signals are sent back from the brain, through the spinal cord and out to the peripheral nerves, where the muscles receive the command to react. In the case of a reflex, the reaction is necessarily quicker, and the signals return from the spinal cord, bypassing the brain. Because we have control over these movements, the somatic nervous system is called voluntary.
The autonomic nervous system is beyond conscious control and therefore it is said to be involuntary. The autonomic nervous system ensures a stable inner environment that is held in balance by two opposing systems, both of which are always active. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for situations of stress, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, and increasing sensitivity and reaction to stimuli. The parasympathetic system is responsible for rest, relaxation and digestion.
Reproductive System
Without the reproductive system, new members of a species could not be produced and the species would become extinct. Although the foundation of reproductive organs exist at birth, it is not until about ten years later that the full functioning of the system is spurred by the endocrine system, and its sudden change in hormone production to begin puberty. These same hormones are responsible for sex drive and secondary sex characteristics, including facial and genital hair, distribution of body fat and breast development. The hormones also affect emotions in both sexes. They are produced in the sexual organs themselves and in endocrine glands outside the reproductive system.
In men, the main reproductive organs include the penis, the testes, ducts and the accessory sex glands (the seminal vesicles, bulbourethal glands and the prostate). The testes (or testicles) are oval glands where sperm is produced and hormones are secreted. The testes are contained in a pouch called the scrotum. The muscle fibers in the scrotum regulate the temperature of the testes which is important to the survival of the sperm-they must be kept 5.4°F (3°C) lower than the core body temperature or else they will die.
Sperm mature in ten to fourteen days at a rate of three hundred million per day. When a sperm matures, it begins to move through a series of ducts in the reproductive system, mixing with different fluids to become semen. Sperm are eventually ejaculated from the body. Once sperm have been ejaculated by the penis into the vagina, they have a life expectancy of forty-eight hours.
Semen gives sperm a medium of transportation, as well as providing the sperm with nutrients. Accessory sex glands secrete most of the liquid portion of semen. Pouch-like structures called seminal vesicles, and the bulbourethral glands, release substances which give semen its alkaline nature and mucus-like consistency. It is necessary to neutralize the acidic environment of the female reproductive tract or else the sperm would be inactivated and killed, thwarting conception. The mucus lubricates the urethra to prevent injury to the sperm as it leaves the penis. The prostate gland contributes to the composition of semen by releasing a slightly acidic fluid with enzymes which gives semen its milky appearance, and aids in sperm motility and viability. Healthy men can retain their reproductive capacity for seventy or eighty years. After the age of fifty-five, fewer sperm are viable for insemination.
In women, the ovaries, uterus and vagina are the major reproductive organs. Once a month, the ovaries will produce an egg, which will be released into one of two Fallopian tubes at midcycle. This process is called ovulation. While the egg is in the Fallopian tube, it may or may not be fertilized by sperm. The uterus prepares for possible fertilization by building up its walls to protect the fertilized egg when it arrives from the Fallopian tube, and provide it with nutrients until the placenta takes over.
The vagina is a muscular organ that can stretch considerably to receive the penis during sexual intercourse. After sperm is ejaculated into the vagina, if fertilization is to occur, it will usually happen within the twenty-four hours after ovulation. If conception between the egg and sperm is successful, the cells will divide for a week and then move into the uterus. The embryo will attach itself to the uterine wall, where it will gestate for nine months. If the egg is unfertilized, it will disintegrate, and the uterus will discharge blood, tissue fluid and mucus through the vagina in a process called menstruation.
When a pregnancy goes to full-term and labor begins, the baby is pushed out of the uterus and through the vagina. After a few weeks, the female reproductive organs will go back to their pre-pregnancy state, and the cycle will continue. The female reproductive system has a limited fertility period of only thirty to forty years.
Respiratory System
The respiratory system shares the same responsibility as the cardiovascular system in that they both supply oxygen to, and expel carbon dioxide from, the body. Oxygen is vital because it provides the fuel for all of the body’s functions. The respiratory system also eliminates toxic waste, regulates temperature and ensures the stability of the blood’s acid-alkaline balance.
Divided into the upper and lower respiratory systems, the upper consists of the nose and throat; the lower, refers to the larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. The inner surface area of the lungs is approximately thirty-five times larger than the surface area of your skin. This huge surface allows the body to effectively absorb oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.
Breathing begins in the nose, which alerts you to potentially toxic smells. The nose also warms and moistens the air which enters the body, and filters out airborne germs which can get trapped in the mucous membranes. The air passes through the throat and enters the trachea through the larynx. The trachea and bronchial tubes channel air into the lungs, and protect them from particles and germs which become ensnared in their mucous membranes. Before inhalation begins, the air pressure inside the lungs is equal to the atmospheric pressure outside the body. When the diaphragm contracts to increase the volume of the lungs, the pressure inside the lungs drops and air rushes in until the pressure is equal again. Exhalation begins when the inspiratory muscles relax, the diaphragm pushes up towards the lungs and the surface tension of the lungs pulls inward, decreasing lung volume and pushing air out.
