Homeostasis
I discussed on my home page about homeostasis and how our bodies have set points that our bodies will always try and reach. Trying to change our bodies without changing these set points is a formula for failure. If we want to change our bodies, we need to change these set points.
Here, I want to discuss how we change these set points. Some we can’t change, for example, the set point for temperature is 37ºC, and that is it, our bodies will always try and keep our body temperature at 37ºC regardless of what we do.
But the most important set points we want to change are where, how much, and what sorts of fat we store. While genetics plays a small role, it seems that set points are determined by two factors: how we train our subconscious brain and the microbes in our gut.
Training our subconscious brain
It appears that our subconscious brain decides the set points.
However, it does not do this in isolation; it is in continuous communication with our gut biota and also sensors in our various organs which have sensors which can determine mineral or vitamin deficiencies.
If we are eating a diet which contains adequate supply of both these essential mineral like iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium, potassium, copper, iodine and selenium or essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, and K the subconscious head-brain will send out signals to the gut-brain to produce hormones which make as feel satisfied so we stop eating and the natural set point will prevail.
If, however, there are any deficiencies or an imbalance in the distribution of minerals or vitamins, then the hormones will not be released, we will overeat, and over time, the set point will change.
The good news is that all these essential minerals and vitamins are easy to incorporate into a balanced, healthy diet.
There is no need to become a pill popper; just eat real food.
Changing our Gut Biota
It has been known for many years, and proven many times, that changing the microbes in our gut can make fat people skinny and skinny people fat. It can also have major effects on our mood and our immune system.
But changing our gut biota is not as simple as it seems. For a start, our gut biota live largely in our lower gut, so any new microbes will have to pass through the acid in our stomach and our upper gut to reach the important lower gut.
Another difficulty is that microbes have a short life span; they are living, breeding, and dying in a state of dynamic equilibrium.
But again, this can easily be resolved by breeding microbes in soil, under controlled conditions, so beneficial out outcompete any harmful microbes, growing plants in the soil so the microbes enter the plants, then eating the plants while fresh before the microbes die.
Again, a relatively simple process that can be combined with supplying essential minerals and vitamins and eating real food.
People are all different, so there is no universal formula for living a long and healthy life, but what is clear is that eating the right food should be the first approach.
It is a regrettable, but still a fact, that our modern food system is deficient in minerals, vitamins, and above all, the beneficial microbes which should be enhancing our gut biota.
But you can join the Gbiota social movement here and join a group of people determined to improve their health by eating the right amount of the right food.
