Along the way, the food you eat either touches or is influenced by just about every organ in your body. Whether it’s the calories you eat supplying your muscles with energy or your organs working together to convert the f...
The field of tantric Hinduism is concerned through the achievement of enlightenment through the sequential opening of charkas. Chakras, which mean "wheels," can be though of energy centers in the body. Traditionally, ...
The text "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism" points out the human body has proteins throughout the skeletal system, organs, skin and blood. Cell growth relies upon proteins that make up over half of the cells structure. T...
The skin is the largest organ in the human body and its condition speaks volumes about your health. Rashes, acne, eczema, psoriasis, and oily, dry and aged skin, may reflect stress, lack of exercise or a poor diet. Improving yo...
Enzymes are protein catalysts and are fundamental to biochemistry. Without catalysts, the reactions that keep your body going would only occur at a very slow rate -- too slow to sustain life. Compared to the catalysts that huma...
Hydrogen is vital for life, the third most common element in the human body and a component of water, DNA and most other organic molecules. Macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats, contain hydrogen as part of t...
Sometimes, chemical compounds can have wildly different structures and properties despite similar names. In the case of pyruvate versus pyruvic acid, however, the similarities are so profound that most chemists don't even disti...
The term "energy expenditure" is really a fancy way of measuring how many calories your body uses to fuel all of the physiological processes your body goes through daily. Your body uses the calories you receive from food to hel...
The human endoskeleton provides a framework for body tissues and organs. Bones attach to one another via tough connective tissue called ligaments and by cartilaginous, fluid-filled joints. Muscles attach to bones via tendons so...
Lipids account for approximately 40 percent of the organic matter in your body, which represents approximately 15 percent of your body weight. Lipids fit into four subclasses: fatty acids, triacylglycerols, phospholipids and st...
Humans have bodily symmetry, similar to other animals and organisms in nature, which may be a factor that helps us control and interact with other people and organisms. Symmetrical traits may have developed to help us recognize...
The human body is comprised of more than 50 percent water and needs it for survival. Each cell, tissue and organ in the body must have water in order to function properly. Your body relies on water to maintain body temperature,...
Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrient compounds--the other two are protein and fat--meaning that they're nutrient molecules that you need in large quantities to fuel your cells and organ systems. You use carbohydrate...
There are many different kinds of enzymes, of which proteolytic enzymes are one example. These enzymes digest protein into its components, either in the digestive tract or in the body cells.
There are many different roles that nucleic acids, which include DNA and RNA, play in the human body and in other living organisms. Scientists continue to identify new and different functions of nucleic acids on a regular basis...
Carbohydrates are chemical compounds composed of sugar and water, and can be found in a variety of foods. Not all carbohydrates are created equal, says the Harvard School of Public Health. Some forms of carbohydrates may do mor...
Sterols are a type of chemical with various roles in many different types of organisms. They are abundant in the cells of the body and are commonly ingested in the diet. Humans, plants and fungi all have different forms of ster...
Your excretory system isn't a single cohesive system; instead, it includes organs from several different body systems that work to remove waste products from the body and balance fluids. The lower portion of your intestine, for...
The human body has three types of muscle tissue: cardiac, smooth and skeletal. Cardiac muscle, as its name implies, is the muscle of the heart. Smooth muscle is the muscle that lines the walls of the organs of the body, such as...
The cells use this energy to engage in cellular functions, including those that produce movement and generate chemical products. The pyruvate molecule is an intermediate in a variety of important metabolic reactions that take p...
Some of the body's main detoxification organs include the kidneys, colon, gallbladder, liver, skin and blood, which help rid the body of toxins and waste taken in from the from the environment or diet. Detox is said to be benef...
Juice Organics is a brand of skin care products that uses certified organic ingredients. Juice Organics, which is sold at prestige retailers worldwide, is one of the first drugstore and mass market brands that meets both the 70...
The digestive tract is a hollow set of organs that starts at the back of the throat with the esophagus and proceeds through the body to its exit at the anus. One of the most familiar organs along this tract, the stomach, is a m...
Amylase and lipase are two types of digestive enzymes produced by various organs of the body.
Parasitic infection occurs in any age group, but young children are most susceptible because of risky hand-to-mouth behaviors. A parasite is an organism living on or in its host, obtaining nourishment from the host. It is consi...
Magnesium is a mineral found in the bone, tissues, organs and blood of the human body. Magnesium plays a role in muscle and nerve operation, bone strength, regulation of blood pressure, and preserving immune function, according...
Many people mistakenly think that the health risks stop there. The sad truth is that cigarette smoking can damage your body in a wide variety of ways, and can cause severe problems in many organ systems, not just the lungs.
A tapeworm is a parasitic organism that infects humans after consuming undercooked meats that contain the eggs or larvae of the tapeworm. After ingesting the tapeworm eggs, they travel to the intestines and grow into adult tape...
Various parasitic worms can invade the human body and feed off their human hosts. The prevalence of human worm infections in different locations around the world remains largely tied to the presence and sophistication of water ...
The integumentary system consists of the skin--the body's largest organ--and its accessory features and glands. Like other body organs, the skin is essential to maintenance of life and health, and has functions including temper...
Avian influenza or avian flu is a strain of the flu virus that is usually transmitted among birds but has on occasion infected humans, according to the World Health Organization. H5N1 in particular is a virulent strain of avia...
It is commonly found in drinking water, sewage, soil, and ventilation systems. It enters the body by inhalation or through the nostrils from swimming. In rare cases, the organism is able to cause infections of the brain, eyes, ...
Without properly controlling the bacteria present in the mouth, health conditions may arise. Nonetheless, not all bacteria are harmful and understanding their function and role in the human body may help to encourage proper den...
The adrenal gland is one of a number of hormone-producing organs that make up the endocrine system. Gary Thibodeau, PhD, author of the book, "The Human Body in Health and Disease," describes the adrenal gland as consisting of ...
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 ...
The skin is the largest eliminating organ of the human body and is constantly processing both internal and external toxins. The skin is also considered a third kidney for it's function of processing blood and separating waste ...
The deadly disease human hereditary pancreatitis is an inherited condition that inhibits your body from properly regulating trypsin. The amount of trypsin in your body exceeds normal levels and results in auto-digestion of the ...
Human cells in every organ and body tissue have tightly controlled rates of growth and replication. Abnormalities that accelerate the normal rate of cell growth cause a range of diseases that vary from mild to severe. The skin,...
Giardia intestinalis, as its full name connotes, inhabits the small intestines and steals from the nutrients destined for its host. The organism is present in the human body in two forms, its trophozoite or adult form and the c...
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and it serves to protect the body from bacterial and viral infections, while also playing a role in the regulation of body temperature. The skin of an adult can weigh up to nine ...
The average person's skin covers an area of five to six and a half feet. The skin has many functions, one of which is disease prevention. The skin can also show signs of disease in the internal organs. The skin and its appenda...
In the human body, the heart, lungs and blood vessels work together to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to the organs and tissues. The heart pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body. The deoxygenated blood returns to the lu...
The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. Rapid events occur within the brain that allow you to interact with your environment. Reaching to grasp a cup of coffee seems like an easy task. However, the underlying cor...
Bacteria are microscopic organisms that live in the air, soil and water, on surfaces, and in and on the human body. They are the smallest free-living organisms, meaning they support their own growth and reproduction. These orga...
The human body is comprised of trillions of cells. Over 200 types of cells make up the organs, bones, muscles and nervous system. All the cells have similarities, such as a membrane on the outer surface and organelles--structur...
Bacteria reside in great numbers in many places, both inside and on the surface of the human body. In many cases, like in the gut, the presence of bacteria is beneficial. Bacteria in the mouth causes the formation of cavities, ...
Just as the human body has individual organs the carry out specific functions and work together, the body's cells have parts dedicated to specific functions. These parts are called organelles, which means "little organs." Many ...
In humans, they can be harmless passengers, even participating in biological processes. However, they can also cause tissue damage and tamper with your body functions to the point of causing disease. Both types of microbes have...
A muscle is a "contractile organ" of the body, according to Princeton.edu. Muscles make up between 40 and 50 percent of our total body weight and work to help us move, maintain posture and produce heat. Muscles respond to stimu...
The eye is a sensory organ that detects light and is one of the most complex of structures within the human body. The eye functions similar to that of a camera. Just as light passes through a lens, which is then focused at the ...
Styrofoam is a trade name for polystyrene, a plastic made from petroleum, according to the Earth Resource Foundation website. This product is an effective insulator, and it is used in food packaging and as a packing material. I...
Bacteria are single-celled organisms that have a variety of growth requirements. Some bacteria require oxygen; others require the absence of oxygen for growth. Bacteria that need high temperatures for growth, or thermophiles, l...
The environment teems with potentially infectious microbes. Human survival depends on the immune system's capacity to fight infection if a microbe penetrates the surface-level body defenses. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, ...
The spleen is located under the ribs on the left side of the body. It is part of the lymphatic system and helps fight infection, balance body fluids, and controls the amount of blood in the body. Diseases and injury to the sple...
The human body is composed of millions of cells, myriad tissues, and numerous organs; some have unique functions, other functions are coordinated, and some functions overlap. Therefore, a classification of organ systems is not ...
Human cells are small, too tiny to be seen without using a microscope, but they make up all of the organs and systems of the body. Every cell carries within it the entire genetic code of the human to whom it belongs, but the sp...
The human body is comprised of cells, the microscopic units of life. Each human cell contains a common set of structures plus specialized structures, which enable specific functions unique to that organ or tissue type. Although...
Bacteria are highly versatile, single-celled organisms that inhabit virtually all environments. The human body is widely colonized by bacteria, which live in the nose, mouth, intestine, vagina and on the skin. Bacteria may be b...