Blood and air exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through the membrane of the bronchial tubes, in the bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli. The blood, now enriched with oxygen, returns to the heart to be pumped through the rest of the body. A lack of iron or lack of blood in the body causes insufficient oxygen to be transported to the cells, resulting in symptoms of breathlessness, weakness, coughing and fatigue.
Skeletal and Muscular System
The bones, joints and muscles work as a team to maintain our upright posture and allow ample movement. The circulatory system and organs, including the brain, are dependent upon movement for their resistance to disease. The adult skeletal system is made up of 206 bones, whereas babies have 350 bones in their body. As babies grow, their small bones fuse together to make larger bones.
The skeletal system is incredibly strong, protecting the inner organs, and acting as a lever and attachment for the muscles. Bone is living tissue in continual renewal. Some bones function in a blood-building capacity, which takes place in the bone marrow of the humeri, femurs, ribs, sternum, vertebrae and pelvis. Bones are made up of mineral deposits which provide stability, and cells which lend flexibility. If calcium and magnesium are not adequately provided for in the diet, these minerals will be taken from the bones. The bones will slowly lose their density and deteriorate as a result.
Joints are protected with a cartilage covering and lubricating fluid, which prevent the bones from grating against each other. Between the vertebrae in the spine, disks act as shock absorbers. The muscles and ligaments surrounding joints provide stability. Joints require regular use to remain flexible, but they should not be overextended. Joint cartilage, ligaments and tendons are not repaired as quickly and easily as other parts of the body since they are not well supplied with blood vessels.
Even the simplest motions involve complex coordinations of muscles, all controlled by the brain via the nerves. Some muscles, like the ones controlling the intestinal tract and blood vessel walls, work involuntarily, so we are not even aware that the muscles are being used. Muscles aid the venous system with the return of blood to the heart, preventing sluggishness. They also provide some body warmth.
Muscles require oxygen for fuel and regular use to remain conditioned. Muscles convert chemical energy into heat and movement. Conditioned skeletal muscles perform better, and prevent arthritic changes in the joints and spine that are common with age.
Urinary System
The urinary system controls the composition, volume and pressure of the blood by removing and restoring water and solutes. Its components are the two kidneys, two ureters, the urinary bladder and the urethra.
The kidneys eliminate nitrogenous waste materials from the blood, as well as inorganic salts, heat and carbon dioxide. Waste materials, if allowed to remain in the body, become toxic. Blood is pressed through a unique filtration system in the kidneys, where its cells and fluids are separated. Most of the fluids are then returned to the blood, leaving waste products and water behind. This urine is then channeled into the urinary bladder, a holding vessel that must be emptied through the urethra when it reaches a certain capacity. The urethra has a sphincter muscle, which controls urination. If this muscle becomes weak or damaged (as sometimes happens during childbirth), incontinence, the inability to hold urine in the bladder, occurs.
Besides detoxifying, the kidneys control the amounts of water and minerals leaving the body. Every hour, your kidneys remove up to one and a half gallons of liquid from your blood. This liquid is filtered and any useful substances are returned to the blood. The leftover liquid and waste products are expelled from the body. They also regulate blood pressure and help maintain the acid-alkaline balance in the blood. For this reason, chronic kidney disease in particular has serious implications for the rest of the body.
The kidneys also play a part in metabolism. They synthesize new glucose molecules during periods of fasting or starvation, secrete hormones to produce red blood cells and synthesize calcitrol, the active form of vitamin D.
The functional part of the kidney, where filtration, secretion and reabsorption take place, is the nephron. The number of nephrons is determined at birth. If they become diseased or damaged, new ones can not form. However, they are able to increase their workload. If one kidney is removed, the other will enlargen, and can function at eighty percent capacity of two kidneys.
Your Biorhythmic Clock
The organs of the body become most active at different times throughout the day. According to this chart, if you wake up quite frequently between 1 AM and 3 AM, without an obvious reason, a malfunctioning liver may be the cause. Between 5 AM and 7 AM is the best time for a bowel movement, when the colon is most active. Going to bed early, between 9 PM and 11 PM, allows the body to replenish its energy.
The Decision
Vaccination has become an increasingly controversial issue with the realization that vaccines can actually cause side-effects and even the disease they are designed to protect against. Although they have eliminated some diseases, such as smallpox, the routine use of vaccines has also created innumerable problems.
Responsible health care involves researching the illnesses for which vaccines have been designed and the effects of vaccines on the body. Parents should consider carefully whether or not to have their children vaccinated. Check out school requirements and ask questions. In many cases, half doses of vaccine shots have proven just as effective, without producing such serious side-effects. Ultimately, parents must decide whether or not vaccination is the right choice for their children.
