Balance is the Key to Good Health

Balance. Your body craves it. The technical term for balance in the body is “homeostasis”. The definition of homeostasis is “the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes”. When the body is unable to maintain a homeostatic environment, disease and death are sure to follow. Just like our bodies crave balance, our exercise routines should be balanced and in moderation as well.

One example of our bodies’ amazing ability to self-regulate is body temperature. We are wired to stay at about 98.6 degrees. When we are sick or when we exercise, our bodies produce sweat to help cool us off by evaporation. When we get cold, our bodies shiver to help raise our internal temperature.

Blood sugar levels are highly regulated. When there is too little blood sugar floating around, the body produces glucagon to release glucose from the liver. After you eat, the body produces insulin in order to shunt glucose into the muscles and liver. (Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas. Its job is to take glucose out of the blood and shuttle it into muscles and the liver as well as promote fat storage and affect your cholesterol levels.

Set Point Theory and Balance

Set Point Theory helps explain why body weight stays fairly stable for long periods of time. Set point is the weight range in which your body is programmed to function optimally. Set point theory holds that one’s body will fight to maintain that weight range. The hypothalamus takes in information from the many different areas of the body to manipulate food intake and energy expenditure to maintain a certain weight.

Sleep is also regulated by our circadian rhythms. The body needs time to reset itself; this tim is used for muscles to heal and the brain to “file” all of the days happenings.

After reading this you might be inclined to think that since you are so self-regulated, why should you bother with anything? Nothing could be further from the truth! Yes, our amazing bodies control many things, but ultimately, it is the choices we make that allow for the expression of homeostasis. We can choose to go to bed earlier and get the proper amount of sleep. We can choose to eat the right amount of the right types of foods to control our insulin levels and body composition.

Resistance training might just be the best way for you to exert control over your mind and body! Resistance training keeps your activity levels high and gradually increases your strength and endurance, meaning that you won’t be overwhelmed by the things you do everyday but instead have the strength and stamina to meet each challenge head on.