Flesh, bones, skin, tendons, cartilage - all get their shape from collagen. All are shaped and nurtured by this mesh. This mesh turns out to be extraordinarily important to the way we look and feel. It is the main actor in the extracellular matrix, a support system necessary for the survival of every cell in the body. A term used loosely for it is, connective tissue .
Physiologists label it as ground substance .
It is much more than either term implies. Alfred Pischinger called it the ground system as this is the largest functioning system in the body, connected continuously into every nook and cranny, regulating every cell including brain cells, nerves, muscles, soft tissues, blood vessels, bones and organs. The extracellular matrix is the playground of holistic medicine. Its mesh is the part of our body that adapts first to every change in the environment, whether that be a change in temperature, nutrition, infection, toxicity, mental state or spiritual goal. In the mesh vibration patterns typical of chronic diseases, these ailments establish themselves, often years before the person becomes seriously ill.