The onset of a cold of the flu often brings with it a host of maladies that are difficult for the individual to manage. Fevers, coughing, sneezing and vomiting are just a few of the things that take place when the body gets sick. While most of these problems wreak havoc on the individual's overall sense of health and well being, the reality is that these reactions are critical for the body to heal properly. Thus, even though the physical symptoms that accompany illness may appear to promulgate more harm than good, in actuality these reactions are a necessary part of helping the body overcome disease.
With the realization that the human body responds to environmental toxins in a host of ways, there is a clear impetus for individuals to understand what these reactions mean and how the help improve overall health. Using this as a basis for investigation, this research considers the reactions of the body when it becomes ill.
[...] When the immune system determines the type of toxin present in the human body, it is able to discern if increasing body temperature will help rectify the situation. If this is indeed the case, chemical signals are sent to the hypothalamus to raise the body's temperature and destroy the toxin. Once the body has gained the upper hand on the toxin, the immune system again sends out a chemical signal to reset the body's temperature. Thus, the physical feelings that are produced in response to a fever are actually to the benefit of the individual. [...]
[...] As such, while the results of tearing may be uncomfortable for the individual, this physiological response is necessary to preserve both the health of the eyes and the health of the body (Tearing, 2006). Fever While sneezing coughing and watery eyes represent some of first lines of defense to keep toxins out of the human body, there are instances when viruses and bacteria find their way into the human body. When this occurs, the body may respond by initiating a fever. [...]
[...] Here again, it becomes evident that while the body's response to gastrointestinal threats is not that pleasant for the individual, the reality is that the actions undertaken by the body represent a defense mechanism that will allow the body to remain healthy. Nausea can be an indication that the individual needs to make some environmental change in order to prevent vomiting. Vomiting, on the other hand, represents the body's response to a perceived environmental threat. Even if this threat is purely psychological in nature—as in the case of vomiting as a result of witnessing the act—it is one that is clearly aimed at protecting the body from the threat of environmental toxins. [...]
[...] Conclusion Synthesizing all of the information that has been provided in this investigation, it becomes evident that the body's response to physiological health threats is one that is quite well developed and coordinated. The body, sensing the presence of a foreign body is not only able to identify where the toxin is, but also can initiate the correct response for removing the toxin from the body. When examined in this context, it becomes quite clear that the body's responses to toxins have clear and calculated precision. [...]
[...] Rather, the human body operates on a level that is principally unconscious to the individual. Without some of these basic responses however, the human body would not be able to survive. As such, the complex system that allows these interactions to occur is truly magnificent. References Crisp, S. (2006). Coughing. Net Doctor. Accessed April at: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/cough.htm. Coughing. (2006). National Institutes of Health. Accessed April at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003072.htm. Diarrhea. (2003). National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Accessed April at: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diarrhea/. Fever. (2004). Mayo Clinic. [...]
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