Making the Most of Mucus

Just the name itself will make you giggle. It's a great word that conjures visions of slime and unpleasantness. It is perhaps the most annoying part of having a cold or allergies. Mucus, however, plays a very important role in defense of our bodies and our health. In fact, it's high time mucus got a lot more respect.

First, there are some amazing facts about mucus that are worthy of respect. Humans produce about a liter of mucus every day, whether they are sick or not. Bony fish and some invertebrates (snails or slugs) also have mucus cells on the outside of their body. This external mucus creates a protective coating that prevents predators' toxins from doing harm. Humans produce mucus to protect our stomachs, our lungs, and several other systems.

We tend to not like mucus because it is a considered a symptom or sign that something is wrong. We usually only see it when we are sick, and so we tend to dislike it. According to Michael M. Johns, III, MD, however, "mucus is incredibly important for our bodies." Johns, an assistant professor at Emory University, calls mucus "the oil in the engine" of our bodies. Without mucus, our engines, or bodies, would freeze up and stop working properly.

Furthermore, mucus is not just the nasty gunk you see when you are sick. It lines the tissues in your mouth, your nose, throat, and lungs. It also is crucial in protecting your digestive system. Mucus puts a protective coating over the surfaces of these tissues, keeping them moist. Most of the time we don't notice mucus is making our lives better. It does its job quietly, making everything run smoothly, keeping our inner tissues soft and flexible enough to fight off invaders.

Occasionally, though our mucus-making membranes go into overdrive. If you eat a hot pepper, your mucus membranes in your mouth and throat start producing extra mucus to protect you. If you come into contact with pollen, you may get a runny nose and start sneezing and coughing. When these things happen, your mucus systems start making more fluids to wash away the irritating particles. Mucus also has some antibodies that increase our ability to fight off bacteria and viruses.

It's hard to appreciate what is essentially slime, but we have mucus for some very good reasons. It helps to keep us healthy and lets us know when our bodies are under attack. We would be wise to respect what our bodies do to keep us safe. So the next time you find yourself reaching for a tissue, remember mucus is your friend and ally.

What's in a Name?

Mucus is a great word, not only because it gives name to an important bodily function, but also because it is one of those words that simultaneously makes you feel grossed-out and giggly. Other words for this powerfully important human-health tool include slime and phlegm. Slang words for mucus include boogers and snot. All of these words have the same giggle-power, simply from the combination of consonants and vowels. By the way, mucus is an old word; it's been around since the mid-1600s and has roots back to Latin (mucere, to be moldy or musty) and Greek (myxa, mucus). While you may assume that words like snot and boogers are relatively new slang terms, they are not. Snot dates to 1560 and comes from an Old English word, gesnot, and has the same root as the word snout. The word booger is not quite as old but has been in use since the 1890s.


Which of the following correctly summarizes the main difference in the focus between the two articles?
The short article focuses on how words shape opinions; the long article focuses on health benefits of mucus.
The short article focuses on why words make us giggle; the long article focuses on all types of mucus.
The short article focuses on why we have mucus; the long article focuses on the history of mucus.
The short article focuses on the history of the word mucus; the long article focuses on the purpose of mucus.

Answer:

It would be the last one:

The short article focuses on the history of the word mucus; the long article focuses on the purpose of mucus.

Explanation:

If you read the two articles slowly, you can tell the difference between the two.

Have a wonderful day!!

How do Rosencrantz's feelings about his conversation
with the king and queen develop in this excerpt?
A. He becomes less concerned about the uncertainty
of their situation.
B. He begins to turn his frustration about the situation
toward Guildenstern.
C. He becomes more worried about how the king and
queen perceive him.
D. He begins to believe that he and Guildenstern are
incapable of completing the task.

learning task 3: write opinion or fact on a clean sheet of paper.
1.the sky is blue
2.the rarest fruit is dragonfruit
3.the biggest shark is 60 feet
4.english is the hardest subject
5.my mom is the best person

Why did the eyes of the people start to change? Dark They were, And Golden Eyed (The Naming of Names).

hello can you give me my english homework please ​

The wind was strong enough to blow leaves off the trees. A boy was walking down a blacktop path lined with oaks. The red and brown leaves fell through the air with each gust. The boy dribbled a ball down the path. "Behind you!" shouted a man on a bike. The boy dribbled the ball off the path and avoided the biker. "Sorry," shouted the biker as he sped away. The boy sighed and continued walking down the path, dribbling the ball. Narrator's Perspective: third person objective Explain how you know: 4​

read the story below write to each story by answering the question that follows i need now guys help me

why did war begin in the film the odyssey

What is the problem in the story because of the rabbit

He inhaled the ocean air. The ocean air was salty.

How did the literature of the Romantic Era differ from the Victorian Era?

