An example used in this section is GLUCONEOGENESIS. Gluconeogenesis is one of the body processes (chemical reaction) from hundreds of other body processes which is involved in increasing the blood glucose level, by using noncarbohydrate substances as substrate and giving an end product or intermediate product as glucose. It helps to bring blood glucose level to normal when it is dropping, especially in between meals. If this process is not under the control of the body force, then either this process will slow down leading to hypoglycemia or if the pace of this process increases then it may cause Diabetes Mellitus (chronic disease). Thus, if the blood glucose is to be in normal range, this process should be under the control of the body force.

Brief introduction of body force, disease, and health

The body is either in a healthy or diseased state. Be it in a healthy or diseased state we can see the same thousands of chemical reactions (body process) going on in both the states and each body process, be it healthy or diseased, utilizes the same chemical materials, cells and tissues and derive its energy from the mitochondria present in the cell, but what makes the difference between these 2 states is the control of the body force i.e., in the healthy state each and every body process (chemical reaction) is under the control of the body force while in the diseased state the same body process is not under the control of the body force.

Health: Body force --> Normal Body process (because under the control of body force and uses chemicals + cell, organs + energy)

Disease: Body force --> Deviated Body process (because it is not under the control of the body force i.e., Uncontrolled and uses chemicals + cell, organs + energy same as in health)

Each chemical reaction starts with a substrate releasing many intermediate products and ends with the formation of end products. These intermediate and end products are then released in the body fluids in the form of chemicals and may form
- substrate for another chemical reaction
- form an integral part of some cell or tissue structure.
- remain in the body fluids to form an integral part of intracellular or extracellular chemicals inclusions either in modified or unmodified form.
- excreted out of the body via excretory organs.

Thus, the level of each chemical is maintained in the range, and it depends on the chemical reaction (chemical process) which either generates, stores, utilizes, modifies, or excretes it out of the body. In the healthy state, all the body processes (chemical reactions e.g., gluconeogenesis) are carried out in a controlled manner under the action of the body force and thus the chemical concentration (e.g., normal blood glucose level) in the body fluids along with normal structure of cell and tissue is maintained within the normal range.

In the diseased state, the body processes (e.g., gluconeogenesis) is the same, utilizing same body machinery, same energy, but the chemical reaction (e.g., gluconeogenesis) is now malfunctioning or deviated and is not under the control of the body force leading to an abnormal chemical concentration (e.g., increased blood glucose level) in the body fluids and alter the structure of cells and tissues leading to death of the patient in the near future if the body process is not rectified within a stipulated time by proper treatment.

Medical testing in very simple terms is a procedure performed to detect, diagnose, or monitor a disease condition, and determine the course of treatment, or to know a disease process, etc.

Investigation at present is of the following types:
a) Laboratory testing: by using body fluids (blood, serum, plasma, amniotic fluid, etc.), excreta (urine, stool, etc.), pathological fluids (pus, etc.)
b) Scanning: X Ray, CT scan, MRI scan, PET scan, etc.
c) Histopathological studies: Studying the structure of cells and tissues obtained from biopsy or any other method.
d) Scopy: Using a camera and viewing the organ with naked eye or on a computer screen.
e) nstrumental testing: Using medical instruments to test certain functions of organs like ECG, tread mill, audiometry, genetic testing, etc.

When we carry out investigations, be it in a healthy or diseased state, we can only know the levels of the chemicals (substrate, end products, intermediate products) or structure, consistency, size, shape, and number of cells that are normal or abnormal in comparison with set normal values.

Let us understand by taking an example of diabetes mellitus in which one of the signs is increased blood glucose level

Explanation: Glucose can be an end product (result of one body process from many like glycogenolysis or gluconeogenesis which increases blood glucose level) or it can be a substrate (entering in a body process e.g., glycogenesis or glycolysis which decreases the blood glucose level) and with the help of these processes among many other processes glucose level in the blood is maintained in normal range. If blood glucose level is deviated from the normal range and is not brought back to normal by the body, then it is indirectly understood that there is a defect in one or more processes in the body which maintains the blood glucose level in normal range. The glucose balancing mechanism is hampered either at the level of glucose as the end or intermediate product or as a substrate.

The investigation only tells you the level of glucose in the blood and will stamp you as diabetic or nondiabetic, but it will not tell you anything about how much and which body process is deviated leading to an alteration in the blood glucose level. If all the treatment is directed only to bring glucose level within normal range without rectifying the underline deviated processes, then the treatment is incomplete and the patient will suffer from other complications of diabetes in future like heart attack, kidney failure, stroke, etc. leading to multiorgan failure and death.

Investigations cannot pick up a failing or failed body process but will tell if the values of the chemical in the body are in the normal or abnormal range. Investigations do play a very important role in the medical field, especially in acute diseases and also in chronic diseases, but it is misused many times. Too much dependency on investigations has harmed the human society. It is very important to know how investigations should be interpretated and when and how much weightage should be given to it especially when it is showing normal outcome in the person who has some symptoms which is a sign of a deviated body process e.g., increasing weight in a short span of time may be a sign of hypothyroidism but the investigations may show normal levels for T3, T4 , and TSH. So, doing the investigations year on year with results showing normal and ignoring the present bodily symptoms and relying only on investigations is a great blunder (refer to section of CONCEPT OF SYMPTOMS AND ITS ROLE IN INVESTIGATION).