Circulatory Systems

It is made up of the heart & blood vessels It works closely with the central nervous, respiratory and excretory systems. It is healthy when a strong heart pumps blood to our entire body.Blood vessels are flexible, elastic and clear from blockage. Blood is not sticky or thick

Its basic functions are:

• To circulate blood containing vital nutrients, oxygen & hormones
• To eliminate waste from tissues

Consequences / health implications of an impaired circulatory system:

• Can affect other organs such as liver, kidneys & reproductive system
• Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease (CVD) such as:
  • corony heart disease
  • stroke
  • hypertension
  • atherosclerosis*

Statistics

• 16.7 million people in the world lost their lives to cardiovascular diseases in 2002 (World Health Report, 2004)
• Heart disease is the No.1 killer in Malaysia & Brunei, and the No.2 killer in Singapore (NST Online;www.brudirect.com; Singapore Heart Foundation)
• 6 cases of stroke attacks reported hourly in Malaysia (Berita Harian 24 Apr 2007)
• CVD estimated to cause 7 out of every 10 deaths in Malaysia by year 2020 (Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2001)
• If the blockage is not cleared within 3 hours, 90% of the part of the heart that is starved of blood is likely to die (Harvard Medical School, Family Health Guide)

*Atherosclerosis is a buildup of fatty deposits on the inside of the arteries that narrows the vessels and slows down blood flow.

Immune System

It is mainly composed of lymph nodes, thymus, spleen & lymphatic vessels. It is our body’s defense system

Its basic functions are:

• To fight infections
• To protect the body from pollutants, viral and bacterial attacks and diseases
• To rejuvenate damaged organs & tissues and restore their functions

Consequences of an impaired immune system:

• Overactive immune system:
  • autoimmune diseases (eg. Lupus)
  • allergies
• Depressed / low immunity:
  • Fall sick easily
  • Prolonged recovery from sickness

Statistics

• Allergies affect more than 50 million people in the US. Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic diseases in the US (Ohio State University Medical Centre)
• More than 6 million die of cancer worldwide each year (www.prn2.usm.my/mainsite/bulletin/article/50dar05.htm)
• 1 in 4 Malaysians will get cancer in their lifetime (1st National Cancer Registry Report, Malaysia, 2003)

Digestive System

It is mainly composed of the mouth, esophagus, liver, stomach & the small intestine. Digestion begins when food enters the mouth and is completed at the end of the small intestine.

Its basic functions are:

• The physical and chemical breakdown of food
• Processing food and fluids so that nutrients can be absorbed
• Solidifying & eliminating undigested food from the body as faeces
• Dependent on enzyme catalyst to boost the activity of digestive enzyme for proper digestion

Consequences of an impaired digestive system:

• Heartburn
• Bloating
• Indigestion

Statistics / Aggravation

• 1 in 4 people has frequent gastrointestinal problems (Harvard Medical School)
• More than 70% of Malaysian males are obese or overweight (Richard F. Southby Ph.D “Lifestyle and Health: A Public Health Perspective”)
• An unhealthy digestive system can be aggravated by:
  • Unhealthy nervous system (eg. Stress, anxiety)
  • Unhealthy diet
  • Quality of food

Excretory System

It is mainly made up of lungs, skin, kidneys & colon. It works closely with the respiratory, circulatory and endocrine systems to maintain a toxin-free body. It is healthy when it is free from coprostasis (the impaction of faeces in the intestine) and when it maintains an ideal ratio of 80:20 friendly to harmful bacteria

Its basic functions are:

• To prevent toxin build-up
• To rid the body of daily bodily wastes
• Mainly located in the:
  • Lungs - to remove carbon dioxide from the body
  • Colon - to enable solid food waste to pass through
  • Kidneys - to remove the bulk of the liquid and nitrogen waste
  • Skin - to produce sweat and excrete metabolic waste

Consequences of an impaired excretory system:

• Constipation
• Accelerated ageing
• Poor absorption of nutrients
• Colon cancer

Statistics

• Colon cancer among the most common types of cancer with more than 94,000 new diagnose each year. An additional 37,000 are diagnosed annually with cancer of the rectum (The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Centre at John Hopkins)
• Cancer affecting the colon and rectum are the most frequent among Malaysian males and the 3^rd most frequent among females. (National Cancer Registry Malaysia)

Endocrine System

It is mainly made up of the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands, hypothalamus, pancreas & testes (males) or ovaries (female). It produces enzyme and hormones in the endocrine glands and other organs. All cell types, organs or processes are profoundly influenced by hormone signaling. All physical developments are medicated by multiple hormones acting in concert: Normal growth from birth to adulthood, for example, is surely dependent on growth hormones, but thyroid hormones, insulin-like growth factor-1, glucocorticoids and several other hormones are also critically involved in this process.

