System Remedy

This Remedy includes support for the Uterus, Cervix and Vagina. The uterus lies in the pelvic cavity behind the bladder and in front of the bowel. It is about 3 1/2 inches long prior to conception and weighs just under 3 ounces. The uterus, also known as the womb, has a few main functions, the ability to make and grow a baby, and the menstrual cycle. Three layers make up the wall of the uterus. The outer wall is the serosa which contains fibers to support the organ. Next is the myometrium. Estrogen and progesterone regulate how this layer contracts during a woman's period to force the inner-most layer, the endometrium, to be expelled in a bloody discharge through the vagina.

Estrogen causes the growth or proliferation of the endometrium during the first 2 weeks of the menstrual cycle. After ovulation, the ovary produces progesterone. This hormone causes the endometrial glands to secrete nutritive substances required by the embryo and to allow it to implant into the endometrial lining. If fertilization and implantation do not occur, the progesterone falls and the endometrial lining is sloughed off - resulting in menstrual bleeding. If fertilization and implantation do occur, then the ovary continues producing progesterone and the endometrium remains intact to support embryo development and pregnancy. If an embryo is not implanted, a new endometrium layer forms and thickens so that if the woman conceives a child, it can receive the fertilized egg which must implant in the endometrium to survive.

Pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants successfully into the endometrial lining. The fertilized egg, called the "zygote," is nourished in the uterus and allowed to develop until birth. During pregnancy, the uterus stretches from three to four inches in length to a size which will accommodate a growing baby. During this time, muscular walls increase from two to three ounces to about two pounds and these powerful muscles release the baby through the birth canal with great force. The womb shrinks back to half its pregnant weight before a baby is a week old. By the time the baby is a month old, the uterus may be as small as when the egg first entered.

The uterus of a pregnant woman grows to contain more than just the developing baby, which is called the fetus. It also holds the amniotic fluid, in which the baby swims and is cushioned, as well as the umbilical cord through which the baby receives nutrition and excretes waste products. The umbilical cord connects the baby to the mother through the placenta, which is attached to the wall of the uterus.

The cervix is the lower third portion of the uterus which forms the neck of the uterus and opens into the vagina which is also called the endocervical canal. The narrow opening of the cervix is called the os. The cervical os allows menstrual blood to flow out from the vagina during menstruation. During pregnancy the cervical os closes to help keep the fetus in the uterus until birth. Another important function of the cervix occurs during labor when the cervix dilates, or widens, up to 10 cm to allow the passage of the fetus from the uterus to the vagina.

Fun Facts

• During pregnancy a uterus can expand by about 500 times.
• Sadly, over 600,000 hysterectomies each year are performed in the United States, making it the second most common surgical procedure for women.

Health Conditions

• Pre Menstrual Syndrom is a hormone imbalance characterized by irritability, tension and unhappiness.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of a woman's pelvic organs including the uterus (womb), Fallopian tubes (tubes), ovaries, and cervix. It is generally caused by Gonorrhea or Chlamydia.
• Endometriosis occurs when cells from the lining of the uterus grow in other areas of the body.
• Fibroids are non-cancerous growths in the uterus.
• Prolapse of the uterus occurs when weakened supporting structures allow the uterus to tilt and slip downward into the vagina.
• Irregular Cells are often an issue and it is usually caused by one of the herpes or papilloma (wart) viruses. We have detox remedies for both of those.
• The Uterus is also susceptible to all the various STD's.

Suggestions To Strengthen

• Yoga, especially inverted poses like downward dog, and partial or full headstands help the uterus go back into the proper position allowing for good circulation.
• Eating healthy fats (avocado, raw nuts, primrose oil, etc).
• Castor Oil packs (external use) to relieve pain and detox uterine diseases.
• The emotion of the uterus is love, more specifically the interaction of love. This is not sexual per se, but how fulfilled a person perceives their life to be in terms of giving and receiving love.

Natural Contraception Options -click here-

Epithelium is not a system, but it is important enough to have its own remedy because of how vital it is to the body and how many health issues relate directly to problems with Epithelial tissue. Where is it located? It covers the whole surface of the body!

What Does It Do?

