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A
degenerative disease is a disease in which the function
or structure of the affected tissue, organs or system
progressively deteriorate over time, either due to
rundown of the body caused by non-pathogenic or
pathogenic causes. Degenerative diseases are different
from infectious diseases.
Non-pathogenic:
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Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease
characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration,
neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal
neurodegenerative disease caused by degeneration of
motor neuron
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Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the
central nervous system
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Norrie disease is a genetic disease
Pathogenic:
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Atherosclerosis is hardening of the arteries caused by
the formation of plaques as a result of our system being
damaged by drugs or by excessive cholesterol intake
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Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled mutation of
cells as a result of accumulation of excessive toxin
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Diabetes is caused by drugs or excessive sugar
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Heart disease is caused by food, drugs or sedentary
lifestyle
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Inflammatory bowel disease is caused by toxin
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Osteoarthritis is a group of degenerative conditions
which filters to the joints
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Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone caused by the lack
of estrogen
The Endocrine System
The major
function of of the endocrine system is to produce
hormones.
The major glands that make up the human endocrine system
are the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroids,
adrenals, pineal body, and the reproductive glands,
which include the ovaries and testes. The body's organs
also produce hormones but not as much as the endocrine
system.
Even though the pituitary gland is no bigger than a pea, it is considered the most important part of the
endocrine system. It's often called the "master gland"
because it makes hormones that control several other
endocrine glands. The body cannot function without
hormones. Once produced they are sent to various parts
of the body to keep the organs and the system function
in a healthy state.
Unaware to us,
the glands of the endocrine system and the hormones they
release influence almost every cell, organ, and function
of our bodies. This only shows how important the
endocrine system is to us in supporting the human
infrastructure. The endocrine system is instrumental in
regulating the healthy function of the five organs,
growth and development, tissue function, and metabolism,
as well as sexual function and reproductive processes.
Broadly speaking, the endocrine system ensures the cell
system and its growth functions like clock work. Even
though faster processes like breathing and body movement
are monitored by the nervous system, the nervous system
cannot function properly if the endocrine system goes
haywire. Even though the nervous system and endocrine
system are separate systems, they are not mutually
exclusive.
Bad Neuropeptides
and Degenerative Diseases
Long ago scientists did not know or understand the
functions of free radicals. It was in recent times that
the damaging effects of free radical was fully
understood. If it is not controlled, this toxic
substances can create problems within our body. In the
same manner scientists, once upon a time, did not
understand the functions of the enzyme,
prolyl endopeptidase or
PEP.
Research
by western scientists have shown that
PEP is a
proteolytic enzyme commonly found in the body.
It is thought that it
serves no useful functions but just exist within our
body. It was thought that they were just some substances
floating in the body's extracellular space.
Less then 10 years ago, it was discovered by scientists
that these enzymes are no gentlemen!! In fact it was
discovered that they can do far more damages to the body
then free radicals.
In 2002,
clinical research by western scientists found out that
this
commonly found enzyme, bad neuropeptides (PEP) gobbles
up good neuropeptides (hormones).
Discovering them is one thing, controlling them is
another. This destructive enzyme cannot be destroyed by
the normal antioxidants that is commonly found in fruits
and herbal products.
Good Neuropeptides and Degenerative Diseases
Neuropeptides are neuroactive molecules
(a special subgroup of hormones) that help
to coordinate, integrate, and
regulate physiological processes in our body. They act
as neurohormones, neurotransmitters, and/or
neuromodulators and they help to maintain physiological
homeostasis and influence important behavioral patterns.
The health of our body depends on the efficient
functions of our glands and the hormones. It is a very
complicated and complex network. But if their work is
disrupted or interfered or compromised then the body
will eventually show signs of dysfunction or complains.
Our organs can begin to show signs of rundown.
Let
us look at the complex and intricate relationship of
these glands. The
hypothalamus
gland produces Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH), a
good neuropeptides. It is transported to the thyroid
gland. The function of TRH is to control the production
of TSH (thyrotropin-stimulating hormone). TSH regulates
the endocrine functions of the thyroid which regulates
many other things. TSH is produced by the pituitary
gland. The pituitary gland itself produces many types of
hormone. Its functions is influence by the hypothalamus
gland through TRH.
The production and secretion of pituitary hormones is
influenced by the hypothalamus gland who relays
information sensed by the brain (such as environmental
temperature, light exposure patterns, and feelings) to
the pituitary. What does the pituitary gland do?
The tiny pituitary is divided into two parts: the
anterior lobe and the posterior lobe. The
anterior lobe
regulates the activity of the thyroid, adrenals, and
reproductive glands. Among the hormones it produces are
growth hormone, prolactin, thyrotropin and corticotropin.
The job of each hormone are:
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growth hormone
stimulates the growth of
bone and other body tissues and plays a role in the
body's handling of nutrients and minerals
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prolactin
activates milk production in women who are
breastfeeding
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thyrotropin
stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid
hormones
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corticotropin
stimulates the adrenal gland to produce certain
hormones
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endorphins
chemicals act on the nervous system to reduce
sensitivity to pain
The anterior pituitary
also secretes hormones to signal the ovaries and testes
to make sex hormones. It also controls ovulation and the
menstrual cycle in women.
