Your nervous system consists of two main divisions. Your central nervous system includes your brain and spinal cord, while your peripheral nervous system is comprised of long, filamentous nerve bundles outside of your skull and spinal column.
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Acid reflux is a condition in which stomach contents and acid flow into your lower esophagus -- the tube leading from your throat to your stomach. Heartburn is the most common symptom of acid reflux, but other symptoms can also occur with this condition, including a dry cough, chest pain and a recurrent sore throat.
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Although two-thirds of American adults drink alcohol at least occasionally, fewer than 10 percent become “problem drinkers,” and only 25 percent of drinkers experience serious consequences from alcohol use.
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Alkaline phosphatase, or ALP, is an enzyme that is responsible for cleaving phosphate groups from other molecules, such as nucleotides, which are building blocks for DNA, and proteins.
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It isn’t unusual to find fluid in the human ear. This condition, known as serous otitis media, is relatively common in children, particularly those who are exposed to second-hand smoke, who are recovering from ear infections or who have allergies or colds.
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Nearly everyone will experience abdominal pain at some time. Such discomfort, often called "stomach pain," can signify a transient, benign problem, or it can herald something far more serious, such as ulcers, gallbladder disease or even cancer. Pain arising within the abdominal cavity can be difficult to pinpoint.
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The fat stores in your body are metabolically active and dynamic tissues. Two opposing forces determine the amount of fat you carry around from day to day. Lipogenesis is the process that converts sugars to fats, which are subsequently deposited and stored in fat tissue.
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Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the majority of people who have heart failure or experience their first stroke or heart attack have hypertension.
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Abdominal discomfort is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care. Irritable bowel syndrome and gallbladder disease are frequently diagnosed in patients who have abdominal pain. According to a 2005 "American Family Physician" review, IBS affects 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. population. A 2012 report in "
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The B vitamins are a diverse group of nutrients that are commonly found together in foods. They are all water soluble, which means dietary excesses are usually easily eliminated in your urine. Most of the B vitamins are not stored well in your body, so you need to get them from your diet on a regular basis.
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White blood cells, or leukocytes, represent a major protective barrier between you and invading microorganisms and other potentially harmful agents. Five kinds of white blood cells exist in your body, each with a distinct function.
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The human heart is a complex electrical organ with its own switch-like pacemaker and “wiring.” Your heart rate is influenced by a variety of factors, including impulses from your nervous system and alterations in the levels of electrolytes, such as potassium and magnesium, in your heart’s cells.
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Nearly 90 percent of Americans consume caffeine, with the principal source being coffee. Chronic coffee consumption has been linked to a substantially lower risk for type 2 diabetes, particularly if you drink five or more cups daily.
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Iodine, or iodide, is a trace mineral found in ocean water, in ocean-dwelling plants and animals, and in soils adjacent to oceans. Iodine’s principal role in human metabolism is in the production of thyroid hormones.
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Simple sugars, such as those found in cookies, candies, cakes and soft drinks, have been implicated in the growing incidence of obesity and diabetes in the United States.
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A complex array of interacting factors regulates your appetite. The “appetite centers” in your brain consolidate and analyze neurological, hormonal, mechanical and psychological signals, and there your conscious awareness of hunger is born.
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Whether you are asleep, awake, exercising or reclining on your couch, your cells require a constant source of energy to carry on their metabolic tasks.
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Iodine is a trace mineral that is essential for normal metabolic function. Many natural and unprocessed foods are low in iodine, but your body only needs a small amount each day. In his book, “Staying Healthy with Nutrition,” Dr. Elson Haas states there is no significant danger of iodine toxicity from a natural diet.
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Constant exposure to environmental toxins, pollutants and radiation may damage your tissues within your body. Even normal metabolic activities generate substances called reactive oxygen species, or ROS, which have the potential to cause further injury to your cells.
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Amino acids are nitrogen-containing molecules that serve as the building blocks for proteins. Every protein possesses a unique sequence of amino acids that determines its structure and function. Your body contains hundreds of thousands of different proteins, each of which performs a specific task.
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