• This tissue is specialized to form the covering or lining of all internal and external body surfaces.
• Epithelial cells from the skin protect underlying tissue from mechanical injury, harmful chemicals, invading bacteria and excessive loss of water.
• Specialized epithelial tissue containing sensory nerve endings is found in the skin, eyes, ears, nose and on the tongue.
• In glands, epithelial tissue is specialized to secrete specific chemical substances such as enzymes, hormones and lubricating fluids.
• Certain epithelial cells lining the small intestine absorb nutrients as food is digested.
• Epithelial tissues in the kidneys excrete waste products from the body and reabsorb needed materials from the urine.
• Sweat is excreted from the body by epithelial cells in the sweat glands.
• Simple epithelium promotes the diffusion of gases, liquids and nutrients. Because they form such a thin lining, they are ideal for the diffusion of gases (eg. walls of capillaries and lungs).
• It assists in removing dust particles and foreign bodies which have entered the air passages.
• The smooth, tightly-interlocking, epithelial cells that line the entire circulatory system reduce friction between the blood and the walls of the blood vessels.

Health Conditions

Skin diseases are the most obvious type of epithelial tissue disorders. The lining of all hollow organs are also made of this tissue. Common epithelial diseases and disorders include:

• Acne
• Atopic eczema
• Atopic dermatitis
• Contact dermatitis
• Impetigo
• Psoriasis
• Sunburn
• Sweating disorders
• Yeast infections of the mucous membranes

Suggestions To Strengthen

• Do not smoke tobacco.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Do not over expose skin to the sun.
• Only use organic products on your skin.
• Regular exercise keeps circulation to skin healthy.
• Health conditions involving the skin or any Epithelial tissue generally indicate a deeper issue in the intestine. Consider support for the Small, but more likely the Large Intestine.
• Make sure bowels are regular (once per meal) or consider some Bowel Stimulant.

 

The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth. The tongue is covered with moist tissue called mucosa. It is vital for chewing (manipulating food for mastication) and swallowing food, as well as for speech, more specifically phonetic articulation. The tongue also serves as a natural means of cleaning one's teeth. It is the primary organ of taste (gustation), as most of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels. The ability to perceive different tastes is not localized in different parts of the tongue, as is widely believed. The tongue/taste map that shows sweet at the tip, bitter on the back of the tongue etc, is an error that arose because of misinterpretation of some 19th century research. In reality, the tongue is composed of many taste buds, and each taste bud is composed of taste cells that can sense different tastes. There are taste cells for: sweet, bitter, salty, sour, and umami. The color, texture, shape and other features of the tongue can tell you much about the health of the body. Various regions of the tongue can even help determine things about different organs, so it has been used for diagnostic purposes in many cultures. Click here for more information. Fun Facts The tongue is the strongest muscle in proportion to its size in the human body. Close to fifty percent of the bacteria in the mouth lives on the surface of our tongue. 85% of the population can curl their tongue into a tube. Health Conditions Thrush (candidiasis), or candida albicans, is a yeast that grows over the surface of the mouth and tongue. Macroglossia (big tongue) can be caused by thyroid disease, lymphangiomas, and congenital abnormalities. Geographic tongue is when ridges and colored spots migrate over the surface of the tongue, periodically changing its appearance. Burning mouth/burning tongue syndrome occurs when the tongue feels burned or scalded, or strange tastes or sensations develop. Atrophic glossitis (bald tongue) is when the tongue loses its bumpy texture, becoming smooth. Canker sores (aphthous ulcers) are small, painful ulcers that appear periodically on the tongue or mouth. Oral leukoplakia are when white patches appear on the tongue that can't be scraped off. Hairy tongue is papillae that can grow over the surface of the tongue. Herpes stomatitis uncommonly causes cold sores on the tongue. Herpes virus cold sores are usually on the lip. Suggestions To Strengthen A film on your tongue is not caused from lack of brushing the tongue or from lack of hygiene but generally a condition of the digestive system. Clean the digestive system, for if the organs are healthy, the tongue will be clean and healthy. In the mean time, tongue brushing (lightly) and an alkaline pH in the mouth will greatly help the health of the tongue.

Your thyroid gland is a small gland, normally weighing less than one ounce, yet it has influence on every cell of your body. Some consider it to be the most important gland in the modern world because 98% of the tested population have some undiagnosed trouble with it. It is located in the front of the neck and is made up of two halves, called lobes, which lay along the windpipe (trachea) and are joined together by a narrow band of thyroid tissue known as the isthmus. You will find the thyroid just below your "Adams apple".

During development (inside the womb) the thyroid gland originates in the back of the tongue, but it normally migrates to the front of the neck before birth. Sometimes it fails to migrate properly and is located high in the neck or even in the back of the tongue (lingual thyroid). However, this is very rare. At other times it may migrate too far and ends up in the chest (this is also rare).

