HORMONES FOR THE LAYPERSON





 

                       Hormones in our daily lives

We eat and drink every day, we talk about being healthy, but few think
about the role hormones play in our daily lives.

The Endocrine System is made up of glands that secrete hormones. They are
necessary for regulating normal body functions.  Without hormones, our
bodies would function poorly.

 We will try to discuss the most important ones, as there are many.

An overview of hormones   

The Thyroid gland is described as the largest of the endocrine
glands.  It is controlled by the pituitary gland and secretes two
important hormones ,T3 and T4. Iodine is taken from the foods 
we eat and used to produce its hormones.
 
The pituitary gland is also part of the endocrine system. It is
located at the base of the skull. The pituitary gland is described
as pea - shaped and small. It is also known as "the master gland "
of the body.  
   

Insulin is a hormone which is secreted by special cells in the
pancreas, called the Islets of Langerhans. Insulin controls blood glucose.

The adrenal glands are small endocrine glands and are situated one on top
of each kidney. The hormone adrenaline ( epinephrine) is secreted by the 
adrenals. This hormone is commonly known as the  gland of " fight, flight
and fright".

Estrogen and Progesterone are two hormones produced by the ovaries initially,
then the placenta in the latter part of pregnancy. They are first produced by the 
ovaries and later the placenta. Estrogen and Progesterone also keep the placenta
healthy and help with lactation.













Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

UNDERSTANDING HEART ATTACK FOR THE LAYPERSON

Image
The image above shows someone who is getting ready for work and suddenly starts to have chest pain. He manages to call 911 for help and is transported to   the Emergency Room by trained personnel like paramedics. Oxygen, IV site,      Nitroglycerin ( under the tongue) and ASA would include some of the  interventions. In the Emergency Room a doctor would examine the patient  and an EKG, blood work and more, would be ordered. Understanding heart attack                                                          The term heart attack is commonly used by both medical and laypersons. There is a lot more to this term than is told. A heart attack in medical terms is known as a myocardial infarction.                                  Understanding heart function The heart is a pump which pumps blood all around the body. The heart pumps blood via arteries and veins. If there is any obstruction to blood flow, like a clot forming in a blood vessel that supplies the heart with blood, a myocardial infa
Read more

THE ANDES MOUNTAINS OF SOUTH AMERICA

Image
                                                                   Andes Mountains Where are the Andes Mountains located? The Andes Mountains are located along the western coast of South America. Described as the longest range of mountains  in the world and stretch for about 4,500 miles from north to south.  The Andes mountains extend over seven countries in South America. They originate as far north as Venezuela, then continue  through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.  Life in the Andes mountains There are over eighty million people living in the Andes mountains.  Scattered throughout the Andes are cities of different sizes.         This wonderful range of mountains has  many lakes and rivers.   The  Amazon river extends from  the Andes mountains to the   coast of Brazil.There are many other rivers like Pilcomayo Maule and Cauca.                                                                   The indigenous people of the Andes There are different groups of peo
Read more

A TRAUMA SCENE AND WHAT IT MEANS

Image
Imagine, you just went to the mall with a friend and had a wonderful time .    You are making your way to your car and this scene is in front of you. What could possibly have gone wrong? Let us explain a trauma scene. When an accident happens, such as above, specific actions are  taken to care for the injured and take them to a place of safety.   Typically, 911 is called and skilled staff arrive on scene to treat  and transfer the injured to the Emergency Room. This would be called a trauma scene.  
Read more