No, not quite the functions that spring to mind with such a post title as this. I just wanted to share a few facts about our internal workings that some people may not be aware of or have never considered? Take your forearms for example, most men have an abundant supply of hair there (women less so) and when your forearm is exposed to cold air or a sudden chill have you noticed what happens? The hairs begin to stretch and stand up don't they! But why is this? Well…it is a instinctive reaction caused by temperature change that tells the hairs on your arms to become as big as possible in a vain attempt to capture warm air pockets and so warm that part of the arm….and yes, it doesn't work very well but it is something we have absolutely no control over what-so-ever…it just kicks in when the appropriate moment happens.

Whilst talking in temperatures, when you are cold your body begins to shiver all over and your teeth start to rattle (hehe) but you can't stop it can you? Why? well, your brain is transmitting a signal for your entire body to shake or vibrate in an attempt to produce heat through movement but it don't work too well….it is just instinctive. 

When you sneeze for instance have you ever noted that your eyes close and your head plunges forward, but you can never prevent it from happening it just does. So what is the body doing in this case? Well, because a sneeze is an internal violent reaction produced by the body whether through allergy or other external stimuli, and as a defence mechanism your brain transmits the signal for your eyes to close because your head is plunging forward uncontrollably, so it does this to protect the eyes from any potential gouging from objects that maybe in front of you!

Last but not least, you have all heard of vitamin D complex haven't you? ok….and most people like to sun bathe whether on the beach during a vacation or just in general, but a lot of folk do it. Beacuse of the potential hazards with over exposure to ultra violet and infra red rays we dowse our bodies with sun blocker to prevent sun burn etc (depending on our skin pigmentation). We all know what happens to us when we sun-bathe, we start to turn red or darker in our skin colour! So again…..why is this happening? If you thought it was the sun slowly cooking your skin like an oven would and turning it brown just like a roast, you would be mistaken. The calcium phosphates found in vitamin D (salt etc..) form a protective layer that prevents your skin from burning, but the body cannot store this vitamin for long periods and when this begins to breakdown through over exposure to ultra violet rays your salt level will go down also. The body is using vitamin D to darken the skin in order to shield it from the sun, but when the supply has run out your skin will start to burn because it is now defenceless and you end up looking like a lobster! Take a mexican for example, sitting in the midday shade drinking tequila, do you know what the traditional method is for drinking tequila? well…..they place a small pile of salt in the well of the thumb after making a fist and then place the salt in their mouths, they then drink the tequila and take a bite from a slice of lemon (vitamin C & D) and thus so, replenish the salt levels of the body and adding vitamin C & D back into the system.

And they say that salt isn't good for you? Well it is for sun bathers in any case….see you.