The following material is assembled from various sources freely available. It is not intended as a comprehensive study of Anatomy, Biology, Endocrinology or any other medical field.
Blood Components, Hormones and Enzymes
Facts & Functions
Blood – the vital fluid that sustains life. Its components include red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. Some blood cells transfer oxygen; some fight invading substances endangering your cells; and others prevent excessive blood loss by forming clots.
The watery portion of the blood carries nutrients to fuel every cell in the body. It also shuttles waste to the excretory system; and transports carbon dioxide to be exhaled by the lungs. Blood plays an essential role in helping the body to adjust to changes in external temperatures and hormone levels. Many of these processes cannot happen without blood transporting hormones, nutrients, oxygen and electrolytes.
Red blood cells – provide oxygen through the whole body and transport carbon dioxide to the lungs to be exhaled.
Red blood cells are created in the red bone marrow. They live about 120 days shuttling oxygen and carbon dioxide, after which certain white blood cells destroy them in the liver and spleen. When red blood cells are destroyed, the iron they contain is recycled back to the red bone marrow to be used in new cells. The rest of the discarded old cells is transported to the digestive system where much of it ends up in faecal waste.
Anaemia – occurs when a person has too few red blood cells or if there is not enough haemoglobin in the red blood cell. As haemoglobin transports oxygen, anaemia often causes tiredness.
Possible Causes
Dietary deficiencies
Metabolic disorders
Hereditary conditions
Damaged bone marrow
White Blood Cells – are involved in functions controlled by the immune system, which is responsible for fighting infections.
A low white blood cell count indicates that the immune system is not functioning properly. If a white blood cell count is too high, it points to some type of infection.
Five Main Types
Basophils – release histamines, e. chemical molecules that typically cause the swelling, itching, sneezing, wheezing and watery eyes associated with various allergies. These reactions cause inflammation, which needs the help of the white blood cells. Thus the sneezing and watery eyes are physical responses to help flush the offending allergen from your mucous membranes.
Eosinophils – “eat” other cells.The technical term for the eating of a cell is phagocytosis, so eosinophils are said to phagocytize complexes formed between antigens (offenders) and antibodies (defenders).
Lymphocytes – scan the body to kill cells containing viruses. There are two types of lymphocytes: B cells and T cells.
Monocytes – are precursors to macrophages that digest bacteria and viruses.
Neutrophils – are the most abundant white blood cells in the body. These cells “eat” bacteria, thus keeping your system from being swamped with every germ with which it comes into contact.
Platelets – are pieces of cells that form blood clots. They keep you from excessive blood loss in case of injury and wound healing.
Plasma – When blood is put into a test tube and spun in a centrifuge, the blood cells and platelets gravitate to the bottom, while the plasma forms a clear layer on top. The action inside your blood vessels is much like a running river, with the blood cells and platelets floating in it like leaves. Plasma is the “stream” in bloodstream. It contains many important proteins, without which you would die.
Two Major Proteins
Gamma globulin (immunoglobulin) – is a class of proteins that makes up the different types of antibodies. The immune system controls the production of antibodies.
Fibrinogen – Fibrinogen is a protein involved in blood clotting.
SoundWaves Health Clinic has the capacity to run a full blood test without any discomfort and pain, without any needles. Blood can display many indicators/markers of various deficiencies and conditions, including hormones; allergies, tumours etc.