Most of my writing focuses on recent advances in medicine or advice for a healthy lifestyle.

Today’s message is a little different — it’s about the miracle of life itself.

Let’s begin at the very start: when mom and dad come together to create new life.

An average male ejaculate contains about 100,000,000 sperm. Of those, only around 5,000,000 make it past the cervix into the uterus. From there, just 100 to 500 reach the end of the fallopian tube where the egg awaits. Incredibly, they cover this six-inch journey in mere minutes — equivalent to an adult swimming 20 miles in 20 minutes!

Once a sperm reaches the egg, only one succeeds in fertilizing it. At that moment, a remarkable chemical barrier forms, blocking all other sperm from entering. Inside, the sperm’s 23 chromosomes pair perfectly the egg’s matching 23 chromosomes. Together, they create a single master cell — one that, over the next nine months, becomes a living, breathing baby.

So, what’s the lesson, besides complex but simple biology?

You are a miracle. Your body is the result of an extraordinary biological journey. If all goes well, it will carry you through 80 to 90 years of life. But this miracle requires your care. It functions best with regular movement (any activity helps), a healthy diet, good sleep, maintaining a normal weight and avoiding harmful substances.

Do you appreciate your miracle?

Dr. Charlie Barnett is a contributor at KnoxTNToday for a weekly column, DocTalk, providing his expertise on health and wellness management.

Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook and Instagram.   Get all KnoxTNToday articles in one place with our Free Newsletter.