I Heart Guts » appendix

Your Heroic Appendix

gutsy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:45:06 +0000

Your guts bugging you? Turns out that’s a good thing. Until recently, the appendix has had a reputation as a shiftless organ with no known modern function, but evolutionary biologists now have a different idea — that it functions as a storage unit for good bacteria. They argue the good bacteria hangs out in the appendix until needed to replace ones flushed out by diarrhea or other nasty gut-bug killers. When the gut gets flushed out, the appendix — which is lined with immune system tissue — releases the good bugs back into the intestine. Today’s improved sanitary conditions leave our immune systems twiddling their thumbs to some extent, so the appendix is not needed as often as in the days when our ancestors were, say, eating raw meat and drinking water from streams. Without enough immunity battles to fight, and perhaps too much exposure to anti-microbial hand washes, the body begins picking battles with allergies and autoimmune disorders. Hence all the recent studies that say eating dirt is good for kids.

Test For Humans

gutsy — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:28:12 +0000

Considering the fact that I look at internal organs all day long for a living, my score on the name all the internal organs in four minutes quiz is shamefully bad. I only got 15 out of 24 total organs, isn’t that pathetic? Granted, it was mainly because I didn’t really read the directions and forgot to pluralize things like parathyroids and ovaries (and jeez, who knew the esophagus would be included, but skin wouldn’t? And they rejected spelling gallbladder as one word. I say, look it up in the dictionary, bitches). Anyway, learn from my mistakes, pluralize, and take the quiz. The clock does start ticking right away, so be ready to go when you click on the link and don’t dawdle like I did.

Digestive Party

gutsy — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:10:14 +0000

“How can you call yourselves I Heart Guts if you don’t have the gut?” one of our observant customers once asked us. Excellent question. Well, we’re pleased to announce that the next batch of gutsy plush pals will feature several major digestive system players — from left going clockwise, bladder, spleen (not a digestive system player, but hey), intestine (note the appendix at lower left!) and stomach. I won’t lie, I am really fond of the bladder and have been dying for him to come out. I only wish he was a squirting bath toy. Another good reason to visit us at Wondercon in San Francisco at the end of the month is a chance to fondle these new guts in person before they come out in late March. We’re also rolling out a new limited-edition plush, the Black Heart! This sad little guy was supposed to be an anti-Valentine’s Day plushie, but between getting them tested and getting them paid for with credit as it is, this Black Heart is going to pass over Valentine’s Day altogether. Which is appropriate, I guess. All these guys are child safe, but if you give your child a black heart, you might have some problems.