Homeostasis
Homeostasis & Science Based Nutrition
HOMEOSTASIS
A very basic principle of Naturopathic Medicine is re-storing, stabilizing, then strengthening, and then maintaining a very complete / rounded state of “Homeostasis.” Homeostasis is a condition by which the biological / physical body is not lacking any nutrients; that all needed nutritional components are readily available in their proper forms and amounts so every biological function can operate unimpeded. When various nutrients are lacking, some bodily functions will be undernourished. The “essential” bodily functions will receive their proper nutrients first so life can continue. “Non-essential” bodily functions will then suffer due to lack of all nutrients needed for their full function. Examples of non-essential bodily functions are: hair, skin, sexual function, muscles, tendons, vertebral discs, etc. Examples of essential bodily functions are: heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, etc. After the body has received all the nutrients it needs for the essential bodily functions, then the non-essential complaint receives its needed nutritional components and those complaints will usually resolve on their own.
While conventional medical procedures might focus only on the symptoms of the non-essential complaints when those are the patient’s primary complaints (using lots of drug therapy); restoring complete homeostasis usually allows both the non-essential plus the essential problems to be repaired naturally, at the same time.
It is not enough just to take a daily multiple vitamin / mineral tablet. Often, many other natural supplementations will be required (some short term), to return your health back to normal. Science Based Nutrition is based upon repeatable testing and can be monitored as often as needed by retesting. Blood, hair, urine and stool must be tested. (The blood test must be complete! Most insurance companies only allow certain parts of a blood test to be performed.) A very complete medical history, detailed list of current symptoms, plus a list of all past and present prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs must be analyzed. All drugs, whether over-the-counter or prescription, have negative side effects and almost always deplete some essential nutrients, even if those nutrients are consumed in normal amounts. The amounts of toxins, heavy metal toxicity, etc, will also dictate what additional nutritional factors will be needed to repair a lacking state of Homeostasis and address the problems caused by those negative influences and potential toxic poisonings. Exposure to environmental toxins, work related toxins, etc., will also influence the nutrients depleted / now required. Emotional stresses also play a very strong role.
We now know from recent medical discoveries, there can be up to a 10,000 % increase in nutritional needs from one patient to another. (Revealed through the discovery of “Single Nucleotide Polymorphins,” of which, over 2 million SNPs have already been identified.)
To think that all human beings have identical nutritional needs without any further thoughts or considerations, is unsound.
All of the above factors, plus more, must be computed when determining the best “therapeutic” nutritional program for each patient as a single individual.
Some dietary changes are almost always required. Some specific foods may be recommended to you due-to their nutritional value, in your particular state of health. Plus, some other foods are “empty” in nutritional value, while others may be over-loaded with unnatural components like “trans fatty acids” verses “ natural “cis fatty acids.” Food additives and food colorings also cause many problems and can substantially increase the needs for certain nutritional factors.
All of these components, including others, must be included to determine what therapeutic nutritional factors are needed to bring back a healthy state of “homeostasis.” Thorough retesting can demonstrate improvements in health long before physical changes are experienced, thus assuring the patient that he/she is progressing nicely.