Understanding Homeostasis

Homeostasis is about the body maintaining the status quo. The word homeostasis comes from a Greek root “homio” which means “one and the same”. Homeostasis refers to any process that maintains the necessary conditions for survival. The human body, in general, is incredibly miraculous. There are millions of things the body does that we really have no control over, the body does it on auto-pilot. It is a great work of art that has no rival. After millions and millions of years of evolution, it built-in itself the ability to watch, adapt, and keep itself from any changes that may occur. It is true adaptability.

Homeostasis regulates the internal conditions of the body to remain stable. In fact, after some time, the body establishes a normal condition and tries to maintain it. Thus, new habits are formed. When we continually eat more calories than our bodies need, the body will set this surplus calorie situation as the status quo. It has all the carbs it needs to run the body and begins to store the excess. Your body becomes an expert on storing fat! It becomes such an adept fat storing machine, you begin to feel hungrier and hungrier as your body stores more and more fat. It can then become a machine that is hard to stop.

Unfortunately, the body stops recognizing that creating homeostasis in fat storing is creating other problems such as the squeeze on the organs and blood vessels in the abdomen from too much fat gain. Then you have high blood pressure. The continual release of insulin that decreases the bodies sensitivity to insulin making your body inefficient in dealing with sugars. This is the cause of type 2 diabetes. Your body responds to these side effects as separate incidents. It responds to the increase blood pressure with its own set of blood pressure protocols: increase heart rate, vasodilates blood vessels, etc. It starts trying to get rid of excess sugars through the kidneys. All of these responses are homeostasis is process. Your body’s homeostatic process does not recognize fat gain or overeating calories as the issue. It is a reactive system and simply responds to the environment in which it finds itself.

Treat your body better: Your body will treat you better.

The good news is the body has a short-term memory. Give the body different parameters to react and it will respond in kind. This means you can create new habits. You’ve got to change your game, if you want to see positive changes. Turn your body into a fat burning machine instead of a fat storing machine.