The thyroid gland is under the control of the pituitary gland. You can visualize the thyroid gland as a furnace and the pituitary gland as the thermostat. Thyroid hormones are like heat. When the heat gets back to the thermostat, it turns the thermostat off. As the room cools (the thyroid hormone levels drop), the thermostat turns back on (TSH increases) and the furnace produces more heat (thyroid hormones).

The function of the thyroid gland is to take the mineral iodine and convert it into two thyroid hormones called thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). A deficiency of iodine leads to decreased production of T3 and T4, enlarges the thyroid tissue and will cause the disease known as goitre. The major form of thyroid hormone in the blood is thyroxine (T4), which has a longer half-life than T3. The ratio of T4 to T3 released into the blood is roughly 20 to 1. T4 is converted to the active T3 (three to four times more potent than T4) within cells by the enzyme deiodinases (5'-iodinase).

The thyronines act on nearly every cell in the body. They act to increase the basal metabolic rate, affect protein synthesis, help regulate long bone growth (synergy with growth hormone) and neuronal maturation, and increase the body's sensitivity to catecholamines (such as adrenaline) by permissiveness. The thyroid hormones are essential to proper development and differentiation of all cells in the human body. These hormones also regulate protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism, affecting how human cells use energetic compounds. They also stimulate vitamin metabolism. Numerous physiological and pathological stimuli influence thyroid hormone synthesis.

Fun Facts

• The thyroid makes about a teaspoon full of thyroid hormone in an entire year.
• Every cell in the body depends upon thyroid hormones for regulation of their metabolism, even enzymes are regulated by thyroid hormones.
• Muhammed Ali lost a championship fight after being mistreated for thyroid disease.
• 98% of people tested in the US are deficient in the mineral iodine.
• All the blood in the body passes through the thyroid gland every 17 minutes.

Health Conditions

• Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid becomes overactive and releases too much T3 and T4 into the blood. Another name for it is thyrotoxicosis.
• Graves' disease, a form of thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid, is when a person suffers some or all the symptoms of hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism can happen when the thyroid is not doing its job producing enough T3 and T4. Or it can be the result of the pituitary or hypothalamus failing to secrete enough hormone to keep the 'hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid-axis' working adequately.
• Hashimoto's disease occurs when the thyroid itself fails.

Suggestions To Strengthen

• If you have nerve issues, you lack energy, you do not heal well from injuries, or have low immune function (get sick too often), you are probably iodine deficient. A home remedy test is to apply some drops of Lugol's iodine to your skin (generally enough to cover 3 square inches). It will leave a stain. If the stain is gone in less than 24 hours, you probably need iodine to help your thyroid. The faster the stain fades, the more deficient you are.
• Engage in more physical activity to keep your mind/body balanced and to keep your mind from being so "busy".
• Learn to release pent up emotions with Tai Chi, Chi Gong, etc.
• Use uplifting mantras that help with feeling of self pity (poor me, why me) you may have.
• Find the job, career or vocation that makes your heart happy. The thyroid weak person needs to have a purpose.
• Be close to someone who thinks you are important and makes you feel that way.

The thymus is a lymphatic organ located behind the sternum. The main responsibility of the thymus is to mature lymphocytes by releasing a hormone called thymosin (stimulates maturation of lymphocytes). About one half of the lymphocytes that are created in the bone marrow are sent to the thymus to mature and be released as T lymphocytes (T cells) to provide immunity. Seventy to eighty percent of the T cells found in the circulation originate from the thymus. They are most abundant in the lymph nodes, thoracic duct and the white pulp of the spleen. They are responsible for interacting with antigen bearing agents (bad guys) with cell-to-cell contact (cell-mediate immunity).

The thymus is largest and most active during the neonatal and pre-adolescent periods. By the early teens, the thymus begins to atrophy and thymic stroma is replaced by adipose (fat) tissue. Nevertheless, residual T lymphopoiesis continues throughout adult life. The thymus is said to shrink as people get older and eventually atrophy into an unusable organ. Medicine often teaches that you don't need it after puberty, which is around the time it begins to atrophy. But what happens if you break your arm and leave it in a cast for some time? If you don't use it, you lose it. It begins to atrophy. Atrophy is a sign of degeneration in the lymphatic system and immune system. The thymus should stay active your entire life and never atrophy.

My findings indicate that the thymus shrinks because the body is mistreated on a physical, bur more importantly, on an emotional level. The mistreatment is not by others, it is by ourselves. The emotion for the thymus is self esteem and there is precious little of that in the modern world where priorities have become looks, money and prestige. If that isn't a priority people find themselves running ragged from this activity or that, taking the children from one thing to the other. At the end of the day, how much time has been reflected on self, personal awareness of just YOU? Get back in touch with your own soul and emotions and give that poor withering Thymus some hope!

Fun Facts

• Thy thymus trains your T-cells so it is basically a training hub for your immune system.
• It is relatively large in the newborn infant (about the size of the baby's fist), and continues to grow throughout childhood up to the age of puberty where it weighs about 1.2 oz (35 grams). Then it gradually decreases in size until it blends in with the surrounding tissue.

Health Conditions

• Severe combined immunodeficiency syndromes (SCID) are groups of rare congenital genetic diseases that result in combined T lymphocyte and B lymphocyte deficencies. These syndromes are cause by defective hematopoietic progenitor cells which are the precursors of both B- and T-cells. Bone marrow (and subsequently the kidney) is responsible for this more than the thymus.)
• HIV virus causes an acquired T-cell immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) by specifically killing CD4+ T-cells. Whereas the major effect of the virus is on mature peripheral T-cells, HIV can also infect developing thymocytes in the thymus, most of which express CD4.
• Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease caused by antibodies that block acetylcholine receptors. Myasthenia gravis is often associated with thymic hypertrophy.
• Tumors originating from the thymic epithelial cells are called thymomas (not necessarily malignant), and are found in about 10-15% of patients with myasthenia gravis. Symptoms are sometimes confused with bronchitis or a strong cough because the tumor presses on the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
• Tumors originating from the thymocytes are called thymic lymphomas. Lymphomas or leukemias of thymocyte origin are classified as Precursor T acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL).
• Thymectomy is the surgical removal of the thymus. The most common reason for thymectomy in the United States is to gain surgical access to the heart in surgeries to correct congenital heart defects that are performed in the neonatal period. In neonates, but not older children or adults, the relative size of the thymus obstructs surgical access to the heart.
• DiGeorge Syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the deletion of a small section of chromosome 22. This results in a midline congenital defect including thymic aplasia, or congenital deficiency of a thymus. Patients may present with a profound immunodeficiency disease, due to the lack of T cells.

Suggestions To Strengthen

• Be happy, love and accept yourself as the immune system responds positively to happiness. Find happiness not in vanity or possessions but in the basics, like life and nature.
• The Thymus is also related to self esteem; self love. This is not in a vain, arrogant way, just being confident in your worth as a person, in the fact that the Creator loves you just the way you are.
• Place all the finger tips of one hand together into a little group and use the finger tips to tap in a clockwise circle over the thymus area.
• The sage-doctors of antiquity said that the vowel "A," when it is pronounced wisely (so that it makes the Ahhhh sound such as would be pronounced saying the word MAMA with the emphasis on the A), has the power to make the thymus gland vibrate, which makes it healthier, stronger and more vibrant. When this gland is active, the organism does not age.

Your throat is a tube that carries food to your esophagus and air to your windpipe and larynx. The technical name for throat is pharynx, which is Greek for 'throat'. As you move further down the throat, the pharynx turns into the larynx. It houses the vocal cords and is crucial to speech and breathing. The larynx also serves as a passageway to both the trachea (windpipe to the lung) and the esophagus (canal to the stomach).

Sore throats are one of the most common health complaints and are one of the main reasons people go see a health care provider. A sore throat is known medically as pharyngitis. It is most often caused by a viral infection such as a cold or the flu (influenza). Symptoms of sore throat affecting the body include fever, headache, nausea, body aches, and malaise. These may be present with either a viral or bacterial infection. Cold viruses tend to cause more coughing, sneezing and runny nose than strep throat. Symptoms specific to the throat include pain with swallowing for pharyngitis and a hoarse voice when laryngitis is present. Sore throats are usually named for the anatomical site affected.

Fun Facts

• Your throat branches in two at the bottom. One branch, the esophagus, takes food to the stomach. The other, the larynx, takes air to the lungs.
• The epiglottis is the flap that tilts down to the larynx to stop food entering it when you swallow.
• The tonsils and the adenoids are bunches of lymph nodes (see lymphatic system) that swell to help fight ear, nose and throat infections, especially in young children.
• The throat is made of the exact same tissue as a vagina.

