GGMYK - Yoga Simplified - The Composition of Human Body

7. Stomach, digestive system and body maintenance The main functions of the stomach is to digest the food properly that we take and supply the nutrition to body.
Parts of Digestive System Mouth, Esophagus (food pipe), stomach, duodenum, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus are the organs of the digestive system. Stomach is the source for a number of diseases. If the stomach is healthy and functions properly one need not worry about the health throughout his life.

Food Pipe

The food pipe is generally 25 cms long. It starts in the throat and ends in the stomach. There are certain glands to the inner side of the wall of the pipe. It is like a thin long cylinder. It is made of muscles. There are no bones in it. The food is mixed with saliva in the mouth and is turned into pulp. This pulp reaches the stomach passing through the food pipe.

Stomach

The food pipe ends in the stomach. The stomach wall is thick. There are gastric juice producing glands in the stomach. Bile which acts on the food in the stomach and helps in its digestion. It supplies the required nutrition to all the parts of the body.

Liver Liver is the largest gland in the human body. It is red in colour. It is safe in the right side below the ribs. It weighs between one to one and half kilograms. It produces bile. Bile helps in digestion of fat. Liver converts the impurities of the blood into urea and sends it into the kidneys. The kidneys filter the urea and send it into the urinary bladder along with the urine.
The poisonous matter produced in the intestine is converted into non-poisonous matter. This is the marvelous function of the liver. The liver of the liquor consumers is spoiled quickly and they become the victims of various diseases.

Spleen (Not a part of digestive system)

This is a twelve centimeter gland. (It circulates the blood to the stomach and teeth). It generates red blood corpuscles. It is in the shape of a sack on the upper part of the Coram gland. If it is removed by operation to cure any disease man can even then survive.

Small intestine

The small intestine is five times longer than the height of the person. It starts in the lower part of the stomach and knits itself zig zag in the abdomen and joins the large intestine. The outer side of the wall of the intestine is very delicate. The inner side of the wall of the intestine has villi. The villi absorb the digested food and send it into the blood.

Large intestine

The length of large intestine is equal to the height of the person. It starts in the right lower part in the abdomen at the end of the small intestine. It proceeds upwards and turn to left and then proceeds downward and ends in the anus. The undigested and waste material of the digestive system is excreted through the large intestine in the shape of stool. If the waste remains in the large intestine it leads to constipation.

A number of Yogasanas and stomach cleaning processes are prescribed for protecting and for the functioning of the digestive system effectively. If we implement and follow them the stomach diseases or complications will not take place.

8.  Skeleton

The human body is shaped on the skeleton. IT is formed with strong bones. There are 206 bones in the skeleton – 22 in the skull, 52 in the trunk, 126 in the limbs, 6 in the ears. Back bone is there in the center of the back, below the neck. It has 33 delicate bones which are called vertebra. Back bone is the prime basis for a strong body.

There are three major parts in the skeleton.
    1.  Skull
    2.  Trunk; and
    3.  Limbs (hands or legs)

Out of 52 bones in the trunk, a cage is formed with 24 ones in the chest. Delicate organs like lungs, heart and liver are safely protected in this cage. Major part of the Yogashastra deals with the Asanas that help in strengthening the back bone.

9.   Main glands

There are total 108 small and large glands in the human body. Let us know briefly about few important glands:

Pineal gland

This gland has a great impact on the brain. If this gland functions well, man can think correctly. It provides energy, efficiency and activeness to the human body.

Pituitary gland

This starts at the bottom of the head proceeds down ward and joins the navel system. This gland influences bones and muscles. This also contributes for the normal functioning of uterus in women and testicles in men. This is the gland that helps in producing milk in the breast of a mother soon after the delivery.

Thyroid gland

This gland is in the throat. It maintains harmones in the body, it strengthens the digestive activities, increases appetite, strengthens the masculine potency, develops the reproductive organs. Any disorder or discrepancy in this gland will lead to the fattening of the body. Fat body causes more inconveniences and troubles in the day to day activities of the life.

Pancreas

If pancreas does not function well sugar increases in the blood and passes in urine, leading to diabetes. As long as pancreas functions well sugar (glucose) level is maintained in the blood and body is safe from diabetes.

This is in the center of the abdomen behind the stomach. It secretes digestive juice + insulin. It increases appetite and also increases life span and energy. Insulin controls blood sugar level by helping in digestion + utilization of glucose.

Adrenal gland

This gland is placed at the upper end of kidneys. It helps in the proper functioning of the blood circulatory system.

Semen gland

This gland is below the testicles in men. This helps in the development of male reproductive organ and in the production of semen.

A number of specific Yogasanas are prescribed to activate and strengthen each of the above glands.

10. Kidneys

Kidneys remove the impurities and the wastes that accumulate in the body. (The impurities and wastes are let out through skin, kidneys, anus and urinary parts. Impurities in the shape of sweat are let out through the skin). Kidneys filter the blood plus forms urine and the residue is passed out through urinary organ. If Kidneys don’t function properly they are removed and healthy kidneys are transplanted in their place. Yoga practice helps a lot in making kidneys function well throughout the life.

The kidneys are on either side of the backbone. They are covered with fat. (There is a sack like organ on the kidneys. Hormone juice is produced by it). Two tubes come from the kidneys and join the urinary bladder. Urine is collected in the bladder. When the bladder is filled we feel to urinate.

Kidneys also contribute in the purification of blood. Urea and uric acid is present in the blood that comes into kidneys. They go out in the form of urine. But in some kidneys urea and uric acid don’t pass out of the kidneys, they remain there and gradually form stones in the kidneys. They should be removed immediately as and when detected. Many kidney diseases are found these days. These diseases can be prevented by practicing specific Yogasanas.

11.  Reproductive organs

Reproductive organs of male and female are the sources for human generation. They are very delicate. Their shapes are different in male and females. Female has a uterus inside the lower part of the body. Uterus make a woman mother when the sperm cells of male and ovary cells of female join, the woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to an infant. This is also a Yoga.

Specific Yogasanas and Yoga exercises are prescribed for the development, protection and health of the external and internal reproductive organs.

12.  Excretory system

    a    Kidney
    b    Skin (Sweat glands)
    c    Small and large intestine through anus

Sending the impurities and the wastes from the (small and large intestines through anus) is the main function of excretory system. If this system does not function properly, a number of complications and diseases start in the body. Certain Yoga activities and Yogasanas are specified for the proper functioning of the excretory system.

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The knowledge of the different parts and organs of human body and their functions helps us to keep them healthy and active, thereby we can avoid complications and protect ourselves from diseases.

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