Its basic functions are:

• Metabolism
• Growth
• Homeostasis (a state of internal balance)
• To support the rest of the organ systems

Consequences of an impaired endocrine system:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes

Statistics

• General population is affected by (National Center of Health Statistics, USA):
  • Endocrine diseases & obesity - 26%
  • Hyperlipidemia (high lipids in the blood) - 19%
  • Diabetes - 3%
• Diabetes more than doubles the risk of a stroke or heart disease (Harvard Medical School, Family Health Guide)
• 1.2 million people in Malaysia have diabetes. About 650,000 people will be diagnosed in year 2007 (Malaysian Diabetes Association)

Reproductive System (Female)

It is mainly composed of the mammary glands, fallopian tubes, ovaries, vagina & uterus. It is closely linked to endocrine system which triggers menstruation and menopause. It is healthy when there is no PMS, hormonal secretion and circulation is healthy and balanced and when there is no candidiasis infection

Its basic functions are:

• To produce ovum (eggs)
• For sexual intercourse
• To nourish fertilized ovum until it is a fully developed foetus
• Childbirth

Consequences of an impaired female reproductive system:

• Infertility
• PMS
• Pregnancy-related problems
• Candidiasis (yeast infection)

Statistics

• Breast cancer is the 3rd most common cancer worldwide (Malaysian Medical Association)
• About 75% of adult women have had at least one episode of vaginal infection during their lifetime (Seattle Biomedical Institute)
• In the US, 6.1 million women aged 15 to 44 have impaired ability to have children (Centers for Disease Control and Association)

Reproductive System (Male)

It is mainly composed of the seminal vesicle, prostate gland, urethra, penis & testes. It is closely linked to the endocrine system where sperm & sex hormones are produced. Does not become fully functional until puberty. Optimal sexual performance depends on the male’s ability to achieve and maintain an erection naturally. The prostate gland secretes and contracts during expulsion of semen from the body (ejaculation). The prostate closes off the urethra, blocking the urine passage during these contractions.

Its basic functions are:

• To produce sperm
• To transport it to the female

Consequences of an impaired male reproductive system:

• Impotence or erectile dysfunction (ED)
  • Consistent inability to sustain erection
• Benign prostatic hypertrophy BPH
  • The enlarged prostate squeezes the urethra and causes blockage resulting in hesistant, interrupted and weak stream of urination
  • Frequent night urination, difficulty starting urination or dribbling
  • Left unattended it may lead to prostate cancer

Statistics

• 218,890 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year in 207 and about 27,050 men will die of the disease. Prostate cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in men (American Cancer Society)
• 80% - 90% of impotence problems are caused by physical problems, usually related to blood supply to the penis (University of Virginia)
• In the US, the male is responsible for 50% of infertility in couples (John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)
• Prostate cancer is the 6th most common case in Malaysian men (Malaysian Medical Association)

Musculoskeletal System

It consists of the muscular and skeletal systems. Made up of tissues that work with the skeletal system

Its basic functions are:

• To control all body movement
• To shape, support and protect internal organs
• To provide stability and mobility for the body

Consequences of an impaired musculoskeletal system:

• Osteoporosis
• Osteoarthritis (OA)
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Stiff shoulders
• Upper & lower back pain

Statistics

• 5 out of 10 back pains sufferers will experience recurrent pain within 2 years (www.aboutsafety.com/article.cfm?id=1182)
• 10 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis and 34 million more have low bone mass (National Osteoporosis Foundation)
• Some 20,000 Malaysians suffer from severe degenerative joint disease (Malaysian Information Network on Disabilities)
• 5 in 1,000 Malaysians are affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis (Arthritis Foundation Malaysia)

Respiratory System

It mainly consist of the nasal cavity, pharynx (throat), trachea & lungs. It works in parallel with the circulatory system to transport oxygen & gases to and from body tissues.

Its basic functions are:

• To supply the blood with oxygen through the lungs

Consequences of an impaired respiratory system:

• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
• Bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Lung cancer
• Oxygen insufficiency

Statistics

• Lung disease is the No.3 killer in America, responsible for the 1 in 7 deaths (American Lung Association)
• Lower respiratory infection is the No.3 killer in Malaysia (World Health Organization)
• Approximately 20.3 million people in the US have been diagnosed with asthma, with at least 6 million of them under the age of 18 (Ohio State University Medical Center)

Central Nervous System

It is made up of the brain, spinal cord and nerves which control all body movements

Its basic functions are:

• To facilitate the body’s internal communication
• To react to changes both outside and inside the body
• To interact closely with the endocrine system to influence other systems and bodily functions

Consequences of an impaired nervous system:

• Progressive impairment of memory
• Impaired cognition (dysfunction of mental processes)
• Alzheimer’s disease

Statistics

• 18,000,000 people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. By 2020, it is estimated to be 34,000,000 (Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia)
• About 50,000 people in Malaysia have Alzheimer’s disease (Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia)