As I dive deeper into my study of functional medicine, FSM, and the human body, I am awed by the wonder of God’s creation of our bodies. It is awe inspiring just to think of our heart pumping blood and the respiratory system at work so that we can breathe in the oxygen that we need and discard the carbon dioxide. But, our bodies do SO much more all on their own without even a conscious thought! Our eyes blink to lubricate and protect our eyes, we sweat to regulate our temperature and eliminate toxins, we secrete chemical messengers to notify body systems when to activate and when to turn off or quiet down, and so much more…all without consciously giving our bodies these commands. I recently read, “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image” by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey. I will share some of my takeaways about the marvelous function of our human body.
- Our bodies always have white blood cells circulating in our body (about 50 billion), but we have a backup reserve (100x that size) and when we have an infection, the reserve white blood cells from our bone marrow are activated and go to the front lines to fight off this infection. (to think about the billions of these cells we have is staggering alone, but to then realize that these cells are designed for a specific purpose and activate due to our body’s own defense system is mind blowing!)
- Our bodies maintain a state of homeostasis through prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds) that respond to the demands of the body. Some prostaglandins raise blood pressure, while others lower blood pressure; some cause inflammation, while others inhibit it; some cause clotting, while others cause bleeding and there are many more examples!
- Our sense of touch is quite incredible! We have over 500,000 sensors on our skin relaying information and defending us against pathogens. Our skin monitors wind, particles, parasites, pressure, temperature, humidity, light, and radiation. Our skin is tough enough to withstand the pressure of our feet pounding as we run, yet delicate enough to feel the slightest touch. The receptors on our skin can identify different types of textures and our brain can often identify what we are touching without even seeing it! Every action that we do relies on touch. And what an added gift touch is in the terms of compassion and love – comforting a baby, holding hands, hugging, and even sex! Once again, I just marvel at God’s creation when I think of how our bodies were designed. This cannot be something that happened by chance. Our bodies have an intelligent designer that are created for a purpose.
- Our bones were made in such a way that when it breaks, it heals itself! The bone contains a substance that can grow, lubricate, and repair itself. Osteoblasts are types of bone cells that make the bones grow as an infant grows to an adult, but these cells also adapt to meet the body’s needs and respond to stress. For the weight lifter, the bones will become thicker and grow to meet the body’s demands.
- We have 40 TRILLION cells in the human body and 60,000 MILES of blood vessels linking every cell. Our blood cells carry oxygen, amino acids, salts and minerals, sugars, fats, cholesterols, and hormones and deliver where needed, meanwhile carrying away waste and exhaust gases.
The survival of our body depends on all of these systems and more to function! If any part of this system stops (heart stops, a clot overgrows and blocks an artery, the blood cells aren’t able to carry oxygen effectively), then the body becomes ill or may die. To think that all these systems and more happen each and every minute without a conscious thought makes me so very thankful to our creator and masterful designer, God!
As I learn more about the intricacies of the human body, not only am I awed by the design, but I am motivated to do all that I can to take care of my body and support it to function as God designed it. I realize that when just one system is off, it affects the entire body. Our body’s symptoms serve as a warning, much like a “check engine” light on your car. It is important to identify the root cause and find out what’s really going on in our bodies instead of just covering up the symptom. In all my years as a nurse and particularly the last 8 years of my career that I spent doing chart review, this is something that I saw over and over again. Patients would come in for a particular ailment and leave with either a new diagnosis and prescription or referral to a specialist. There was rarely a conversation about what caused the symptom in the first place or how they could get the body to function as it was previously. There are rarely conversations about how to eventually stop taking medications. The chronic disease rate in our country is an epidemic and I would argue that is largely due to the lack of root cause medicine.
If you want to know more about functional medicine and repair of the body through FSM, or want some coaching to help you start living your life at a more optimal level, contact me today! Imagine what life could be with a healthier you! And then take action by booking a call with me.