The Great Balancing Act power point – https://www.slideshare.net/coachpointer/homeostasis-4-themes-ppt
From the previous definition and the image above it is clear that homeostasis is the maintenance of a balanced internal environment. Homeostasis requires an orchestrated approach on a daily basis of feedback loops, structure and function, division of labour and interdependence of organ systems.
A properly working internal environment provides (homeostasis):
- maintains a constant body temperature through sweating, shivering, dilation/constriction of blood vessels at skin surface, insulation by adipose tissue, breakdown of adipose tissue to produce heat
- maintains the proper level of glucose in the body by the release of insulin and glucagon into the blood in response to rising and falling blood glucose levels,
- maintains the proper level of salt, water and sugar in the blood
- maintains the proper pH levels in various body parts body
- maintains the proper hormone levels in the body
- maintains a constant correct level of essential elements (e.g. copper/zinc) and nutrients, eliminating excesses
- maintains proper oxygen/carbon dioxide levels by an increase in breathing rate in response to increased carbon dioxide levels in the blood, and release of carbon dioxide into exhaled air from lungs
- maintains proper detection of viruses, bacteria, parasites and abnormal cells and mounts an appropriate immunoresponse
- maintains proper blood pressure by sending messages to the brain to increase or decrease
- maintains proper body weight, fat storage
- maintains proper body and brain chemistry
Toxins, the damage they do and other factors including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual stressors can interfere with the communication and feedback loops required for proper ongoing homeostasis. Some genetic factors can also be responsible for challenged homeostasis within the body.
What can you do to improve and maintain ongoing homeostasis in your body?
- eat a well balanced diet, taking lessons from the places in the world where people live the longest and the healthiest; without diseases common to North Americans – See the Blue Zones. See my post on Plant Slant Fare: For ‘a healthier you’
- live a balanced life. Life Balance: The Well-being Root.
- maintain ongoing adequate detoxification to ensure proper body communication, feed back loops and functions
- Two step detoxification: stop adding toxins and remove existing body pollution. Find out how in Chapter 6 of The Whole Person Well-being Equation which includes the Botanical Spa Therapy whole body detoxification recipe.
- Add natural symptom relief strategies. Use of ‘anti’ type of medications (antihistamines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antibiotics, antispasmodics, or antihypertensives) have been associated with memory loss issues.
- restore your body’s original correct settings, defaults and setpoints
- Customized body scan visualization help you to use your understanding about your homeostasis breaches and medical information to create correcting visualizations, bringing your body back into homeostasis. Find out how to in Chapter 6 of The Whole Person Well-being Equation, Self Help Thereapies & Tools: Visualization. Understand the power and scientific evidence of the power of visualization: You Can Change Your DNA.
- Life, body, mind and spirit balancing strategies found in The Whole Person Well-being Equation.
Wishing you a balanced body, mind, spirit and life!
Elisabeth Hines, C.N.C., C.B.P., Holistic Wellness Practitioner, Health by Design, email@example.com