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The
Respiratory System
Online Catalog of Respiratory System
Products 
You get a strong whiff of ammonia and start
choking.
The local ragweed pollen count is high, and
you can't stop sneezing.
You have a cold and keep coughing up loose
phlegm.
This is your respiratory system in action. The system acts as a first line of
defense against body invaders-as in the case of harmful gases such as ammonia,
and irritants such as pollen. It is also the mechanism by which oxygen is supplied
to the body and carbon dioxide is exhaled. When this oxygen supply is cut off,
death may result in a matter of minutes.
The organs and tissues involved in the respiratory system consist primarily of
the following:
- The nasal cavity is lined with tiny hairs
and sticky mucus, which catch foreign particles. Mucus contains antibodies and
other chemical substances able to kill viruses and bacteria.
- The pharynx connects the mouth and nasal passages
with the larynx, a muscle and cartilage substance in which the voice box is located.
- The trachea, commonly referred to as the windpipe,
is the long passageway that transports air to the lungs.
- The bronchi are branches of the trachea that
extend into the lungs. Together with the trachea, the structure resembles an upside-down
tree.
- The diaphragm is a wall of muscle and connective
tissue separating the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity.
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- Gas exchange and blood oxygenation take place
in the lungs.
A baby is born with a healthy, pink pair of
lungs, but smoking air pollutants take a toll, causing lungs to become dingy and
gray. Unfortunately, clean air is the exception rather than the rule nowadays.
It is vital, then, to take much care to maintain
a healthy respiratory system. By striving to breathe unpolluted air and shunning
damaging habits such as smoking, we can protect our respiratory health.
Proper nutrition is also essential. Nature's
Sunshine Products offers many nutritional supplements beneficial for the respiratory
system.
The Body's Oxygen Supplier
Our respiratory system is essential to the
growth and movement of the body. By supplying oxygen, this system enables us to
produce energy. If the respiratory system's efficiency begins to diminish, then
the energy processes of our body also diminish.
The lungs are the center of the respiratory system, and the
nose, throat and trachea (windpipe) comprise the respiratory tract. Breathing
is usually automatic and regulated in the medulla oblongata of the brain but,
of course, can be voluntarily controlled.
The bronchi, airways to each lung, divide into smaller airways
called bronchioles. Each bronchiole ends in a cluster of tiny air sacs called
alveoli. It is estimated that there are more than 300 million alveoli in the lungs.
This is where the vital gas exchange takes place. The lungs contain as much as
40 times the surface area of the body's external surface.
The Respiratory Process
Respiration isn't simply "breathing." The tern is
used to describe all the processes associated with the release of energy in the
body.
The blood carries food and oxygen to the cells so that the
cells can produce energy for their needs. The simplified process is:
food + oxygen = carbon dioxide + water + energy
Oxygen is needed in the cells to break carbohydrates and fats
into energy. About a quarter of a million tons of oxygen are used by the body
each year. Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of cellular metabolism. But it is not
just a waste product. Carbon dioxide is necessary for plant respiration. Plants
release oxygen, their "waste product," and the cycle between plant and
man is repeated.
Gas exchange occurs in the lungs. The right side of the heart
pumps blood with a high concentration of carbon dioxide into the lungs. The carbon
dioxide is replaced with oxygen. The blood changes from a dark red to a bright
red color, indicating that hemoglobin has picked up the oxygen. The oxygen-enriched
blood is pumped through the left side of the heart and then circulated throughout
the body. The carbon dioxide is then exhaled.
The respiratory system is sensitive to the amount of carbon
dioxide in the blood. If this amount rises, then the breathing response will increase
so that more oxygen is available for energy metabolism.
Factors in Lung Health
 We all begin life with
a pair of bright, healthy pink lungs.
But an adult with a smoking habit and
living in a city has dull pink-gray lungs
with black patches.
The respiratory tract is especially vulnerable to particles
floating in the air. Professor Julius Comroe of the University of California estimates
that city dwellers ingest 20 billion particles of foreign matter per day. The
respiratory system has several ways of dealing with these particles. The cough
and the sneeze reflexes are essential to life. They keep the passageways of the
lungs clear of foreign matter. Cilia, the hairs in the nose, trap irritants, contaminants,
bacteria, viruses, fungi, vehicle exhaust and other materials. But not all particles
are trapped here.
Fortunately, there are also cells in the respiratory
tract specially designed to engulf and rid the body of foreign
particles. When this occurs, the blood supply increases, tissues are swollen,
and extra mucus is produced. The lining feels uncomfortable and sore. Swelling
and mucus obstruct the passages. Eventually the invaders are overcome and normal
respiration can occur. If particles are trapped further down in the tract, bronchitis
and asthma may result.
Since oxygen is so vital
to the energy needs of the body, it is essential that we maintain healthy lungs
by breathing unpolluted air as much as possible and by supplying the body in general
with good nutrition.
Most
Popular Natural Solutions for Respiratory
Problems
ALJ - Developed as a nutritional aid for the respiratory system. Primary
function relates to the head and respiratory system as a natural decongestant
and a mild antihistamine.
Fenugreek & Thyme - Traditionally, used to aid in headaches brought
on by sinus congestion. Primarily, softens and moves mucous from the head area.
HistaBlock
- Mast cells are responsible for the drastic reactions
that occur during seasonal respiratory attacks. HistaBlock is a unique
formula that helps stabilize these cells and inhibits swelling that occurs in
the mucous membranes.
Lobelia Essence - Historically used by Native Americans for respiratory problems associated
with coughs and obstructions. Too much can cause "gag reflex." Used
on young children externally for asthma and bronchial spasms.
Tei Fu Oil - Featured in the Herbal Medicine Chest. Some
people have reported the aromatic quality has been used to open their sinuses
almost immediately.
Online
Catalog of Respiratory System Products
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