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Why The Human Liver Matters

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Jaiden Watt

The human liver is considered to be one of the most vital internal organs for human survival. It is responsible for various chemical reactions and performs well over 500 functions within the body. The liver is considered to be the largest internal organ as well as the largest gland.

The size of the human liver varies according to gender, age, and body size. A liver found in a male is bigger than that of a female. For example, a female’s liver may weigh 1.2kg whereas a male’s liver may weigh 1.5kg.

Functions of the Liver

Looking at the liver from the glandular aspect, this is where the functions of the organ occur. The most important function of the liver is to rid the body of harmful toxins. However, the liver is also responsible for the secretion of bile which aids the process of digestion. The organ processes all the nutrients we get from food consumption. The body stores these nutrients which are then converted into energy as and when the body needs it. The liver also has the capacity to store blood. In instances when there is a low blood volume, the stored blood within the liver saves the day.

The liver is responsible for the conversion of glucose to glycogen which aids in the prevention of hyperglycemia and low sugar levels. The hepatic secretion of the liver is very important as the secretion of bile, found in the gallbladder, stores and concentrates the bile.

Storage of Vitamins and Minerals

The liver controls the intake and storage of vitamins A, D, B12, Folic acid, and iron. When needed, the liver will provide these to aid the body. Iron is absorbed through the liver which helps the process of blood production. Copper is responsible for development and growth of various organs including the brain, heart, and bones.

Factors Leading to Liver Disease

Excessive alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use
Hyperlipidemia
Genetic diseases
Unprotected sex resulting in hepatitis

Types of Liver Disease

Jaundice – the golden yellow appearance of the skin as a result of the accumulation of bilirubin found in body fluids.
Drug-induced Hepatotoxicity – the damaging effects of drugs on the liver.
Alcoholic liver disease
Cirrhosis – the end-stage liver disease caused by fibrosis
Liver tumors – these can either be malignant tumors or cancerous.

There are many more different types of liver diseases that could develop due to the failure of the maintenance of the vital organ.

Acute and Chronic Liver Diseases

Viral hepatitis
Alcohol abuse
Chronic hepatitis C and B
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Hemachromatosis

From the above information, you can see just how important the maintenance of the human liver is. Most of these types of liver diseases can be avoided by eating a healthy and balanced diet, regular exercise, drinking water daily, low alcohol consumption, and staying far away from recreational drug use!

The Power of the Human Body

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Jaiden Watt

Everyone knows that the human body is very powerful in the ways our minds work and the abilities it has to heal itself. The amazing thing is that there are so many things our bodies do that people have no idea about. In this post, we list a few facts that will blow your mind away!

The human brain has amemory capacity equivalent to more than four terabytes on a hard drive

The brain’s memory storage capacity is quite difficult to calculate because over time as memories are stored, some are forgotten and others are remembered indefinitely. It is also said to be unknown to scientists to measure the size of one’s memory. So, the human brain’s memory capacity is more than 4000 gigabytes.

Your skull ismade up of 29 different bones

From an anatomy perspective, the human skull actually contains 22 bones. These consist of eight cranial bones and fourteen facial structure bones. All these bones are joined together by immovable joints known as sutures. The seven extra bones are found within the sutures and are referred to as wormian bones.

Nerve impulses sent from the brain move atan average speed of 68km/h

A nerve impulse is the information from the brain carried through to the spinal cord, organs, muscles, and tissues. Nerve impulses also referred to as electrical signals, are created by the excitement activated in the neurons of your brain.

The human heart pumps over 200 million litres ofblood during the average lifetime of a person

Whenever a human heart beats, 5-7 litres of blood moves throughout the body in a minute. This equates to 7600 litres of blood being pumped through the system per day.

Afeeling of thirst occurs when water loss is equal to 1% of your body weight. The loss of more than 5% can cause fainting, and more than 10% cause death from dehydration

Drink water all day and every day!

Teeth are the only part ofthe human body which cannot heal themselves

Enamel repairs itself by using minerals from saliva as well as the fluoride from toothpaste. If the tooth decay process continues, over time, the enamel is weakened and destroyed, forming a cavity. However, a cavity is permanent damage.

Fingernails grow approximately four times faster than your toenails

Did it ever occur to you that you cut your fingernails more times than your toenails? Bingo.

The human eye can distinguish between 10million different colors

Look it up. It’s true!

So, there you have it. The human body is THAT powerful! We are capable of so much more than we actually realize. Never underestimate the power of what your body can do for you.