The
anterior
pituitary gland
controls the thyroid gland through TSH hormones.
TSH stimulates
the thyroid gland to secrete the hormones
thyroxine (T4) and
triiodothyronine (T3)
which control the
rate at which cells burn fuels from food to produce
energy. As the level of thyroid hormones, T3 and T4,
increases in the bloodstream, so does the speed at which
chemical reactions occur in the body. Thyroid hormones
also play a key role in bone growth, the development of
the brain and central nervous system. In short if TRH is
affected, so will TSH (because
TRH controls the
production of TSH)
and so will the production of T3 and T4.
The posterior
pituitary releases
antidiuretic
hormone
like vasopressin (a good neuropeptide),
which helps control body water balance through its
effect on the kidneys and urine output. It
is synthesized in the hypothalamus and transported to
the posterior pituitary and stored here. If the body
water balance is affected then it would affect the
"electrolyte" balance of the body. If the potassium and
salt balance in the body system goes haywire, it would
create a chain reaction of problems, creating a series
of diseases.
So even though the pituitary gland is considered the
most important gland in the endocrine system, the
importance of the hypothalamus vis a vis its production
of TRH and other hormones it produces could not be
underestimated.
The production and secretion of pituitary hormones is
influenced by the hypothalamus gland.
The hypothalamus gland produces TRH. TRH controls the
production of TSH which is produced by the pituitary
gland. TSH regulates the endocrine functions of the
thyroid. So if the production or the health of TRH is
affected, it would create a chain reaction of problems
with our body.
The Hidden Enemy and Degenerative Diseases
Not too long ago
they discover that our digestive system contains good
bacteria that helps in our digestion. But they could be
destroyed by bad bacteria that enters our digestive
system. In the same manner
for a long time, prolyl
endopeptidase (PEP) was believed to be an inactivate
neuropeptides that existed in the extracellular space.
But it was discovered that they destroy the good
neuropeptides like vasopressin, substance P and TRH.
It was discovered that
the preventive destruction of good neuropeptides like
vasopressin "kidney hormone" and thyrotropin-releasing
hormone "brain hormone" (TRH) by PEP (prolyl
endopeptidase) inhibitors can prevent the degeneration
of the brains, the central nervous system and the
kidneys.
Substance P:
In
neuroscience, Substance P is a neuropeptide: a
short-chain polypeptide that functions as a
neurotransmitter and as a neuromodulator. Substance P is
an 11-amino acid polypeptide with the sequence: Arg Pro
Lys Pro Gln Gln Phe Phe Gly Leu Met NH2. In the central
nervous system, substance P has been associated in the
regulation of mood disorders, anxiety, stress,
reinforcement, neurogenesis (is the process by which
neurons are created), respiratory rhythm, neurotoxicity,
nausea / emesis and pain. If you notice carefully a
person who suffers from Alzheimer disease would also
have most of these problems.
Clinical
studies by European scientists have shown that the
destructions of good neuropeptides, TRH, vasopressin and
substance P by bad neuropeptides, PEP, can be inhibited
by PEP inhibitors that can be found in Radix Linderae.
It was
discovered that PEP enzymes can be commonly found in the
brain, kidneys, liver, lungs and heart. Clinical studies
by western scientists have shown the levels of tissue
PEP activity were highest in kidney of adult rats.
If uncontrolled, then the
degradation
activities of PEP would affect the functions of these
organs, depending on the level of intensity of the
activities found in each locality.
Long term consumption of formulated Radix Linderae can
prevent the development of degenerative diseases caused
by PEP through the control of its destructive
activities. Most generative diseases starts with the
dysfunction of the kidneys. That is why in TCM herbalism,
kidneys is the get way to life. There is some truth in
this if one understands the damaging work of PEP. PEP
can damages the body in the same way free radicals do
but far more destructive. Consumption of herbs to
prevent and address the destructive effects of
bad
neuropeptides, PEP, is one way to prevent and control
the development of degenerative diseases. That is why
those who knows how to maintain their health are active
and mentally alert even in their old age.
Anatomy of the Kidney
The kidneys are paired reddish-brown organs located one
on each side of the vertebral column and on the
posterior wall of the abdominal cavity. The adrenal
glands are situated on the superior portion of each
kidney. Being approximately 11 cm. long, they extend
down from the level of the twelfth thoracic to the third
lumbar vertebra. The right kidney sits slightly lower
than the left because of the presence of the liver.
The kidney proper is composed of a cortex or outer
layer; the medulla which is located deep to the cortex
and consists of up to 18 triangular renal pyramids. The
renal pelvis is the papilla of each pyramid projecting
into a funnel-shaped minor calyx. The major calyces
unite to form the renal pelvis which is the expanded
upper end of the ureter. The urine passes as droplets
from tiny pores in the papillae into the renal pelvis
and finally the ureter, which carries it to the urinary
bladder.
The urinary tract is
made up of four parts:
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Kidneys, which produce
urine
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Ureters, which take
urine to the bladder
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The bladder, where
urine is stored
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The urethra, which
carries urine out of the body
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