Health Conditions

• Pharyngitis is pain and inflammation of the pharynx.
• Tonsillitis typically involves inflammation of the tonsils (tonsils are located on either side of the base of the tongue).
• Laryngitis is pain and inflammation of the larynx (often associated with a hoarse voice). Croup is a form of laryngitis in children (it tends to be associated with a seal bark cough and difficulty inhaling air).
• Epiglottitis is a rare type of sore throat because of inflammation of the epiglottis.
• Allergies can cause symptoms in the throat area.
• Strep throat is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria. Symptoms may include severe sore throat, fever, headache, and swollen glands. If not treated, strep infections can lead to scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, skin, bloodstream, ear infections, and pneumonia.
• Gastric reflux - the upward movement of stomach acids into the esophagus can cause some burning and discomfort in the throat.

Suggestions To Strengthen

• Avoid smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoke, whether primary or secondary, contains hundreds of toxic chemicals that irritate the throat lining.
• If you have seasonal allergies or ongoing allergic reactions to dust, molds, or pet dander, you're more likely to develop a sore throat than people who don't have allergies, so get your allergies remedied.
• Avoid exposure to chemical irritants. Particulate matter in the air from the burning of fossil fuels, as well as common household chemicals, can cause throat irritation.
• If you experience chronic or frequent sinus infections you are more likely to experience a sore throat, since drainage from nose or sinus infections can cause throat infections as well.
• If you live or work in close quarters such as a child care center, classroom, office, prison, or military installation, you are at greater risk because viral and bacterial infections spread easily in environments where people are in close proximity.
• Maintain good hygiene. Do not share napkins, towels, and utensils with an infected person. Wash your hands regularly with soap.

We all love a beautiful smile filled with pearly whites. But beyond the attractive feature, and assuming you never have to use them for self defense purposes, teeth are known for one main function, and that is to break up food in the process of chewing. Chewing, also called mastication, is considered mechanical digestion.

The teeth are classified into two parts, the crown (the part you see above the gums) and the root (the part you don't see below the gum line). The crown is made of hard enamel on the surface. Enamel is made up primarily of calcium salts and is the hardest substance in the body. The bulk of the tooth is composed of dentin. Dentin is a substance below the enamel. It is like bone, but harder. Dentin surrounds and protects the pulp cavity which contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue (pulp). The root canals are vessels that carry blood to the pulp cavity.

The neck of the tooth is where the crown and the root meet. This area is covered by the gingiva (gums). Teeth are most commonly lost because of unhealthy gingiva or infection in the pulp (endodontitis). The root is enclosed by a thin layer of bonelike material called cementum, which is surrounded by the periodontal ligament. This is what lines the alveolar process or the bone socket in the jaw. The ligament is made of thick collagen fibers which firmly attach the tooth in the socket.

NOTE: Teeth reveal two very important things inside your body. The first is the overall health of the bones; think of teeth as the visible portion of your bones. As a rule of thumb, if you have good hard teeth that are strong and healthy, your bones are healthy. If you start to have problems like weakness, sensitivity, cracking, etc, you may need to support your bones with a Vitamin D3 supplement. In addition, each tooth represents the overall health of a corresponding organ, gland or group of functions. Issues with your teeth mean you have not cared for your body well and the particular tooth that now aches or is infected or cracked tells you something about its corresponding organ. I have treated many cases where by balancing the part of the body referred by that tooth, the tooth issues disappear. The full chart of what each tooth reveals can be found in Book 03.

Fun Facts

• If you build plaque on your teeth quickly, consider some oral chelation (not EDTA) because it may mean you are building plaque in your arteries.
• When a tooth is pulled, most dentists do not remove the ligament (apex tip) and this is where the majority of the bacteria live. If the area is not cleaned properly during extraction, infection will continue to seep into the body for decades even if the tooth has been removed.
• The number one cause of crooked teeth is consumption of refined sugar, which causes mineral imbalance, according to the research of Dr. Bernard Jensen.

