Blood: The life of the body!

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Blood is a unique, mysterious, and possible the most essential fluid within the body. Most people become especially alarmed when they find themselves bleeding, and the emotional impact is enough to cause some to faint. For many people, it is not just a fluid necessary for the life of the body but it holds great spiritual significance. It is used in some rituals, and even Roman gladiators drank it to fortify themselves for battle.

Whatever your perception or belief, one thing is certain - there is no life without blood. In fact, it directly affects the quality of your life. Degenerative diseases are able to flourish when its quality is compromised. We will take a look at this most essential fluid in order to discover why it is so important.

So important is it that the primary function of the kidney is to help maintain its quality by constantly filtering it, to remove toxins and other unwanted products. It plays more roles in the body than one might expect. It is involved in immune defense, nutrition, respiration, thermoregulation (regulation of body temperature), water and pH balance, waste elimination, and internal communication. It has two main components - the plasma and the formed elements.

• Plasma is a clear extra cellular (outside the cells) fluid. It is a complex mixture of proteins, enzymes, nutrients, wastes, hormones, and gases.

• Formed elements are cells, with the exception of platelets (which are fragments of certain bone marrow cells). They are enclosed in plasma membrane and have a definite shape and structure. The formed elements are erythrocytes, platelets, leukocytes, granulocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, agranulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes.

These formed elements are responsible for many important biological functions such as transporting nutrients, oxygen, and other important substances; defend the body against attacks by diseases; regulate and maintain the correct body's fluid balance. While they are all important, we will focus on two -Erythrocytes and Leukocytes.

ERYTHROCYTES

Erythrocytes [eh-RITH-ro-sites] or red blood cells are made in the BONE MARROW. They look like little red disc, concave on both sides, and full of hemoglobin (haemoglobin). The production of these cells is triggered by a hormone called erythropoietin [eh-RITH-ro-poy-EE-tin]. This hormone is secreted by the kidneys and liver, and through a series of complex biological processes, stimulates the bone marrow to produce these very important cells.

Erythrocytes are mainly responsible for transporting oxygen to tissues and taking carbon dioxide away. If for any reason these cell are not able to perform this function effectively, tissues and organs will be deprived of oxygen and will eventually die.

LEUKOCYTES

Leukocytes [LOO-ko-sites] or white blood cells contains no hemoglobin (haemoglobin). They also differ from erythrocytes in that each leukocyte contains a nucleus. Leukocytes are formed in the BONE MARROW, SPLEEN, THYMUS, and LYMPH NODES. There are three types: granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes.

Leukocytes are mainly responsible for defending the body against diseases. Granulocytes help combat bacterial and viral infections. Lymphocytes are responsible for long term immunity and destroy foreign bodies, either directly or through production of ANTIBODIES. Monocytes ingest bacteria and foreign bodies by a process called phagocytosis.

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Let us now turn our attention to two important properties of blood - viscosity and osmolarity. Viscosity and osmolarity warrants special attention, since they impact directly on its quality and ability to efficiently discharge its function.

• Viscosity is the resistance of a fluid to flow due to cohesion between its particles. A fluid is described as viscous if it is thick and gluey. The more viscous a fluid, the more slowly it flows and vice versa. Viscosity plays an important part in circulation because it governs the flow of blood through the vessels.

Protein deficiency reduces the viscosity and causes blood to flow too easily, whereas an excess causes sluggishly flow. Either of these conditions puts a strain on the body's organs especially the heart, and may lead to serious cardiovascular problems.

• Osmolarity is another important factor in cardiovascular function. In order to effectively nourish cells and remove waste, substances must be able to pass between the bloodstream and tissue fluid through capillary walls. This fluid transfer is known as osmolarity. If osmolarity is too high, too much fluid is absorbed in the bloodstream, which results in hypertension. If its osmolarity drops too low, too much fluid remains in the tissues. This causes the tissues to become swollen and blood pressure may drop to dangerously low levels.

Osmolarity is determined mainly by sodium irons, protein, and erythrocytes.

Good health is, therefore, directly affected by the volume and concentration (chemical balance) of the blood. In summary its three (3) main functions are:

1. Transportation

• It carries oxygen from the lungs to other organs and removes carbon dioxide.

• It carries nutrients from the digestive system to other organs.

• It carries waste to the liver and kidneys for detoxification or removal.

• It carries heat to the skin for removal, which helps regulate body temperature.

• It carries hormones from endocrine glands (glands that secrete hormones into the blood) to target cells.

2. Protection

• Leukocytes destroy microorganisms and cancer cells.

• Contains antibodies and other proteins that neutralize or destroy pathogens (organisms that cause disease).

• Contains platelets that initiate clotting and minimize blood loss.

3. Regulation

• It transfers water to and from tissues, which helps to stabilize water balance.

• It helps to stabilize the pH balance.

Having the correct volume, concentration, and quality of blood is without question, essential to optimal health. This is why the kidneys work so hard to keep it free of toxins and help maintain its optimal quality. It is also a mirror which reflects the condition of an individual's health. For instance a Naturopathic doctor (someone who practices natural treatments) can analyze a sample of blood and determine the state of a persons health ... including nutritional deficiencies, stress of certain organs, and the presence of or tendency to develop certain degenerative diseases.

Recent developments in hematology (the study of blood) have expanded the scope to save and improve the lives of countless people who would otherwise suffer and die.

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