Some are painful, some itch, and some cause no unusual sensation, they just look strange. Skin diseases also vary in their degree of severity. Some are minor nuisances; others can be fatal if left untreated. The skin is the ...
Many different kinds of bacteria live in and on the body. Different types of bacteria have different requirements that they need for effective energy utilization. Anaerobic bacteria are common bacteria that do not need oxygen t...
Derived from the chrysanthemum flower, the botanical extract pyrethrum is the source of pyrethrins--active ingredients in many mosquito coils, mosquito foggers, flea and tick sprays and human lice treatments. According to the U...
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. Many people u...
Some of the smallest organs in the body play the largest roles. From the pituitary gland, being only the size of a pea, to the thymus gland, these small organs are involved in many different hormone pathways, many of which have...
When put together, the skeletal system provides the base framework to which all the other tissues and organs attach, forming the human body. According to ThinkQuest, the human skeleton has two distinct features, including oppos...
If you are usually healthy, then it is still rare for fungi to spread throughout your body causing much harm. But if you have an impaired immune system, then you are susceptible to developing the more serious symptoms of these ...
Every human body, even the leanest and smallest, has an abundance of skin. The National Institutes of Health report that the average person has between 6 and 9 lbs, of skin organ, equating to approximately 2 square yards. As th...
Anaerobic bacteria can be further broken down based on their relationship to oxygen: obligate, aerotolerant or facultative anaerobe. They can be found in a variety of environments ranging from soil and water to the bodies of hu...
These diseases are mostly spread due to hygiene issues in rural communities, porous borders that allow for nomadic movement from one region to another, and poverty. Several diseases that affect African people include human immu...
This scar tissue is not vascular, meaning that blood does not flow through it, and the build-up of scar tissue in organs can change the shape of the organ and interfere with its function. There are many different forms of scler...
The concept of homeostasis was developed in 1932 by American physiologist Walter Cannon at Harvard Medical School. He used the term homeostasis---which is Greek for "similar and standing still"---to describe the body's need to ...
For newborns and patients with compromised immune systems, however, CMV can become a life-threatening illness that attacks body organs. The U.S. National Library of Medicine relates that the only treatment usually needed for he...
The heart, stomach, lungs, pancreas, kidney, gallbladder and brain are a few of the major organs in your body. Some organs are more important than others. For example, you can live with only one kidney and without your gallblad...
Cyclical in nature, energy flow is expressed by observing how energy is gracefully transformed from one organism to another. In the human body, restoring the proper energy flow may be the key to healing and renewal.
Smooth muscle lines the organs and artery walls. Cardiac muscle is the heart muscle. Skeletal muscle is the muscle that allows us to move our bodies. Each skeletal muscle is attached to the bones of the skeleton
Polio enters the human body through the mouth. According to the World Health Organization, the virus quickly replicates in the throat and intestines and then enters the bloodstream. The Smithsonian states that from the bloodstr...
Normally it is not pathogenic, which means that this bacteria, when contained within the intestines, does not typically cause any sort of disease.
It is able to survive the high concentrations of bile within the intestines an...
Salmonella is a common bacterium that causes infection in humans, usually through exposure to inadequately processed foods like chicken or eggs, contaminated water, and contact with animals like reptiles and amphibians. The peo...
Magnetic therapy is based on the theory that the energy fields produced by magnets can infiltrate the human body and repair various abnormalities and return the affected cells and organs to health.
According to the American C...
The Standard American Diet (SAD) typically has an acidifying effect on the human body with negative impacts on pH balance. However, the bottom line is that it's not your job to adjust your body's pH--it's your body's job to kee...
The organ systems of the human body work together to create homeostasis, a state of functional health adequate to sustain life. The human organs within these systems work together to perform a specific function. For instance, i...
The skeletal system is comprised of 206 bones and protects the body's vital organs. It is separated into two sections: the axial and the appendicular. The appendicular anchors the body's appendages, while the axial forms the co...
The thymus is a small gland positioned behind the breastbone (sternum) in the mediastinal area that contains two divisions or lobes. It serves the body by being an organ of the immune system; specifically, the thymus is involve...
Humans are targets, too. Ticks are those pesky little bloodsucking organisms that can infect people and animals with diseases. Lyme disease is the most widely known. While commonly found on animals, these parasites also breed i...
The skin covers the body to protect vital organs. Human skin is composed of three layers---the epidermis, dermis and the hypodermis. When the skin is burned it reddens, swells or can peel away. Burns are painful and sometimes t...
The human body is full of bacteria, microscopic, living organisms that are maligned as the cause of sickness and disease. But bacteria in our bodies also perform some pretty important tasks, like breaking down food and creating...
For this reason metronidazole is the drug of choice for fighting infections that develop inside the body in such organs as the stomach and the intestines. It can also be used to treat vaginal infections or skin problems. If you...