Health Conditions

• Dental cavities (tooth decay), are caused by deficiency of minerals, imbalance of bacteria in the mouth, and consumption of refined or simple carbohydrates, not lack of brushing. However, I am not discouraging the brushing of your teeth in any way. But if you want to avoid cavities, place more effort into healthy intestinal flora, avoid simple carbs, keep saliva pH around 7 and keep your mineral levels balanced. Cod liver oil contains nutrients that reduce cavities by 40%. Click here for more details.
• One of the absolute best things to brush the teeth with is soap, not toothpaste, because it leaves the mouth alkaline and the bacteria that cause cavities do not grow in an alkaline mouth. The second best option to brush with would be baking soda. DO NOT use toothpaste with fluoride of any kind in it, ever!
• Gingivitis (swelling or reddening of the gums) is a sign that the body is too acidic. You may take your first morning saliva pH to confirm this. To prevent and correct gingival issues, begin an alkaline diet and monitor your pH levels. In addition to working on alkalinity, reports have shown that the gums can be reconnected to the teeth by taking a Vitamin C and Baking Soda solution. Mix one-half teaspoon of ascorbic acid Vitamin C with one-half teaspoon of Arm and Hammer baking soda (aluminum free) in a cup with one inch of water. Let it fizz and then fill the rest of the cup with water and drink that each day. The resulting sodium ascorbate is non-acid, very pure and a thousand times more soluble than vitamin C. Sodium ascorbate is more active than ascorbic acid (C) in building connective tissue and antibody structures and more effective in killing some viruses and bacteria. Receding gums and plaque are ended when soap is used for brushing and vitamin C is taken daily.
• Periodontal disease, follow the same principles outlined for Gingivitis, but you may also want to begin rubbing liquid cayenne pepper mixed with liquid black walnut into the gums. This will act as a disinfectant to loose tissue and bring extra circulation to begin tightening and healing the gum tissues.
• WARNING! Never, ever get a root canal. They are absolute breeding grounds for infection. Have any tooth that requires a root canal pulled to avoid complicated health issues down the road. Please refer to the book Root Canal Cover-Up, by George E. Meinig if you require more information.

Suggestions To Strengthen

They have been listed under Health Conditions above.

DENTAL CARE: Obviously, filling teeth with amalgum fillings puts mercury poison in the body. So that is never a consideration. When looking at alternative dental care, the mouth is very important and should not be neglected. Letting plaque and cavities go unchecked cause a much higher health risk. Biomimetic dentistry offers excellent alternatives to large fillings and crowns, such as inlays, onlays and crowns made by CEREC® material. These are permanent restorations that do not need to be replaced with time like regular resin fillings and metal or porcelain crowns. Ozone can be used in combination with air abrasion. Ozone kills bacteria and safely changes the chemistry of the tooth and allows it to remineralize. Try to find a dentist with these techniques for the best dental care. More info here >>

After food has been chewed very well and thoroughly mixed with saliva, food is swallowed. It first passes into the pharynx, then down the esophagus, penetrating the diaphragm muscle through the esophageal hiatal, then past the lower esophageal sphincter (cardiac sphincter) into the stomach.

The stomach is a J-shaped, pouch-like organ, about 25-30 centimeters long, which hangs under the diaphragm in the upper left portion of the abdominal cavity. It has a capacity of about one liter or more, and its inner lining is marked by thick folds (rugae) of the mucosal and submucosal layers that tend to disappear when its wall is distended (full of food).

When swallowed food reaches the stomach, it is acted upon by gastric juices. Gastric juices are secreted by gastric glands in the stomach wall. These glands contain three main types of secretory cells; mucous cells (goblet cells which secrete thin mucous), chief cells (peptic cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen) and parietal cells (oxyntic cells which secrete intrinsic factor and somatostatin). The products of these three cells combine to create gastric juices. Essentially, the stomach receives food from the esophagus, mixes it with gastric juice, initiates the digestion of proteins, carries on a limited amount of absorption and moves food into the small intestine.

Fun Facts

• It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.
• Your stomach produces a new layer of mucus every two weeks so that it doesn't digest itself.
• Eating less won't shrink your stomach, but it can help to reset your "appetite thermostat" so you won't feel as hungry.
• People who are naturally thin can have the same size or even larger stomachs than people who battle with weight.
• Most acid reflux is not excess acid at all, but rather too little acid. The symptoms of too much acid and not enough acid are identical.

Health Conditions

• Gastritis is a term used to describe any condition where the acid balance in the stomach is disrupted causing inflammation of stomach lining. Symptoms include: indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or heartburn.
• Reflux, (also known as heartburn, indigestion, GERD and other names) causes symptoms associated with excess stomach acid (hyperchlorhydria). In most cases (95%) the cause is too little stomach acid (hypochlorhydria or achlorhydria) and is corrected by use of oral apple cider vinegar.
• Gastroparesis is when stomach motility disappears and food remains in the stomach. Diabetes is the most common cause, but blockage (generally a tumor) or stroke can cause it as well.
• Crohn's Disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. Its main symptoms are inflammatory ulcers that can affect the total thickness of the stomach wall and can bleed, but rarely perforate.
• Hiatal hernia is a condition where the stomach can protrude up into the diaphragm muscle.

