The Body Doesn't Lie by Vicky Vlachonis Read Free Book Online Page A

travel through the body—whether from inside (our thoughts) or from outside (everything in the world beyond our thoughts)—impact the hypothalamus, the thermostat of the brain. The hypothalamus helps control our body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sleep cycles—as well as our emotions. When something requires our immediate attention, the hypothalamus sends out messages to the brain stem/spinal cord and to the pituitary gland. These then send messages to the immune system, the autonomic nervous system (including the SNS and PNS), and the endocrine system (especially the adrenal glands, which release the stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol). Basically, the hypothalamus issues an all-points bulletin to the entire system: Hey, wake up! But if we’re not careful to consciously calm down and give our mind a rest after each onslaught, the chronic activation of our HPA threat system can take over our entire body.
    When the HPA axis has been consistently bombarded by repeated stress, whether from a sleep debt, repeated arguments, a bad diet, or chronic dissatisfaction with our job, this high burden keeps the “hopelessness hormone,” cortisol, coursing through our veins and causes the immune system to get swept up in a vicious cycle of stress and inflammation. A steady stream of cortisol increases blood sugar and releases more inflammatory cytokines. These messenger proteins then flip around and trigger the HPA axis again , releasing yet more cortisol, leading to even more inflammation . . . and the Negative Feedback cycle is functioning at full force. 16
    If we let this kind of stress go on too long, it can take a toll on every part of our body—especially thought and memory. We can start to lose brain cells, particularly in the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain. As delicate and complex as our brains are, their structure and function are exquisitely sensitive to the level of stress we endure throughout our lives. What was once a positive level of challenge can become a destructive level of stress if we don’t learn how to handle these challenges in a positive and productive way.
    And the brain isn’t the only victim. When the HPA axis and SNS are triggered again and again, we exert major wear and tear on our cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, immune, and nervous systems. 17 All that damage—and we do much of it to ourselves!
    In modern-day times, especially in the West, we rely almost entirely on the SNS to power us through our days. Think of all the SNS triggers we experience in a typical day:
The alarm buzzing in the morning
That first cup of coffee before breakfast
Road rage on the way to work
The constant “ping” of your e-mail inbox, bringing more demands
Crushing deadlines and demanding customers or bosses
An ever-rising workload due to recent (or threatened) layoffs
Road rage on the way home
Murder and mayhem on the 6:00 P . M . news (followed by a dismal economic report)
Kids screaming, laundry piling up, dog barking, spouse scowling
Phone ringing with invite and added stress due to scheduling issues
One last check of the e-mail before sleep—wow, so much to do tomorrow!
    We not only rely on the SNS; we become addicted to its powers. Adrenaline is a drug, after all—we can become chemically dependent on our stress response to get things done. 18 And our addiction to excitement and stress and productivity—even when we’re doing fun stuff—can become toxic and tip us into Negative Feedback.
    Luckily for us, the parasympathetic system is there to help us set the brake on this stress response. After the challenge is met—project done; confrontation over—the PNS releases beta-endorphins that help us cool down, loosen up our blood vessels, and get our digestive system back on track. It’s almost like pressing the RESET button. If the SNS is the accelerator that races us through a stressful fight-or-flight challenge, the PNS is the brake that slows us down to “rest and digest”