How YOU Control YOUR Body
The very first thing in understanding the functions of the human body is to understand the basics of the endocrine system. I’m here to tell you it really isn’t rocket science. If you have any questions let me know.
So, you have a brain. It’s your computer. You are the operator sitting there entering commands into the computer. You tell it to move and it moves. But what about all of the things you body does without you constantly telling it to do so? Simple, the computer is programmed to do a number of things automatically so you only enter a command once, and it keeps doing it over and over. Many of these commands are carried out by the endocrine system, so this is where we are going to begin.
First, let’s clear up what hormones are. When most people think of hormones they think of the things that drive you crazy in your teens and for many their entire lives. But that’s really giving these guys a bad rap and doesn’t really tell you what they are all about. These little guys are the messengers. Different hormones carry different messages all over the body. They are like those guys on bikes that race around New York City delivering packages.
The endocrine system consists of different glands. Glands produce and release things, both inside and outside the body. Each gland in the endocrine system has a different job. The “master” is the pituitary gland. It is the size of a pea and has several key jobs. It helps to control nervous function, controls the rest of the endocrine system and controls a few things directly having to do with childbirth and milk production. It’s definitely the boss.
Then you have the thyroid which regulates the metabolism of every single cell in your body. Yes, your cells eat, but more on that another time. In other words, it determines how well your entire body breaks down and uses what you put in it. It is butterfly-shaped and located at the lower part of your throat just north of where your collar bones attach,
Next is the parathyroid. You have four of them. They are about the size of a grain of rice and they are located behind the thyroid. Their only job is to regulate calcium levels in your body. Other than their location, they don’t have much to do with the thyroid.
Then there are the adrenal glands. These guys do more than most people know. They are located on top of your kidneys, which are located just under the last few ribs in your back, or just slightly below in some people. They control adrenaline, but they also produce other hormones necessary for fluid and electrolyte (salt) balance in the body, as well as making sex hormones.
Now we get into the pancreas, another misunderstood gland. Though it is true that the pancreas produces insulin which helps to regulate the blood sugar levels, it also helps to regulate salt balances as well as regulating water absorption and secretion in the intestines. And one other little known fact: over 90 percent of pancreatic cells are devoted to the production of digestive enzymes. That’s right. Your pancreas is responsible for a lot of your digestion.
The thymus is located in the upper middle part of your chest. It’s job is to produce a hormone called thymosin which plays an important role in your bodies immune system.
Now we come to the sexual glands. Most people consider that testosterone is a “male” hormone and estrogen and progesterone are “female” hormones, but both bodies have these hormones, just in very different levels. The estrogen and progesterone in the male, and the testosterone in the female are primarily produced by the adrenal glands. Men’s testicles produce hormones which are responsible for growth and development of male reproductive structures, muscle and skeletal growth, changes in the voice and growth and distribution of hair on the body. Women’s ovaries produce hormones which are responsible for breast development, distribution of fat in the hips, legs and breast (another little-known fact), the maturing of the uterus and vagina and the menstrual cycle.
Now believe it or not all of your organs produce some endocrine hormones, including your intestines. They all have to. As I said before, they are your bodies messengers. Without them, nothing would get done.
In the postings that follow I will be taking each of these glands and breaking them down a bit more, including addressing what “feeds” them and what damages them. But for now I hope this helped to lay the foundation for you to truly understand the machine that is your body.
What Are Omega Oils and Why Do I Need Them?
Natural health has become a multi-million dollar industry. These days there seems to be a supplement to do everything from helping you lose your belly fat to growing, well, lots of things. And everyone seems to be publishing another book or designing another diet. So where is a consumer to turn? The best place to start is to learn about your body and its needs, and that is where this monthly column comes in.
Take Omega oils for example. They are very important to the body, but why? There are three different types of omega oils: omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 and your body needs them all. Omega 3 and omega 6 are essential, meaning your body cannot make them so it must get them from food or supplements. Omega 9 is made by the body from the other two omega oils, so you don’t need to supplement it, but you do need to make sure the other two are consumed.
Omega 3 oils regulate the body’s production of cholesterol; help carry hormones, strengthen cell walls, improve immune functions, alleviate arthritis symptoms and inflammation, lower the risk for cardiovascular disease and can prevent or delay the development of cancer and related tumors. If that wasn’t enough for you, they are essential in the development of the brain and retina, in infant development and may improve bone growth.
When most people think of omega 3 oils, they think of fish oil from deep water fish like tuna or salmon, but there are other sources for omega three like flax, hemp, olives and pumpkin seeds. I prefer blends of these oils and personally avoid any fish oil which comes from farmed fish, instead choosing oils which come from wild-caught.
Then there are the omega 6 oils. These are found mainly in evening primrose, sunflower and safflower oils, as well as other various nuts and seeds, meat, poultry and eggs.
Omega 6 is necessary for brain development in infants, to help maintain healthy skin, eyes and joints and, under certain conditions, form an important part of our immune defense.
Ideally a person wants to eat a diet that gives a balance of 50% omega 3 and 50% omega 6. But most people are consuming 20 times more omega 6 than omega 3 and this contributes to health problems like heart disease and arthritis. Then there are people who are on low fat diets and don’t get enough of both of them. Even vegetarians and vegans can eat far too much omega 6 and be out of balance.
