Life
The human body does some pretty gross things. No matter the age, shape, and size, bodies do more disgusting things than you might have previously known. Even beyond vomiting, pooping, farting, and producing buckets of saliva, sweat, and mucus, there's a whole lot going on beneath the skin that isn't all that pretty. But it is necessary. In fact, there are many gross things about the human body that are totally normal, and in no way indicate a person has poor habits, poor hygiene, or a larger health issue.
Some mornings, you might wake up with crusty bits (or an ooey gooey mess) in the corner of your eyes. Some days you might focus a little more on your gut bacteria. Sometimes you get a little extra mucus-y when you get sick. These are just some of the many things that the human body does that are, frankly, downright disgusting. The human body is amazing, with the capabilities of doing nearly-magical things. Pregnancy, bone and cell regeneration, and the like are all powerful and awe-inspiring, but those eye crusties, "old people smell," and mountains of saliva and mucus aren't quite as magical. Just because they're gross, however, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with them. Here is just a sampling of the super gross things your body does that are just part of the norm.
1
It's Full Of Bugs And Bacteria
According to the BBC, about 90 percent of the cells that make up the human body are parasitic. Your body is positively teeming with bugs and bacteria that live, essentially, off of you. You likely don't notice them all that often unless there's something going on with your gut, but they're there, hanging out with you forever.
2
It Produces Around One Liter Of Mucus Daily
You make think your body only produces mucus when you have a cold, but it's actually a 24/7 job. According to Mashable, your body produces about one liter of mucus every day. It's gross, but also completely normal and doesn't mean you're sick.
3
It Produces Eye Gunk
The little crusty pieces that collect in the corners of your eyes might actually be grosser than you thought. According to Seventeen, you get them because you're not blinking at night, and blinking helps your eyes get rid of all of the gross stuff. The Seventeen article references a YouTube video made by SciShow, which claimed that these eye boogers are made up of your eye's naturally-produced lubrication, dirt, dust, lint, bacteria, and dead cells. Obviously, if things start to get to the point where it's hard to open them due to all that gunk in the morning, you might need to make an appointment with your doctor, but otherwise it's nothing to worry about.
4
It Has About 25 to 30 Feet Of Intestines
That's right, bodies have anywhere from 25 to 30 feet of intestines that make up a very important part of your digestive system, according to the previously-mentioned Mashable article. That means that anything you eat or drink has to go through all of that after leaving the stomach and before getting to it's final destination (without getting too gross). If you're a relatively tiny person, knowing that there's 25 feet or more of intestines all up in your abdominal cavity is pretty mind-blowing.
5
Its Organs Move On Roller Coasters
You know that stomach in your throat feeling that comes from riding on roller coasters? Your organs are actually moving a little bit when that happens. In an interview with Reader's Digest, gastroenterologist Dr. Maged Rizk said that your loosely-connected organs move a bit, which your nerves pick up on and send your body the message that things are not A-OK. Don't worry, though, there's no permanent damage from these experiences — everything settles back where it should be.
6
It Has Mites Living In Its Eyelashes
According to the website for MTV UK, there are mites that actually live in your eyelashes. They live their whole lives tucked up in your lashes (but supposed don't poop?) and you never even know it. They also tend to lay eggs and mate near the hair follicles, which, for some reason, seems extra gross.
7
It Has A Different Scent At Different Ages
You know that distinctive "old person" smell? Well, it turns out that older people and babies aren't the only ones with scents. According to the previously-mentioned article from Reader's Digest, middle-aged people and younger people also have their own smells, which aren't as good as that of older people and babies. So, yes, you really do smell.
8
It Has All Kinds Of Gunk Stuck In Its Tonsils
If you still possess your own set of tonsils, they're basically chock full of all kinds of gunk. According to the aforementioned Mashable article, there are little pockets in your tonsils that fill with mucus, dead cells, and bacteria. For most people it's completely normal, but for some it leads to things like tonsil stones, which are kind of like kidney and other stones, but, you guessed it, located in your tonsils instead.
9
Its Oily Underarm Sweat Is Eaten By Bacteria
Ever wonder why the sweat from underneath your arms smells worse than that from some of the other places you sweat? According to the previously-mentioned Reader's Digest article, this is because the sweat glands under your arms and in your groin release something oily, which bacteria eat, producing that stinky smell. Gross.
