hormone
"Each hormone is like an arrow shot from a bow - it's aimed at a target organ or group of cells. When it hits its target, a 'score' or effect is achieved."
"A hormone is like a chemical messenger. It is made in one part of the body (in this case, the pancreas) and is secreted (usually) into the bloodstrea "
"The endocrine system - the group of organs and glands responsible for releasing hormones that regulate key bodily functions - is sometimes compared to an orchestra. Each hormone is like an instrument. Playing together, in tune, they sound amazing. But what happens if, right in the middle of a concert, a violin suddenly goes wildly astray, twanging on its own? And then a clarinet starts shrieking? And then the pianist can't keep up? The music would sound like crap, right? "
"Hormones are created in response to signals from the brain. Hormones are like a radio signal, and the receptors are the antenna. When you take the pill, it over rides the radio signal. It sends it's own signals to the receptors that stop ovulation. The body's natural receptors then get used to this signal, and act accordingly. But what happens with long term use? or in young women bodies that are still forming and whose hormones are still settling down?"
"Every cell in the body contains receptors-essentially tiny locks-on its surface. A hormone is like a microscopic key floating in the bloodstream: When it finds a matching lock, it binds to the receptor and triggers the cell to do something, such as grow or divide."
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