The Four Functions and Six Steps of the Digestive System

The functions of the digestive system are to take in food, break the food down into nutrient molecules, absorb the molecules into the bloodstream, and to get rid of any indigestible remains. All of these functions take place as they go through the steps of the digestive system.  The first …

(SARS)-CoV-2, Hygiene Hypothesis, and WBC Counts

(SARS)-CoV-2, or COVID-19, took the world by storm in March of 2020 when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. On December 11, 2020 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave emergency use authorization (EUA) to a vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech for those 16 or older. A week …

Polycystic ovary syndrome, known as “PCOS” for short, is a condition where the ovaries produce abnormal amounts of androgens. These male sex hormones are usually only present in small amounts in women. Polycystic ovary syndrome was named to illustrate the small cysts that form in the ovaries. Some women with …

Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea – HPO and HPA Axes

Eumenorrhea—normal menstrual/ovarian cycle: Hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis. GnRH is secreted from the hypothalamus. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are secreted from the anterior pituitary. FSH and LH act on theca and granulosa cells of ovarian follicles to produce estrogens (and inhibin); estrogens act on the endometrial lining to …