Filter
Top Products
Forgotten Physiology
Your Temperature
Normal Temperature
Normal human temperature is
around 98.6 degrees. But did
you know that only 8% of the
people in the world have a nor-
mal temperature of exactly
98.6?
A temperature that is normal
for you may even be a whole
degree or so above or below
"normal." It is good to know
what is normal for you. Try
taking your temperature at dif-
ferent times, like in the morn-
ing, after a cold shower, or a
five-mile hike.
Fever
Fever is when your body's
temperature control is set
above normal. Fever is a sign
that your body is fighting off an
infection. It is thought that
fever does two things.
When the temperature rises,
the body's chemical actions
speed up so that damaged tis-
sues can be repaired more
quickly. Also, virus or bacteria
invaders don't survive well at
high temperatures. Perhaps
fever is the body's attempt to
cook them into submission.
Chills
You have a high temperature
and cold skin. You are hot
inside, but still you shiver. Chills
are your body's way of creating
a fever. The muscle action from
shivering produces heat, which
raises your temperature in an
effort to fight off infection. When
the crisis is over, your tempera-
ture is set back to normal, the
skin warms, and you sweat.
Hot Blood or Cold
Blood?
A frog in a 70 degree pond is a
70 degree frog. A frog in a 40
degree pond is a 40 degree frog,
and is moving very slowly, if at
all.
A kid in a 70 degree pond is a 98
degree kid. A kid in a 40 degree
pond is still a 98 degree kid,
although you can bet he's swim-
ming as fast as he can to get
out.
One difference between kids and
frogs is the difference between
warm-blooded and cold-blooded
beings. People have automatic
climate control inside their
bodies
.
Their bodies keep themselves at
an even temperature by careful-
ly controlling the rate of burning
in their cells.
Frogs are cold blooded,
their temperature changes
depending
on where
they are.
Cold blooded creatures have no
internal temperature control.
Their rate of metabolism is deter-
mined by their environment.
When the outside temperature
drops way down, all their body
processes slow way down.
Humans, and all mammals, are
souped-up hot-blooded beings.
Their metabolisms are speedy,
but are kept at an even keel. So
no matter what the temperature
is outside, the climate on the
inside is ever warm and ready for
action.
1
20
1
Excerpts from Blood and Guts: A Working Guide to Your Own Insides, Allison L. Katz., Little , Brown and Company, Boston, New York, Toronto, London
818528r5:818528r5.qxd 4/24/2008 11:05 AM Page 22