Biology Last Assignment

I chose my research topic because I have been affected by stress for a long time! Im sure that many people have a history of living in a stressful environment, or attending schools that are stressful or having stressful working conditions, and I am no different. I chose Stress as a topic because I wanted to know the biology of the stress reaction. Now that I know, not much has changed, its not like I can directly communicate with my sympathetic nervous system. But I do have more compassion for myself when I get stressed and recognize that to a certain extent the stress reaction is out of my control.

I am putting my notes from the presentation below, they are rough, just notes, but should be informative anyway.

What is Stress?

Stress - any uncomfortable emotional/mental/physical experience accompanied by predicable biochemical, physiological and behavioral changes.

Stress has a purpose - fight or flight - Prehistoric times and even now to a certain extent, helpful

Cortisol has a purpose - 

Resting cortisol levels - essential for normal functioning (waking up in the morning cortisol rises so you can perform your daily activities.

Reactive cortisol levels - increase in cortisol in response to stressor

Acute Stress - fight or flight 0 enhances immune system, memory, energy replenishment and cardiovascular function

vs.

Chronic Stress - generalized feeling that daily pressures constitute a threat 

Suppresses immune system (leading to inflammation and potentially its associated diseases) and memory, promotes bone and mineral loss, muscle wasting, metabolic syndrome

Metabolic Syndrome - cluster of conditions occurring together that increase risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Symptoms - increased blood pressure, high blood sugar level, excess body fat around waist, abnormal cholesterol levels

Symptoms of chronic stress - Anxiety, insomnia, fear, anger, sadness, chronic pain and illness, panic, GI distress, Fatigue, High blood pressure, headaches, weakened immune system to name just a a few common ones.

What is the physiological condition of stress in the Body?

Stress response system - hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis)

Autonomic Nervous System, subconscious. Stressors send the Sympathetic Nervous system into action. (increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar, suppresses digestive, reproductive and immune systems)

 This is the Endocrine system in action

Hypothalamus (regulates sleep, stress, sex, body temperature and hunger)

Stress is perceived, the 

Hypothalamus sends Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CHS) 

to Pituitary gland (Master gland) which releases 

adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) 

thru our blood to the 

Adrenal glands (Above kidneys). 

ACTH causes the Adrenal glands to release the two stress hormones, 

adrenaline and noradrenaline (first stage) 

and cortisol (Secondary Resistance Phase).

Adrenaline (epinephrine)- increases heart rate and blood pressure

Cortisol (glucocorticoids)- increases blood pressure, increases blood sugar and mobilizes fat and protein stores to help replenish lost energy. 

Stress response is supposed to shut off, but in todays world of persistent worry and activity, this doesn’t always happen. When release of coritsol and adrenaline is constant, the regulation of the endocrine system is thrown out of wack. 

Autonomic Nervous system - subconscious? not completely

The result is abnormal inflammation due to a suppressed immune system, weight gain and anxiety which is linked to many many diseases. Cancer, autoimmune, alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s, cardiovascular, depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and obesity etc.

Image of the HPA Axis

http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/content/stress/art2861.html?getPage=2

What can we do about Stress?

We need the right balance of these neurotransmitters to be healthy and react well to stress. Its not about avoiding stress, but being able to main thru it.

Might be helpful to become aware of a couple terms that you may see in your practice.

Allostasis - maintaining stability (homeostasis) thru change. Process of adaptation to acute stress

Allostatic Load - The wear and tear on the body which increases over time when an individual is exposed to repeated or chronic stress, allostatic load represents the physiological consequences of chronic exposure to fluctuating or heightened neural or neuroendocrine response that results from chronic stress.

Lifestyle! Attitude. Meditation. Mindfulness. Self-care. Love. Altruism.

Hierarchy

Studies of Baboons in Africa and study of English civil service, the lower the rank, the higher the stress and vice versa. Power and stress inversely related.

Lack of control - lack of agency contribute to stress. Decreasing these situations in your life.

Telemeres - protect the ends of chromosomes from fraying. stress accelerates the shortening of telemeres, which happens normally as we age

Compassion, caring for others, humor, connection may promote telemerase, which heals the effects of chronic stress on telemeters

Connecting with, helping others may help us heal ourselves and live longer, healthier lives

Creating conditions where people can flourish. Positive social affiliation is powerful and physiologically beneficial 

Finding an environment in which we feel in control, vital to a less stressful life. Finding where you are happy, a job where you are happy, a place to live where you are happy and connected.

Agency

Empowerment

Culture and social systems - creating a new world a new healthier culture - perhaps based on TCM

Don’t displace unhappiness

Giving rather than receiving

Mindfulness - 

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - decrease blood pressure, decrease stress, reduce anxiety and depression, etc.

Exercise

Sleep

balanced diet 

avoid tobacco, excess caffeine and alcohol

All these things are Preventative. Like TCM

Biochemistry Last Week!

I am not surprised that the FDA did not release important information to the public. Unfortunately :( I wish that I had more faith in the ability of governmental agencies to support and protect the citizens that pay their salaries... but I suppose what is happening here is that those salaries are perhaps being supplemented by corporations who will benefit if certain government organizations do not release certain information regarding certain products that may cause cancer when you put them in your mouth or on your body.
I have looked a little more deeply into a few subjects while in Larry's classes and what I am finding is that the human species as a whole is having to deal with new and accumulating pollutants more and more everyday. And the government is turning a blind eye, meaning, they are looking right at what is happening and not doing anything. I think a shift in perspective is necessary, from egocentrism to a global concern for continued life. What a time to be alive! I wonder if people always feel like that, like, this is such a crazy place! and things are going to shit! Does it always feel like the world is on the verge of disaster? Ive talked to some older friends (forty years older friends) who told me that it always feels like that... but then again forty years is not that long in the grand scheme of things. I don't know! Ha.

