Page 20 - The Miracle of Hormones

THE MIRACLE OF HORMONES

Of course, even with the state of today's technology, it is still impos-
sible to place thousands of thermometers, a mini laboratory, and pres-
sure measuring devices in the depths of the human body. Yet a special
system with the finest possible design has been placed from birth deep in
the human body.
Thousands of different receivers measure such things as the body's
temperature and the pressure in the blood vessels. Then they send this
information to a very special computer. This computer is the area of the
brain called the hypothalamus.

Your Body's Hidden Manager: The Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is the general director of the hormone system; it
has the vital task of ensuring the internal stability of the human body. At
every moment, the hypothalamus assesses messages coming to it from
the brain and the depths of the body. Afterwards, it performs a number
of functions, such as maintaining a stable body temperature, controlling
blood pressure, ensuring a fluid balance, and even proper sleep patterns.
The hypothalamus is located directly under the brain and is the size
of a hazel nut. A considerable amount of information relative to the body
state is sent to the hypothalamus. Information is transmitted to it from
every point in the body, including the sense centers in the brain. It then

analyses the information it has received, decides what measures are to be
taken, what changes must be made in the body, and causes the appropri-
ate cells of the body to carry out its decisions.
The basic point that must be noticed here is this: the hypothalamus is
an organ composed of unconscious cells. A cell does not know how long a
human being needs to sleep; it cannot calculate what the body's tempera-
ture should be. It cannot make the best decision based on the information
at hand, and it cannot make another cell in a far removed area of the body
carry out this decision. Yet the cells in the hypothalamus act in an extraor-
dinarily conscious manner to ensure that the necessary balances in the

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