Suggestions To Strengthen

• Alcohol and Tobacco, smoked or chewed, impedes proper development of the stomach lining.
• Eat more raw foods and less cooked foods (118 degrees kills the enzyme action). If raw does not settle well in your stomach, steam your vegetables for three to five minutes first. If a person has lots of longitude ridges on the fingernails, chances are they cannot absorb and digest nutrients, so steaming the vegetables is better than eating raw vegetables. This is because steamed vegetables are much easier to digest.
• Avoid caffeine and other stimulants.
• Make sure the bowels are evacuating well; meaning one bowel movement per meal eaten.
• The stomach-weak person should highly consider food combining.
• A stomach weak person often has a disgusted look on their face. Think of how hard it is to smile if your stomach hurts, right? Vice versa, if you let life get you down, allow yourself to feel disgust, it will harm your stomach.

The spleen is the soft, purplish-red organ tucked just under the rib cage on the left side of the abdomen. It is about the size of the heart and is made up of a spongy material that can hold up to three gallons of blood. Of all the abdominal organs, the spleen is the one most easily and frequently injured. We usually do not hear much about the spleen unless we know of someone who was in a car accident or fell causing the spleen to rupture. Because this organ is soft and mushy, it usually cannot be repaired surgically and it is removed to stop the blood loss.

One function of the spleen is to serve as a reservoir for blood in case of emergencies. If one were to experience a sudden blood loss, the spleen is signaled to contract, forcing replacement blood into circulation.

A second important function of the spleen is to filter worn-out red and white blood cells, and platelets from the blood. In the process of destroying these cells, the spleen breaks them down, returns needed iron to the blood and disposes the rest as waste. In a disease such as infectious mononucleosis, the spleen becomes overactive and traps a higher number of white blood cells than usual. During this process, the spleen becomes swollen and enlarges. The liver also assists in removing this debris if the spleen gets backed up.

A third job of the spleen is to store platelets (the part of the blood that helps us clot our blood) and a large percentage of the body's platelets are normally found there, ready to be sent where needed.

Of all the roles the spleen is in charge of, the most important role is to bring blood into contact with the spleen's lymphocytes. When the blood contains any foreign invader, such as a virus, bacteria or parasite, the spleen's T-cell lymphocytes become activated. This contact causes the lymphocytes to attack the foreign invaders or produce antibodies directed against them. The importance of the spleen in guarding against germs in the bloodstream is so great that children who lose their spleen by surgery after severe internal abdominal injury or whose spleen is destroyed by the effects of sickle cell disease are at increased risk for certain dangerous bacterial infections. The spleen is a large, important part of the immune system.

Finally, the spleen manufactures red blood cells for the fetus during the last months of pregnancy. Once born, that function is taken over by the bone marrow. However, in cases of a bone marrow breakdown, the spleen can revert back to its fetal function.

Fun Facts

• When the spleen is removed, the body is equipped to take over the functions of the spleen with the liver and lymphatic system (the body always has a backup system).
• A FEVER IS A GOOD THING. A fever is another defense mechanism, not the enemy. Don't stop the fever unless it gets real high, like over 104. Fever counteracts microbial growth indirectly because higher body temperatures reduce levels of iron in the blood and iron is required to keep microbes alive in higher temperatures. Besides, phagocytic cells attack more vigorously when the temperature rises. So don't stop the fever!

Health Conditions

• Many diseases affect the spleen, including bacterial, parasite and viral infections, tuberculosis, malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, liver disease, and certain fungal infections. In addition, a number of blood diseases affect the spleen, including hereditary spherocytosis (a condition in which the red blood cells are relatively delicate and are damaged or destroyed when they pass through the spleen) and chronic immune or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) (a disorder that results in destruction of platelets, which are blood cells involved in clotting.)
• Splenomegaly which is an enlarged spleen.
• Certain disorders, including glandular fever, can occasionally make the enlarged spleen delicate enough to spontaneously rupture.

Suggestions To Strengthen

• Care for the spleen as you would the immune system. The more unhealthy you become, the harder the spleen has to work and it will not be able to keep the invading germs at bay.
• Stop smoking. Nicotine is known to reduce specialized enzymes that the spleen needs to do its job.
• Yoga has been known to bring balance to the spleen, even normalizing enlarged spleens.
• Focus on overcoming feelings of Jealousy.

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nerve tissue and support cells that extends from the brain (the medulla oblongata specifically). It begins at the occipital bone and extends down through the protective spinal column to the space between the first and second lumbar vertebrae. It does not extend the entire length of the vertebral column. The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system (CNS).

