Human Body Anatomy: Integrated Systems & Physiological Health

In the human body, health is maintained through the interconnectedness of organ systems, proper posture, and stable biochemical metabolism.

sprinter stadium start blue tartan

Pyruvate vs. Pyruvic Acid

Sometimes, chemical compounds can have wildly different structures and properties despite similar names.

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Man lighting woman's cigarette in street

Disadvantages of Smoking

Smoking causes illness and death, among other disadvantages. It is the most preventable lifestyle factor affecting human health. Smoking harms every organ in your body. Your heart, blood vessels, lungs and fertility are all negatively affected by smoking and the chemicals in cigarettes.

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Man's Hands Washing Broccoli Vegetables in Kitchen Sink

How to Neutralize Acid in Human Body

The body's pH level influences its health. The acid-base balance of your blood is significant for normal daily function, healing and digestion. The acidity or alkalinity level of your body is determined by a pH, potential of hydrogen, scale.

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Hippocrates Statue

10 Major Types of Diseases

More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek doctor Hippocrates began categorizing diseases in a scientific way. This practice continues into modern times. The World Health Organization's current disease classification system can be summarized in 10 broad areas.

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Sauerkraut with carrot in wooden bowl

Foods to Increase Intestinal Absorption

The intestines are highly specialized organs responsible for the digestion of food and the absorption of its nutrients. Despite following a balanced and nutritious diet, you might still fall short of your nutrient needs if you can't absorb nutrients properly.

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Does Exercise Cause an Adrenaline Rush?

Adrenaline is another word for the hormone epinephrine, part of the brain's response to exercise. Epinephrine has an effect on your body to increase the cardiorespiratory activity that facilitates exercise. It also has an affect on your metabolism and can even improve your mood.

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Runner with injured knee

Knee That Gets Hot After Exercising

When the knee gets hot after exercising, it could indicate a variety of problems. The increased temperature is often a sign of inflammation -- the body's response to tissue injury or infection.

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Football kicker practicing on field

The Muscles & Body Parts Needed to Kick a Football

Kicking a football -- either a round soccer ball, oval American or rugby ball -- uses a lot of muscles and joints. A successful kick requires good eye-foot coordination, balance, accuracy, skill and power.

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Woman drinking coffee

Does Drinking Coffee Make You Have More Bowel Movements?

If you find yourself hustling to the washroom soon after drinking a cup of coffee, you aren't experiencing an abnormal reaction to your choice of beverage. Although caffeinated coffee affects everyone differently, it commonly results in an urge to have a bowel movement.

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How the Skeletal System Works With Other Systems in Your Body

According to Minnesota State University's Emuseum, one of the most important ways the skeletal system works with other systems is via protection. Of particular importance is the skeletal system's ability to protect the central nervous system, which is made up of the spinal cord and the brain.

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Ginger and Bladder Discomfort

The bladder is a hollow organ in the lower abdomen that helps store urine. Several conditions, such as incontinence, bladder infections, bladder cancer and cystitis, can affect the functioning of the organ and may lead to bladder discomfort. Your doctor may prescribe medications or surgery to treat your condition.

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African American male doctor examining patient

A List of Physiological Diseases

Physiology encompasses the tissue, organ and cellular functions of the human body. An optimally healthy body has normal physiology. Conversely, human disease represents an aberration in normal physiology--something in the body fails to function as it should.

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Crop Duster

Harmful Effects of Fertilizers

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, most fertilizers contain about the same basic materials: nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and sometimes other nutrients, like zinc, needed for healthy plant growth.

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Pimple in the Ear Canal

Your ear canals are the tube-like passageways that connect your outer ears to your ear drums. In some circumstances, you can develop a type of ear canal infection called external otitis or otitis externa.

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Close-up of man's ear

Exercises to Unblock Ears

Blocked ears can be painful and can temporarily impair hearing. The most common causes include colds, air travel, sinus infections and impacted earwax. There are exercises you can try to unblock your ears. If your ears remain blocked for more than 24 hours, you should seek medical advice.

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What Human Body Systems Work With the Immune System?

The immune system is responsible for protecting the body against invasion by diseases and other pathogens including viruses, bacteria and parasites. The immune system is also involved in the normal healing response to trauma as a protection against infection.

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Young woman suffering from an ankle injury while exercising and

Physical Therapy to Prevent Ankle Scar Tissue

The body creates scar tissue as a kind of glue to hold damaged tissues together after an injury or surgery. While immensely helpful in the recovery process, scar tissue can build excessively following an ankle injury or surgery, restricting mobility in your ankle.

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Woman meditating

Negative Effects of Poor Posture

Posture is an important part of preventing problems ranging from back pain to fatigue. When the back is straight, the spine is supported and stabilized, but as you slouch or practice other methods of poor posture, your spine no longer has the support it needs to stay balanced, leading to many health problems.

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Pretty woman getting influenza

What Systems in the Body Are Affected by the Flu?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5 to 20 percent of Americans contract the influenza (flu) virus each year. Flu produces a spectrum of disease, ranging from mild, self-limited respiratory disease to life-threatening pneumonia.

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