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Blood: The life of the body!
Blood is a unique, mysterious, and possibly 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.
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Plasma is a clear extra cellular (outside the cells)
fluid. It is a complex mixture of proteins, enzymes, nutrients, wastes,
hormones, and gases.
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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.
Let us now turn our attention to two very important properties - viscosity and osmolarity. Viscosity and osmolarity warrants special attention, since they impact directly on the blood's quality and ability to efficiently
discharge its function.
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.
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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:
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Transportation
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It carries oxygen from the lungs to other organs and removes
carbon dioxide.
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It carries nutrients from the digestive system to other
organs.
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It carries waste to the liver and kidneys for detoxification
or removal.
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It carries heat to the skin for removal, which helps regulate
body temperature.
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It carries hormones from endocrine glands (glands that secrete
hormones into the blood) to target cells.
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Protection
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Leukocytes destroy microorganisms and
cancer cells.
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Contains antibodies and other proteins that neutralize or
destroy pathogens (organisms that cause disease).
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Contains platelets that initiate clotting and minimize blood-loss.
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Regulation
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It transfers water to and from tissues, which helps to
stabilize water balance.
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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, it is analyzed by medical and naturopathic doctors (someone who practices
natural treatments) to 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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Return from Blood to Function of the
kidney
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