The human body is simply exceptional; it has various homeostatic mechanisms which functions to keep us alive and comfortable. The human body was designed in such a way that makes it both anatomically and physiologically adept to changes in the environment. Have you ever wondered, what keeps us alive? I mean, what keeps humans alive? The body is kept alive by numerous systems and organs that work together.

What Keeps Us Alive

Here are 10 remarkable things the human body does to keep you alive.

1. The skin sheds about 30,000 to 50,000 skin cell, every single minute of your life. This mechanism is important in getting rid of dead skin cells and harmful organisms on the surface of the skin. Note that only the eyes do not shed. Shed skin are quickly replaced. [1]

2. When a woman is pregnant, and an organ in her body is damaged. The baby in the womb sends stem cells to repair the damaged organ. [2]

3. The normal human body temperature is 37 degrees Celsius. If the body is to go markedly above or below this number, it will lead to death. However, the body does a lot of amazing things that stabilize the body temperature despite the environmental temperature, such as, shivering, sweating, vasoconstriction and vasodilation. [3]

4. The stomach produces acid secretions that can excoriate the stomach lining. However, your body grows an entirely new stomach lining every 3-4 days. [4]

5. Your mind forgets some information to protect you from the overload of information, and emotional distresses. This action helps you to think more quickly and assimilate new information better. [5]

6. The body has the ability to self-heal. If you are cut or injured, bleeding is immediately stopped in minutes. Destroyed cells are immediately regrown. This is very important because we would have all been dead if not for this amazing mechanism. [6]

7. In cases of extreme starvation, how does the body react to keep us alive? It first all uses the glucose and stored glycogen to keep the body going. This lasts for about 6 hours, before it turns to the fats and ketone bodies, before moving on to proteins. This mechanism can help you survive hunger for up to 70 days. However, that depends on some factors like weight and the amount of fat present. [7]

8. When the body is faced with a life-threatening situation, it secretes hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This reaction is known as an acute stress response. During this reaction, the released hormones, speeds the heart rate, slows digestion, and increases blood flow to major muscle groups, and changes a lot of other autonomic nervous functions, that gives you a burst of energy and strength. This response is essential in a flight or fight situation. [8]

9. The body has the ability to recognize former pathogens that have attacked the body previously and destroy them. This is known as acquired immunity. Acquired immunity is immunity you develop during your lifetime. It can come from a vaccine, exposure to a disease, or another person’s antibodies (infection-fighting immune cells). [9]

10. The liver is extremely important in the body; it does a lot of metabolic and homeostatic functions. The liver has the ability to regrow if part of it is removed due to injury, disease, or surgery. It can even grow to be just the right size for the body it’s in, isn’t it amazing? [10]

11. Every single second, the blood in your body delivers vital nutrients, oxygen, and other important substances to all of your organs. It also carries away your body’s waste. Also, flowing blood can cool you off or warm you up, when necessary.

Conclusively, we should always appreciate our magnificent body, by acknowledging it’s awesome abilities. Thanks!

This article was first published on July 9, 2016, and later modified on February 19, 2021.