The spinal cord functions primarily in the transmission of neural signals between the brain and the rest of the body. The anatomy of the spinal cord itself consists of millions of nerve fibers which transmit electrical information to and from the limbs, trunk and organs of the body, away from and back to the brain. The nerves within the spinal cord are grouped together in different bundles called Ascending and Descending tracts. Ascending tracts within the spinal cord carry information from the body up to the brain, such as touch, skin temperature, pain and joint position. Descending tracts within the spinal cord carry information from the brain downwards to initiate movement and control body functions.

The spinal cord is surrounded by the Cerebral Spinal Fluid. The fluid acts as a cushion to protect the delicate nerve tissues against damage from hitting against the inside of the vertebrae. All of this is safely protected inside the spinal column in bony segments called vertebrae. The human spinal column is made up of 33 bones: 7 vertebrae in the cervical region, 12 in the thoracic region, 5 in the lumbar region, 5 in the sacral region and 4 in the coccygeal region. In adults the bones in the sacral region join to form one bone called the sacrum; the bones in the coccygeal region join to form one bone called the coccyx. Some believe, and I tend to agree, that if a proper lifestyle of exercise, diet and flexibility were maintained from childhood, most of these bones would not fuse and the body would remain much more limber and less prone to injury.

NOTE: Spinal disorders are the single greatest cause of disability in the working population. They are the second most frequent reason for a doctor visit and the third most common reason for surgery. People who have back pain and do not specifically retrain their deep back muscles are 22 times more likely to have a reoccurrence of back pain in the following three years.

The vertebral disc in the spine is an interesting and unique structure. Its primary purpose is to act as a shock absorber between adjacent vertebrae. Spinal discs also act as ligaments that hold the vertebrae of the spine together and as cartilaginous joints that allow for slight mobility in the spine. There are a total of twenty-three vertebral discs in the spinal column. Specific problems with any of these discs may prompt different symptoms, including back pain, neck pain and sciatica. Spinal Disc Construction: Discs are actually composed of two parts: a tough outer portion and a soft inner core, and the configuration is like that of a jelly doughnut. The outer portion of the disc (annulus fibrosus) is the tough circular exterior composed of concentric sheets of collagen fibers (lamellae) that surround the inner core. The inner core (nucleus pulposus) contains a loose network of fibers suspended in a mucoprotein gel.

There are 23 discs in the human spine: 6 in the neck (cervical region), 12 in the middle back (thoracic region), and 5 in the lower back (lumbar region). With exception to injuries, the primary reason people get spinal disc issues are due to dehydration and the body running low in enzymes.

Fun Facts

• The spinal cord is around 45 cm (18 in) in men and around 43 cm (17 in) long in women.
• There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves.
• The spine contains over 120 individual muscles, 220 specialized ligaments and over 100 joints.
• Cartilage makes up 25 percent of the spine's length.
• Cerebral spinal fluid turns over (new volume is made) 3.7 times a day!
• Cartilage disks expand in the absence of gravity -- The Skylab astronauts grew 1.5-2.5 inches due to spinal lengthening as a result of zero gravity. Gravity also causes these disks to compress over time. People shrink between a quarter of an inch and five inches every decade after 40. You are taller in the morning than at night due to temporary, daily compression of these disks.
• Over 250,000 Americans have a spinal cord injury with 82 percent being males. Spinal cord injuries are mostly commonly caused by: Motor vehicle accidents (48%), Falls (21%), Violence (15%), Sport-related injuries (14% - two thirds of these are from diving).

Health Conditions

• Misalignment of the vertebrae (subluxation) can cause nerve impingement. Many use Chiropractic to help this condition (I am not particularly in agreement with traditional Chiropractic manipulation techniques).
• Spinal cord injuries can change the amount of nerve transmission and affect strength, sensations, etc. In more severe injuries, nerves are unable to transmit any information and an area will become paralyzed (lose all function).
• Most of the health conditions, once injuries are ruled out, are from various viral and bacteria that can enter the spinal column and affect the smaller nerve bundles causing meningitis.

Suggestions To Strengthen

• Stay well hydrated.
• Make sure you are eating good salt, like Celtic sea salt. Sodium (like regular table salt) is bad for you, salt is an essential mineral.
• Avoid jobs and hobbies that could lead to injury.
• Get out of your chair and move! Keep the muscles healthy and cartilage flexible with regular movement.
• Practice the correct way to lift objects. Lifting the incorrect way can make you susceptible to spinal disc problems. Place pressure on your legs and avoid lifting by using your back muscles.
• Maintain good posture. Poor posture makes a person more susceptible to degenerative disc disease. Sit with your shoulders back and your spine straight.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Overweight and obese individuals are more at risk for developing spinal disc problems because of the added stress on the back.