Health Professional Program Unchanged Blood Analysis < continued from previous page Health Professional Links Physician's Summary Requirements for Health Professional Approval Unchanged Blood Analysis Nutritional Microscopy Program Live Blood Conditions Guidelines for Clinical Conditions Dr. Alex McMinn's Strategies How do I order? Phone 540-286-2400 Internet Secure Online Order Form Whole human blood consists of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets (blood elements) that float individually in plasma, a straw-colored liquid made up of about 90 percent water. The watery plasma, which also contains organic acids, glucose, hormones, and salts, serves as a medium for: circulating the suspended blood components throughout the body's network of arteries, veins and capillaries; delivering nutrients to the tissues and organs; carrying minerals, hormones, vitamins and antibodies; removing waste products. Many substances vital to health are recycled through the blood. Blood travels from the heart to the lungs through the pulmonary artery, picks up oxygen, flows back to the heart, and is then pumped out to the body. After releasing the oxygen to the cells and taking on carbon dioxide (the waste product of cell metabolism), the blood returns to the lungs, where the carbon dioxide is exhaled. It completes this circuit in 20 seconds. During its journey through the body, the blood also picks up hormones from the thyroid, adrenal, and other glands and transports them to specific organs. In general, the blood helps maintain equilibrium (homeostasis) of the internal environment. In addition to bathing the body's tissues in oxygen and collecting waste products, the blood's major regulatory functions involve nutrition of cells, defense mechanisms and maintaining proper body temperature. The blood also facilitates the body's adaptability to different conditions, including changes in climate, stressful physical activity, new dietary habits and resistance to injury and infectious organisms. The cells of the blood are of three types: Red Blood Cells or Erythrocytes White Blood Cells or Leukocytes Platelet or Thrombocytes. These will be explained in more detail below. Red blood cells, or erythrocytes are formed in the red bone marrow of the skull, ribs, vertebrae and other major marrow containing bones. These cells transport oxygen from the lungs to other body tissues, collect carbon dioxide, and play an important role in regulation the acid-base balance of the blood. Red blood cells circulate in the blood stream for about 120 days, after which they are trapped and broken down in the spleen that stores and filters blood. > Unchanged Blood Analysis continued Home | Product Line | Endorsements | FAQs | Research | Order Products VITAL PRODUX™ 44 Mine Rd. Suite 2, PMB 209 Stafford, Virginia  22554  USA 540-286-2400 – FAX: 540-752-4765 E-mail: info@VitalProdux.com Copyright © 1996-2003, VTI, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Text, graphics, and HTML code are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without explicit permission. Vital Produx™ is a trademark of VTI, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.