Biophysics Week 13

Would I support the development of a bionic person... well, initially I thought, yes, I would, especially for disabled people, bionic parts to help them function in society. The problem that I see with technology like this is that it has so many potential uses. It could so easily be used in armed forces. I won't even get into the potential implications of that kind of technology being used against 'regular' people.
This kind of question makes me think about how everything in a double edged sword. The greater the potential benefit, the greater the potential harm?

The 'locked in article' makes me think about western science and technology artificially extending life, and the question of quantity vs. quality... such a difficult and personal question. What constitutes life? I don't think any one can answer this question for anyone else. So the issues brought up in the article about whether the headset is actually communicating what the locked in patient wants to communicate is very problematic. How to ever prove that? The headset would need to be more sophisticated to demonstrate personal messages, not just a yes no and maybe.

Biochemistry week 13

The human species is living as if it had more than one planet to occupy... yeah, why is that!? I think that it is because we are no longer grounded in the production of food and material goods that it takes to survive. Specialization, the division of labor, has allowed us to develop into a society that doesn't know what it takes to produce shelter, clothing, food, light sources, etc. Technology, tv, facebook, iphone, etc keep us distracted and removed mentally from the present moment and we are no longer engaged with the material existence of the the human species and/or planet Earth. This last weekend I had to stop and think about when was the last time i walked barefoot on grass. I can't remember.
Capitalism. Money. Consumption. There I said it. How do we move into a space in which we understand the (social, economic, ecological) implications of our choices? What kind of education is required to instill in children the value of invisible others? If a child dies in a diamond mine... If a tree falls in the woods... are your ring laden hands covered in blood?
Like we talked about in class, how do you navigate a society in which there is no way to make a totally clean/benign choice? Are we always compromised, no matter what we do, are we complicit in the guilt of the oil companies just by virtue of living in the US? I don't know the answer to this question, thats why Im so interested in it. I watch individuals like the Dalai Lama and wonder if peace is the way. Who knew biochemistry was so philosophically heavy.

Biology Week 12

I think that parents should be aware of what they are having their children injected with... certainly yes they should have an active role in immunizing their tiny nugget that is made from their flesh.

I don't know whether immunization should be compulsory, I am personally on the fence about immunization. I don't get flu shots anymore. I read 'somewhere' (of course I can't actually back this up so would love to be corrected or informed) that immunization injections include heavy metals and other substances that may not be good for human health long term. I have also heard of serious negative consequences (long term) associated with the HPV vaccine that is being pushed on almost all young women today (before they are even sexually active ideally, according to western medicine).
From my understanding the people who are creating these immunizations are interested in getting paid for them, and are not necessarily releasing all the information that would create informed, truly consenting consumers. Surprise!
I was immunized as a child and seem to be ok, except for the constant insanity... but now with all of the information that I have seen on the medical industry I have a hard time imagining just going along with a western doctor's advice to immunize... I guess I am in support of people being able to make their own decision of whether to immunize their children or not.

Biophysics Week 12

The issue of acupuncture as energy medicine brings up the question, for me, of what matter is. It seems to me in the Western world that we take for granted the surface, that we are what we can see. And while I do believe that our bodies are part of what makes up our 'selves', I think there is more to it. Energy is flowing through us, whether we feel it or not. And I think belief, or open-ness, has a lot to do with whether a person is in touch with their own subtle energies or not.

What I draw from Kirlian photography is that this is another area of work in which the subtle energies are being shown to exist. That what we can see is not all of what is there.

I have had many experiences with intent. The healers who have had the most profound effects on me are those who believe in the power of intention. Intention is really hard to talk about in others because in a certain sense we cannot know the intentions of others. But in another sense we can, or at least in certain circumstances, I can intuit the intentions of others. My gut will tell me whether someone is on the level or not. My nerves will tell me whether I am putting my physical or emotional self at risk, regardless of what someone says, these feelings come through and speak to me. Unfortunately sometimes I don't listen, but this happens I can realize that my own intention was off somehow, that I didn't intend for the benefit of everyone involved, that I had other intentions that were misaligned with my safety/comfort. Anyway, now I am rambling about intention in general, not intention and healing.
I do believe that the intention of the healer and the intention of the patient have an effect on the outcome of treatment. But I don't know what else to say about this as it is subjective.

Biochemistry Assignment Week 12

I have a really hard time believing that nuclear power is an ok source for human energy needs... I feel like we are setting ourselves up for disaster by creating all of these nuclear power plants all over the world. It makes me sad and nervous for myself and all of the children just coming into the world now who will probably have to deal with these and other issues of pollution and contamination.

I checked out the link for viruses. I am amazed by viruses. They are not technically alive... but they propel themselves through time and space. They contain DNA or RNA, not both, and have a protective capsule, but require a host for energy (ATP) and ribosomes which they hijack to produce their own proteins. It makes you wonder about our definition of living... What kind of consciousness can a virus have? Any? Are viruses creatures? The images of viruses on the link made them look like robots... so bizarre I cannot fathom the implications of the existence of viruses. They can be great metaphorically... I think we all know some creatures that do not seem creative, seem to feed off of others and not contribute, make you wonder if there's anyone in there with a conscience.