How Vaccines Work
The body possesses its own internal defense system to fight infection. A healthy body allows few foreign substances to actually make it inside the body, and those that do invade are quickly eliminated by the immune system. Once a foreign substance attacks the body, the body also receives lasting immunity from a particular antigen once a body learns to recognize and oppose it. The immune system develops specific weapons, called antibodies, designed to match and destroy the foreign invaders.
Vaccinations attempt to work like the immune system. Vaccines contain small amounts of the virus they are trying to prevent. Some contain dead bacteria or viruses, and others are live and weakened so that they will not produce symptoms but are still recognizable as a foreign substance. By introducing this virus into the body, the immune system will be able to recognize the virus and destroy it whenever it appears. Unlike the body’s natural defense system, however, vaccination injects comparatively large amounts of the virus directly into the bloodstream. In this way, the immune system is not given time to assess the invader and mount a suitable defense. The vaccine appears like a surprise attack, leaving the immune system vulnerable to infection and consequently causing serious side-effects. Vaccines given orally or injected into the skin or muscle produce less severe symptoms because they give the body time to develop matching antibodies.
Side-effects
The pertussis vaccine, given for whooping cough, is among the most controversial because it has the potential for severe side-effects such as high fever, uncontrollable crying fits, seizures and localized inflammation. The pertussis vaccine is often given with diphtheria and tetanus vaccines, known as a DPT shot. Other vaccines cause similar symptoms, as well as neurological disorders and even death.
As with any medication, caution should be exercised with vaccines since the long-term effects of vaccination are largely unknown. Each person responds differently to each vaccine. In many cases the child’s natural resistance is temporarily weakened, allowing other infections, such as colds and flu, to develop more easily. Over the long term, vaccines train the immune system to fight specific diseases, while allowing it to remain vulnerable to other bacteria and viruses. In some cases, studies suggest that vaccines can eventually lead to developmental problems, learning disabilities, autism, hyperactivity and slow viruses, which live unnoticed in the body until they develop over time and cause symptoms.
Effectiveness of Vaccines
Some serious illnesses have been eliminated after mass vaccination, however, five to ten percent of those vaccinated against viruses contract the disease anyway. Measles continue to flourish among schoolchildren despite universal immunization. Many people suggest that the eradication of diseases like smallpox may be due to improved overall nutritional habits and sanitation, rather than to vaccination. Evidence shows that some illnesses, such as polio and diphtheria, were declining on their own before vaccination, suggesting that a disease follows its own pattern of growth and submission, regardless of medicinal intervention.
Viruses Fight Back
After vaccination, when the virus has entered the bloodstream and the body attempts to recognize and destroy the invader, the virus can change. Even if the body is able to recognize the foreign substance, a virus is capable of changing in character, making it impossible to detection by the immune system. Over time, viruses adapt to their environment and learn to recognize the body’s defense systems, just as the defenses recognize the virus. One of the viruses causing the common cold (rhinovirus) for instance, appears in more than 100 different forms, all of which can cause illness. Similarly, the flu virus has eighteen configurations which vary from one year to the next. Many different bacteria can produce the same infection, making it impossible to vaccinate against each one.
Natural Immunity
The best defense against infection and disease is support of the body’s natural immune system. Breast-feeding supplies babies with antibodies that have been transferred through the mother’s milk. Until a child reaches two years of age, the body’s nervous and immune systems are not fully matured and are poorly equipped to deal with invasions of viruses in the form of vaccines. The tetanus vaccine can be safely delayed until the child is walking outdoors, since the bacteria this vaccine is designed for lives only in the soil and does not exist indoors. Vaccinating babies can inhibit their immune systems from naturally developing the antibodies necessary to fight infection.
Boost the immune system further by maintaining good nutrition on a daily basis. Eating raw fruits and vegetables provides enzymes, which help the body absorb vitamins and minerals, and increase immunity naturally. A happy, nurturing, stress-free home will also allow the body to use its energy reserves for fighting infection. Whatever decision you make, explore your options and educate yourself about the possible consequences of vaccination.
Overview of Hormone Effects
Although the effects of hormones are many and varied, their actions can be categorized into seven broad areas.
1. Regulate the chemical composition and volume of
the internal environment (extracellular fluid).
2. Help regulate metabolism and energy balance.
3. Help regulate contraction of smooth and cardiac
muscle fibers and secretion by glands.
4. Help maintain homeostasis despite emergency environmental disruptions such as infection, trauma, emotional stress, dehydration, starvation, hemorrhage and temperature extremes.
5. Regulate certain activities of the immune system.
6. Play a role in the smooth, sequential integration of growth and development.
7. Contribute to the basic processes of reproduction, including gamete (egg and sperm) production, fertilization, nourishment of the embryo and fetus, delivery and nourishment.
Body Systems
