Maintaining Homeostasis

 Your body is always responding to changes that occur in the environment around you.  Homeostasis: the ability of your body to maintain an internal balance  What are some body functions that homeostasis controls?

 Enzyme Levels: Control the release of energy from food molecules in the mitochondria  Waste Product Levels: Eliminating carbon dioxide through breathing and getting rid of toxic materials through the kidneys  Blood Sugar Level: After eating a meal, our body releases insulin. Insulin returns glucose levels to its optimal level.

 Concentration of Substances in Blood: Organs and systems have a role to play in distributing and disposing various materials.  Heart Rate: During times of stress your heart rate increase to deliver more blood to cells  Water Balance: Special hormones balance water and mineral levels in the body % of our bodies are made up of water.

 Diet, exercise levels and lifestyle can deeply interfere with homeostasis. ◦ Poor diet, low exercise levels, and bad lifestyle choices make it difficult for your body to perform effectively and efficiently  Genetics can also have a large impact on homeostasis

 Diabetes (Lifestyle and Genetics) ◦ People with diabetes have abnormally large amounts of sugar in the blood and urine. ◦ Type 1 Diabetes – people cannot produce insulin ◦ Type 2 Diabetes – people can produce insulin, but the body does not use it properly  Ulcers (Genetics) ◦ Consist of holes or breaks in the lining of the esophagus or stomach. ◦ This causes people to feel a burning or aching sensation in the lower chest region

 Heart Attack (Lifestyle and Genetics) ◦ Blood flow to the arteries is restricted. The heart fails to pump steadily. As a result, heart tissues begin to die.  Anorexia and Bulimia

 Angiogram – provides an X-ray picture of blood vessels  Angioplasty – clears blocked arteries  Pacemaker – releases an electrical charge to stimulate a steady heartbeat  Jarvik 7 – first artificial heart.  Colonoscopy – provides a view of the lower digestive tract.  Kidney dialysis – a system of tubing allows blood to flow into a machine to be cleaned.