Body Systems Unified

When we think about the systems of the body, we think about the immune system, respiratory system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, etc, etc. (If you need a refresher, click here). We think about these systems working on their own. The cardiovascular system is in charge of making sure that blood runs through your veins and your heart keeps beating. The respiratory system delivers oxygen to your lungs. The nervous system is your brain and nerves (obvi). Your immune system is responsible for keeping you healthy and fighting infections. Each of these systems do their own work. It is almost an unconscious thought that if there is something wrong with one system, it is that system that needs to be fixed and wouldn't possibly interfere with another system being able to do it's work. If there is something wrong with your respiratory system, it has no affect on your cardiovascular. 

As soon as you start to think more about the systems, it makes sense that they all work together. Your respiratory system has a definite affect on the cardiovascular system. The cardiovascular system works with the respiratory system to deliver oxygen to all parts of your body. It was previously thought that the lymph just traveled through the lymphatic system and never touched the cardiovascular. It has been found that lymph does drain through the lymphatic ducts into the bloodstream. Your kidneys are part of both the endocrine system and the digestive system. And all of these systems use what is given to them by the digestive system which utilizes the nutrients that you get from your food. Think of these like different departments in a business. Let's say Human Resources, Accounting, Business Development, Marketing. Associates in each of these departments have their specific duties, but if Human Resources hires someone who is terrible at business development, then marketing has to work even harder and then they need more money that the accounting department then has to allocate. It's the same with your body. If one system isn't working properly, the others need to pick up the slack. 

Let's deep dive into autoimmune diseases. Under normal conditions, your immune system notices foreign substances (bacteria or viruses) and then sends white blood cells out to neutralize and keep you from getting sick. This is a process called phagocytosis. But, sometimes, your body will get confused and start to send white blood cells after your own cells. This can have some serious consequences. As an example, your immune system can attack a cell that is part of the integumentary system (your skin) and will show as a rash. This is an example of one system experiencing a malfunction and it shows as part of a different system. It's is actually really interesting that all of the systems work together like parts of a clock. You can't see all of the gears, but if one gets out of sync, it can really mess up everything. Your digestive system is really the best example. If you eat delicious whole foods, it goes through your digestive system, your muscular skeletal system absorbs the protein, calcium, and phosphorus, your nervous system utilizes minerals like magnesium and selenium, your cardiovascular system uses the iron to create beautiful red blood cells, and your immune system uses Vitamin C to keep you healthy.

Everything in your body is there to keep you alive and healthy. There are fail safes built in that if one system isn't working properly, the others can take up the slack until you are able to get what you need to repair it. But, it needs to be noted that when one system breaks down, you do need to work to get it back up and running. The other systems can't carry the weight forever. You and your body will be happiest when everything is running as smoothly as possible and the easiest way to do so is to provide your body with the correct fuel. Fresh, whole foods are best!