Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Adrenal medulla and the Hormones secreted

ADRENALINE RUSHED!

I was standing in front of the crowd. I was on a stage, trembling while holding the microphone. I can hear my palpitations louder than the yell of the audience. I wanted to start my speech. I decided to but as I tried to speak, my tongue moves back and no voice is produced. My thoughts are very vague now. The only thought that is clear is a query to me, should I go or pursue this delivery?

Perhaps most of us had experienced being stocked in a situation where we are uncomfortable and stressed of it. We wanted to seek help. We even wanted to call for a time out “Hey, can I just continue tomorrow? I’m a little nervous right now.” But no we couldn’t just say that. We can’t always leave the crowd when the spotlight is shone upon us. The resort that has been always chosen is to continue the presentation. Curtains up and red carpet rolls. One, two, three. .

The good thing for stressing situation is we do not have to fight alone. We have armor inside us ---- our adrenaline system. Our adrenaline system is responsible for our fight or flight response. The fight or flight response is our body's primary, automatic, innate response that prepares the body to "fight" or "flee" from apparent attack, stress, harm or threat to our endurance. It is composed primarily of the adrenal medulla. The adrenal medulla is innervated by the neurons of the sympathetic nervous system or otherwise known as the sympathetic preganglionic neurons. The adrenal medulla synthesizes two important hormones in the body which are epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Epinephrine is secreted in cases of low blood glucose level. Norepinephrine secreted by the adrenal gland acts to narrow blood vessels and raise blood pressure. However, release of these hormomes is also stimulated when we experience excessive stress—whether from internal worry or external circumstance. This is where our fight or flight response occurs.

Dramatic changes occur brought by series of nerve cell firing and chemical release in the body. The grasp for air boosts thus respiratory rate increases. To supply body energy and fuel for escaping or fighting, blood is thrust away from our digestive tract and directed into our muscles and limbs. The pupils dilate and sight sharpens. Our alertness intensifies. Our impulses accelerate. We least likely feel pain. We become ready or geared up—physically and psychologically—for fight or flight.

Our body is indeed the best example for organization. We really are magnificent creatures made by God. He never brought us here unprotected. On the other hand, we were geared enough to face a fight or fly if we can’t do anything about it. We are like superman where we can do unexplainable things when under stress with our adrenal gland. So what’s the dash, if we have adrenaline rush?

http://www.thebodysoulconnection.com/EducationCenter/fight.html

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9702

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Endocrinology, Toxicology, and Drug testing

Endocrinology

When I heard the word endocrinology first thing came up to my mind are hormones.

Endocrinology is concerned with the study of the chemistry, and physiological function of hormones and with the cells of the endocrine glands and tissues that secrete them that work together with the nervous system to coordinate functions of all the body system.

When we say hormones basically, hormones are your body's chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes.

Functions of Hormones

  1. Help Regulate:
  • chemical composition & volume of internal environment
  • metabolism and energy balance
  • contraction of smooth and cardiac muscle fibers
  • glandular secretions
  • some immune system activities
2. Control growth and development

3. Regulate operation of reproductive system


Toxicology

The study of the adverse effects of a toxicant on living organisms meaning to say the effects of the poisons, these poisonous substances is produced by plants, animals or bacteria.

The household products implicated most poisonings are cleaning solutions, fuels, medicines, and other material such as cosmetics and paints.

Toxicologists is the person who work to develop a mechanistic understanding of how chemicals affect living systems.

Swiss physician Paracelsus (1493-1541) "The Father of Modern Toxicology. He said "all substances are poisons: there is none which is not a poison. the right dose differentiates a poison from a remedy."

Drug testing

Drug testing is being done for many purposes its a major requirements like when you are seeking for an employment, those you are athletics etc.

There are many different procedures to analyze and perform the drug test. drug testing is process of anlysing biological specimen in order for use to determine the absence or presence of a certain metabolites that is not supposed to be taken which are considered illegal that affect our health. examples are cocaine, ectasy, and shabu.

These biological specimens have different specific time seen in the fluid being tested. Examples are saliva, urine, sweat, hair and blood.