Facts of the Digestive System

Digestive System 

Did you know 

• Did you know that we eat approximately around 500 kg of food per year.
• Our mouth can either slightly cooled or warmed food to a more comfortable temperature. 
• Even if you eat upside down the constrict and relax wavelike of striated muscles would still be able to get food to your stomach. 
• Did you know that some detergent have the same enzymes the digestive system provides to break down food. Enzymes like: amylase (carbohydrates), lipases (fats), and proteases (protein) some found in saliva, stomach, and small intestine. 
• The digestive system is primarily where more cancers are found, than any other organ in the body. 
•  Chief cell, parietal cells, and mucous cells that formed the inner wall of the stomach secrete about 2 liters of hydrocloric acid each day. Hydrochloric acid helps to kill bacteria. Powerful chemicals found in some cleaning supplies like toilet cleaners include this acid. 
• Peristalsis in the stomach and small intestines causes the rumbling also called borborygmi sound due to no excess of food left in the stomach. The small intestines sends signals to the brain and the brain responds by sending signals to the small intestine muscles to start the process of peristalsis, 

Branch of Grapes- Emphysema

Encounter

 Emphysema

Emphysema, is chronic lung disease, that mainly causes shortness of breath due to gradually damages of the air sacs (alveoli). Emphysema is consider to be a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or  (COPD). The reason emphysema is consider to be among COPD diseases is because airflow movement on exhalation is slowed or stop. This happens when the alveoli sacs oversized, causing the alveoli sacs to not exchange gasses when the individual breaths. What causes emphysema you may ask? Smoking is the primary cause of emphysema.

My 93 year old grandmother, has emphysema. It was around the 1950's when smoking was the popular recreation drug around. She smoked cigarettes until she was 60 years old and started smoking around her 20's. Although she smoked throughout a long period of time, another main reason why she has emphysema today is the continuous cooking with charcoal and coal. Her doctors mentioned to members of the family that her health will continue deteriorating because of her age and the high exposure that through time she has put her lungs into. In my grandmother's lungs. Her alveoli sacs are cluster together like branch of grapes. Through this disease her alveoli have weaken to a point rupture. Not permitting oxygen to reach to her bloodstream. A note that I have taken to heart from her was to never smoke in my life time.

TORI

EXTRA BONE TISSUE IN THE MOUTH 

The cause for a mandibular or maxilla tori is exostosis, which is the formation of new bone in the outer layer of bone. Some individuals come to think that the large tissue shown in the mouth is oral cancer. Oral cancer in most case is shown by discoloration and small bumps in some areas of  the mouth. While the large majority of extra bone growth are non cancerous, it is important to biopsy the tissue. The enlarge bumps mostly are found under the tongue, the palate, outside between gums and cheeks. The extra tissue can be remove by an oral surgeon. This extra bone tissue in the mouth, is very common to have and are not dangerous health wise. Although the oral bone growth can causes the teeth's to shift in one direction depending where the tori is located. In some case the individual with this conditions is obligated to remove the tori because it can be a discomfort when eating or speaking.     

ALS

Encounter 

Nervous System 

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis 

You are not you 

  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis  (ALS) is a fatal neurological disease that intervenes with the function of  nerve cells in the central nervous system resulting involuntary and voluntary muscles to weaken in the process. There has many cases of the years of individuals with this disease, a good example is the famous physicists Stephen Hawking who suffers from ALS through out his life. The movie "You are not you" directed by George C. Wolfe shares the story of female pianist who's has ALS. The story plot of this movie brought to my attention the physiological and emotional challenges that the protagonist was going through. In part of her neurological disease she end her successful career as a pianist and straggles to maintain close to relatives and friends. Through the movie her state of health deteriorates and show how she is not in control of her own body no more. She relies on her caregiver who life change because of the pianist who inspired how important life is when you have good health.    

Cardio Vascular System

Cardio Vascular System 

Blood Vessels 

There are three types of blood vessels in the body: arteries, capillaries, and veins. These are fundamental for the circulatory system. Arteries are the largest blood vessel, that are composed of a thick outer layer (tunica adventitia) made of connective tissue and smooth muscle and endothelium tissue in the inner layers (tunica media, tunica intima). The thickness of the arteries supports it's purpose, which is to deliver highly pressurized oxygenated blood from the heart to tissues in the body. Veins are have also three layers.  The main difference is the veins, the endothelium wall is thinner, this is because the pressure from the heart has less blood  pressure. The veins in their structure have valves to help grasp blood as it made be fighting gravity and so it helps to continue moving blood to the heart. The skeletal muscle in the inner layer ( tunica media) helps the blood moving by contraction. Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels. Capillaries connect arteries with veins. This smallest vessels web together to exchange oxygen, nutrients, and waste for all body cells. Capillaries can be really small that even blood cells can move single file through them. The volume of blood is distributed through this blood vessels: 30% of blood is found in the arteries, 5% of blood in the capillaries, and 65 % of blood in the veins.