How To Determine Proper Function

 

If health is defined as:

not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, but the proper function of the vital parts of an organism

Then how do we determine proper function?

How To Measure Function

If you wanted to measure the function of your heart you could go to your doctor to have an EKG.  The EKG measures heart function by graphing electrical impulses sent by the heart during the various different contractions.  These impulses are then presented on a graph to be interpreted.

This test helps doctors understand how the heart is functioning.  Abnormal rhythms, skipped heart beats, enlarged heart muscles and other signs can be gathered to help interpret how well your heart is functioning.

Blood tests that check for liver enzymes can be ordered to help determine the state of your liver.  Abnormal blood tests can help indicate an improperly functioning liver.

A liver blood profile will check for certain enzyme and protein levels.  Abnormal levels of these enzymes or proteins can help determine what may be wrong with your liver.

One way to measure the function of your lungs is to use a peak flow meter.  This instrument measures the maximum speed of expiration.  In other words it measures how fast your lungs can expel air.

This is used to measure the function of someone’e lungs who is suspected of having asthma or another pulmonary disorder.

What Maintains Proper Function?

If your heart is functioning properly, what maintains the proper function of the heart?

If your liver is functioning properly, what maintains the proper function of the liver?

If your whole body is functioning properly, what maintains the proper function of the body?

Function is defined as:

-the normal and specific contribution of a bodily part to the economy of a living organism.  Function | Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary

How is the normal and specific contribution of a bodily part maintained?

If you are walking your heart will be functioning at a certain level.  As you begin to start running your hearts function changes to meet the increased demands.

What part of the body regulates that?  Your nervous system.

Why The Nervous System Maintains The Proper Function of the Human Body

The nervous system maintains the proper function of all the parts of the human body.

Merriam-Webster defines the nervous system as:

the bodily system that in vertebrates is made up of the brain and spinal cord, nerves, ganglia, and parts of the receptor organs and that receives and interprets stimuli and transmits impulses to the effector organs.

and then defines the central nervous system as:

the part of the nervous system which in vertebrates consists of the brain and spinal cord, to which sensory impulses are transmitted and from which motor impulses pass out, and which coordinates the activity of the entire nervous system.

Your nervous system acts like a central computer.  It receives messages from all the different parts of your body, interprets them and then directs all the different parts of your body how to function.

For instance there are nerves that travel from your lungs to your nervous system.  These nerves keep the nervous system informed as to how the lungs are functioning.  If the lungs aren’t functioning properly, then another set of nerves that travel from the nervous system back to the lungs will alter the function of the lungs so that they are working properly.

Every part of your body has this same basic communication link to and from the nervous system.  In this way your nervous system can always know what is going on and then make changes to function as necessary in order to maintain proper function.

In short, the proper function or the maintenance of proper function is a direct result of the nervous system.