The Story Is Louis Armstrong

Which of the following best describes the central idea of the text?

A. Louis Armstrong's family made him into the musician and person he became.
B. Louis Armstrong's legacy is largely forgotten because most of his music was not recorded.
C. Louis Armstrong overcame a challenging childhood and change music forever with his talent.
D. Louis Armstrong overcame a challenging childhood and became a famous actor around the world.

Can you please helpp

how is pride shown in to kill a mockingbird?

All trees grow more slowly as they get older.

Agree
Disagree


Explain why you voted the way you did.

How does Atwood use the historical notes to show that no real progress has been made in gender equality?

My sister plans to attend a High School in Montana
high school in Montana
High school in Montana
High School in montana
Correct as is

11. Lines 2720-2736: What is the most significant event that occurs at this point in the
play? Why is this event such an important part of the plot?
In diary of anne frank

Read the excerpts from Queen Elizabeth's speeches.

Excerpts from Queen Elizabeth I speeches. The first is from her Address to the Troops at Tilbury. The second is from her Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry.

Which best describes a difference in the types of rhetorical appeals used by Queen Elizabeth in these excerpts from her Address to the Troops at Tilbury and Response to Parliament's Request That She Marry?

When speaking to her troops, Queen Elizabeth appeals to logos to convince the troops of her capabilities as a leader. When speaking to Parliament, Queen Elizabeth appeals to pathos to make members feel ashamed of their request.
When speaking to her troops, Queen Elizabeth appeals to pathos to convince the troops of her capabilities as a leader. When speaking to Parliament, Queen Elizabeth appeals to logos to make members feel ashamed of their request.
When speaking to her troops, Queen Elizabeth appeals to logos to inspire and encourage her army. When speaking to Parliament, Queen Elizabeth appeals to pathos to provide rational explanations that convince lawmakers.
When speaking to her troops, Queen Elizabeth appeals to pathos to inspire and encourage her army. When speaking to Parliament, Queen Elizabeth appeals to logos to provide rational explanations that convince lawmakers.

(Text: Time capsule found on the dead planet)
How does structuring the poem in "ages" help the poet convey a message?
A. It highlights how resilient nature is, even as humans attempt to destroy it.
B. It highlights how humans became more empathetic for their world over time.
C. It highlights how greed caused humans' values to drastically change over time.
D. It highlights how young the world being described is, compared to other planets.

After reading paragraph 14, decide which statement would best be considered its main idea.
A) It had been Peter's job to handle the bottles and take in the coin.
B) A crowd reminded Peter of his earlier days selling tonic to the masses.
Perhaps someone with a kind and warm heart could provide relief to Peter.
D) For seven years of his young life he had been assistant to Pericles Fram.

. If you’re having a hard time visualizing the ideas in a peer’s report, what should you suggest?
Suggest that he or she move ideas and paragraphs around.
Suggest that he or she add more specific sensory details.
Suggest that he or she change the topic or focus of the report.
All of the above

It is your responsibility to organize a birthday party for your best friend. What are some things that need to be prepared? Write a short paragraph (6- 7 lines).​

Descriptive writing about before and during the rain ​

Is it important to know what was life long time ago

you bought yourself a new iPhone but it's not working. write a formal letter to the store to return it​

There are fewer difficulties in holding hereditary states, and those long accustomed to the family of their prince, than new ones; for it is sufficient only not to transgress the customs of his ancestors, and to deal prudently with circumstances as they arise, for a prince of average powers to maintain himself in his state, unless he be deprived of it by some extraordinary and excessive force; and if he should be so deprived of it, whenever anything sinister happens to the usurper, he will regain it.

–The Prince,
Niccolò Machiavelli

Which statement best summarizes the central idea of this excerpt?

Hereditary principalities are easier for princes to keep and control.
Hereditary princes are better at ruling with fairness and justice.
It is best for a hereditary prince to maintain the customs of his ancestors.
If an outsider takes a hereditary state, the hereditary prince will regain it.

Thomas Paine did not think colonists should fight for their independence from England. true or false

Choose The correct capitalization and punctuation .

s sure that she had never tried spaghetti.
In paragraph 7, what does the author mean by saying "Supphatra picked up the pace and
ashed me a playful smile"?
A Anna and Supphatra need to hurry to finish their shopping.
B. Anna has difficulty keeping up with Supphatra in the unfamiliar place.
C Supphatra enjoys the time she spends shopping with Anna.
D. Supphatra expects that Anna will be surprised by what happens next.

Identify the fragment in the selection. If the selection contains no fragment, select "Correct."

A) I am concerned about Tyler. B) He is ashamed to talk about his family. C) Because he feels responsible for his parents' divorce.

A
A

B
B

C
C

D