The Chemicals These chemicals that are produced by
our body in response to our lifestyles, are the signaling messengers that help each system communicate with one another. When balanced they can express health and when imbalanced can promote symptoms and disease. Of these many chemicals I will focus on two: Cortisol and Oxytocin.
Cortisol We have all seen the national geo-
graphic channel demonstrate a large herd of antelope as they become aware of a predator and take off running. The chemi- cals released in the antelope at that instant are meant to help the antelope survive, creating a sympathetic nervous system, fight or flight, reaction. These chemicals in- crease the heart rate, dilate blood vessels to muscles, increase blood sugar, and heighten senses. Cortisol is one of the main chemi- cals released to help aid in the immediate survival.
Cortisol is also released in humans during times of perceived or actual stress. Although we very rarely have a predator chasing us, we do have many potential stress triggers that our bodies were not initially designed to tolerate. What’s the dif- ference between the antelope and us? We tend to hold on to our stressors. The stressors that the majority of us experience on a day-to-day basis are not life threaten- ing but create the same reaction in our body as the antelope when faced with a predator. Those stressors often include interpersonal disagreements, financial instability, job insecurity, and caustic relationships. These stresses are not quick to come on and quick to resolve, as with the antelope. We tend to hang on to and allow our stressors to fester deep within our being. The fact is
that by constantly perceiving and thinking about these stressors we induce a continued release of cortisol, which causes us to be in the continuous stressed state of fight or flight.
Our bodies were not designed to handle constant stress. Eventually, the overload of stress (cortisol and endorphins) creates a variety of negative symptoms. Unfortunately, the majority of us are not like the antelope, which goes back to graz- ing after the fight or flight is resolved. We end up carrying the stress around with us, affecting not only our health but also those around us.
Cortisol is the self-preservation hor-
mone. When our bodies continually release cortisol we begin to become concerned only with our own survival, not that of our employees, our coworkers, and our friends or in some cases even our family. We are so preoccupied with all our stressors that we are unwilling and even unable to get out and nurture or help others succeed. We be- come focused solely on ourselves and may even take out our insecurities on others.
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is considered the love or bonding hormone. It is most commonly known for its secretion during and after childbirth, which promotes bonding be- tween mother and child. This hormone is responsible for feelings of love and friend- ship, trust and bonding. It is the feeling that overcomes us after helping someone achieve something and amazingly it is not only secreted when we are actively helping or being helped but also when we witness those acts. That feeling of satisfaction, that warm and fuzzy feeling is oxytocin, and without it we would struggle to make con- nections with others.
Cooperation and the ability to function as a community is something that has been engrained in us for centuries. If we, the hu- man race, didn’t rely on others throughout our evolution we would not be here today. Not only did our brains help us survive with ingenuity but our oxytocin chemical helped us trust in others which gave us the ability to form positive relationships and work with others to survive predators/en- emies, infection, weather, and the threat of starvation. Oxytocin, unlike cortisol, gives us the feelings of being calm, content and safe. It helps not only boost our mood but our immune system. Oxytocin is truly the chemical of well-being and the chemical of community. The balance of these powerful chemi- cals, including oxytocin and cortisol, were at the center of the formation of bonds in Roseto, PA. Our thoughts, perception of safety, self worth, belief in a higher power and our health are intricately connected. We must work toward developing positive relationships, goals, self worth and stress reducers for the health of ourselves and our community. Just as the systems of our body are
interconnected so are we within our com- munity. These relationships need balance and are constantly affecting one another, for good or for bad. My goal is to help you ad- dress your health from a wholistic perspec- tive, and examine the underlying lifestyle factors that hinder your ability to be the best that you can be, for you and others.
Your Health Detective, Dr Rudy Mueller, DC, IFMCP. See ad this page.
16 Essential Living Maine ~ June 2014
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