Chapter 2 Entry

     When thinking of the brain, we often underestimate the power and the abilities that the brain carries out on a daily basis.  After reading Chapter 2, I got a better understanding of the brain and its functions. Everything that we do is processed through the brain! I am reminded of a time that I did community service at Volunteer Farms with a campus ministry that I am apart of.  Thinking back on the events of that day, I am reminded of how the brain carried out its many functions.  

             

     Being out in the heat, we became a little hot due to the sun beaming down on us.  We were aware of this temperature increase due to the hypothalamus, which is located in the limbic system and regulates body maintenance. It lets us know when we are hot, cold, hungry, etc.  The motor cortex, which controls the voluntary movements, allowed me to do all of the hard work which consisted of picking the produce and hauling it back to the farm. While walking in the field, I accidentally stepped on a few tomatoes and I could feel the mushiness under my foot.  This sensation came from the sensory cortex which processes body touch and movement sensations.  The sensory cortex also came into play when I would hold the tomato in my hand and touch its smooth surface. My visual cortex allowed me to process all of the striking sights from nature’s beauty.  Just knowing that all of the sights and smells came from different parts for the brain is pretty amazing.  The brain is way more the just a big piece of tissue located in our head; it is what allows us to carry out our daily functions to survive!