The best way to get your omega oils is to eat a balanced diet. This would include eating tuna and salmon, adding flax seeds or ground flax meal (which gives the added benefit of dietary fiber, another item lacking in the American diet) olives and pumpkin seeds, along with chicken, nuts, meat and eggs. Failing that, a person should make sure they aren’t consuming too much omega 6 and supplement with omega 3. You should talk to your health care provider about the total quantity of fat you should eat each day as it is based on your age, sex and activity level.
Copyright 2009, 2012 by Shelley Jaffe
The Sunshine Vitamin
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin (meaning it is dissolved in fat) that is produced internally by the body when ultraviolet rays from the sun hit the skin. There are two forms of vitamin D produced by living creatures: D-2 and D-3. Vitamin D-2 is produced by invertebrates, fungus and plants. Vitamin D-3 is produced by human bodies. Therefore vitamin D-3 is generally the most commonly recommended since it is the one our bodies produce.
Vitamin D is essential in calcium absorption in the digestive tract and maintaining proper calcium and phosphate levels which enable mineralization of the bone and bone development. If the body doesn’t have enough vitamin D, bones can become brittle, thin or deformed. It is a component in the prevention of osteoporosis.
Vitamin D has other roles in human health, including proper function of the neuromuscular and immune system and reduction of inflammation, as well as the prevention of breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, weight gain and depression. Deficiencies in vitamin D may also be linked with dementia, including Alzheimer’s. According to the May 2009 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, there is enough evidence to indicate that further research should be done to explore links between vitamin D deficiency and dementia.
Vitamin D is naturally present in very few foods and the only other way to get this vitamin besides supplements is the sun. But most people don’t want to expose themselves to the sun without protection because of the risk of skin cancer.
So how do you know you’re getting enough? According to the National Institute of Health levels of D in the blood stream do not typically decrease until the vitamin D deficiency is severe, so blood tests can be inaccurate. The current recommended daily dose of vitamin D is 200 IU for people up to age 50, 400 for people ages 51 to 70 and 600 IU for people over the age of 70. But most scientists and experts agree that just isn’t enough. Boston University vitamin D expert Doctor Michal Holick, MD recommends a dose of 1,000 IU a day. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least 400 IU for children from infants to teens. And the Vitamin D Council, a group of respected medical doctors and scientists who are trying to educate people on this nutrient, recommends that healthy adults take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily.
But can you get too much and how would you know? Too much can cause nausea, constipation, confusion and abnormal heart rhythm. As with any supplement, it is best to consult a competent professional to determine how much you should be taking.
Copyright 2009, 2012 by Shelley Jaffe
Amino What?
Everyday your body is continually rebuilding itself, cell by cell. If it doesn’t get what it needs to build itself, it starts to break down and physical problems develop. So what are the building blocks of the body and where do you get them from?
The building blocks are called amino acids. Your body makes a lot of them itself as long as you are eating a good diet, but some of them your body can’t make. These are called essential amino acids and your body gets them from very specific foods. Below is a list of the 8 essential amino acids and the foods they come from:
- Tryptophan – this one helps with proper brain function and sleep patterns. It is plentiful in chocolate, oats, bananas, dried dates, milk, cottage cheese, meat, fish, turkey and peanuts.
- Lysine – deficiency can result in a deficiency in niacin (Vitamin B) and this can cause the disease pellagra. It is also beneficial in treating and preventing herpes. Lysine sources include green beans, lentils, spinach and amaranth.
- Methionine – supplies sulphur and other compounds required by the body for normal metabolism and growth and helps the liver process fats. It is found in fish, whole grains, and dairy.
- Valine – is needed for muscle metabolism, tissue repair, and for the maintenance of proper nitrogen balance in the body. Valine is found in high concentration in the muscle tissue. It is can be used as an energy source by muscle tissue. It may be helpful in treating liver and gallbladder disorders, and it is good for correcting the type of severe amino acid deficiencies that can be caused by drug addiction. Dietary sources of valine include dairy products, grain, meat, mushrooms, and peanuts.
- Leucine – stimulates the building of muscles and may be the major fuel involved in tissue building. During times of starvation, stress, infection, or recovery from trauma, the body uses leucine to aid in the healing process. Insulin deficiency is known to result in poor utilization of leucine so diabetics may require higher levels of leucine intake. Leucine is found in cottage cheese, sesame seeds, peanuts, dry lentils, chicken, and fish.
- Isoleucine – is important for blood sugar regulation, muscle development and repair, red blood cell formation, and energy regulation. Deficiencies of isoleucine result in possible dizziness, headaches, fatigue, depression, confusion and irritability. Isoleucine is found in eggs, fish, lentils, poultry, beef, seeds, wheat, almonds and dairy.
- Threonine – is important for antibody production which is what your body used to protect itself against bacteria and viruses. Deficiencies can result in skin disorders and weakness, as well as a reduced immune system. Dietary sources of threonine include dairy, beef, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Phenylalanine – is broken down by the body to make different hormones including adrenaline. Deficiencies are rare but can include slowed growth, lethargy, liver damage, weakness, edema, and skin lesions (sores on the skin). Food sources or phenylalanine are dairy, almonds, avocados, lima beans, peanuts, and seeds.
Copyright 2009, 2012 by Shelley Jaffe