your body is a machine

part of loving your body is acknowledging its power and beauty. i could dedicate this entire blog to that topic.

a fascination of mine is the fight-or-flight response.

if any of you have ever been really anxious or had a panic attack, then you've experienced fight-or-flight. this is a physiological response to a perceived danger that allows you to fight or flee at your maximum ability. this is the phenomenon that results in mothers lifting up automobiles to save their children. it may save your life the next time you are in a dangerous situation, by honing your natural athletic skills so you can get out of that scrape alive. in every case, with no exception, your body will pull out all the stops to keep you alive.

it is truly remarkable. quite annoying to happen when you're giving an oral presentation and there isn't really danger, but be thankful this response is there for when you really need it.

this is what our bodies do to protect us when we're in danger:

- our senses sharpen. pupils dilate (open out) so we can see more clearly, even in darkness. our hairs stand on end, making us more sensitive to our environment (and also making us appear larger, hopefully intimidating our opponent). we are more keen and sensitive to sign, sound, and touch.
- the cardiovascular system leaps into action, with the heart pump rate going from one up to five gallons per minute and our arteries constricting to maximize pressure around the system whilst the veins open out to ease return of blood to the heart.
- the respiratory system joins in as the lungs, throat and nostrils open up and breathing speeds up to get more air in the system so the increased blood flow can be re-oxygenated. the blood carries oxygen to the muscles, allowing them to work harder. deeper breathing also helps us to scream more loudly!
- fat from fatty cells and glucose from the liver are metabolized to create instant energy.
- blood vessels to the kidney and digestive system are constricted, effectively shutting down systems that are not essential. a part of this effect is reduction of saliva in the mouth. the bowels and bladder may also open out to reduce the need for other internal actions (this might also dissuade our attackers!) blood flow is directed into our muscles, arms and legs to provide for extra energy for running and fighting.
- blood vessels to the skin are constricted, reducing any potential blood loss in case you are injured. this is why you may feel numbness in your limbs. sweat glands also open, providing an external cooling liquid to our over-worked system. (this makes the skin look pale and clammy).
- endorphins, which are the body's natural pain killers, are released (when you are fighting, you do not want be bothered with pain- that can be put off until later.)
- the natural judgment system is also turned down and more primitive responses take over. this is a time for action rather than deep thought. we tend to perceive anything in our environment to be a source of threat. we are in our survival mode.

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no matter who you are, your body is a bad ass machine, one that practically turns you into super(wo)man when the situation calls for it. i think this is one of many, many cool aspects of our bodies: if you're in trouble, your body's spidey sense will ramp up your physical prowess and enable you to run like an olympian or fight like bruce lee. fucking bad ass.