
The word “homeostasis” describes the body’s ability to maintain relatively stable internal
conditions even though the outside world is constantly changing. Communication within
the body is essential for homeostasis and is accomplished mainly by the nervous and
endocrine systems.
The endocrine system consists of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, thyroid
gland, parathyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, ovaries and testes. All of the organs
of the endocrine system are glands. Glands secrete hormones or chemical messengers into the bloodstream which have the potential to change the function of almost all of the
body’s cells and tissues. When a gland is working harder than the body needs it to, the
hormone system switches off; when the body needs the gland to speed up, the nervous
system turns on the switch again.
The hypothalamus, located at the base of the brain, acts like radar receiving incoming
information from the nervous system. It then uses this information to coordinate hormone
production, producing regulatory or releasing hormones; these travel a short distance
through special blood vessels and nerve endings to the pituitary gland, which is often
referred to as the “master gland”. When the control system malfunctions – either too
much or too little of a particular hormone is secreted, or when an organ or tissue does not
respond efficiently – the results can lead to thyroid disorders, diabetes, osteoporosis, pre-
menstrual syndrome (PMS), depression, cancer and many other disorders.
The effectiveness of the hypothalamus is directly proportional to the functional capability
of the nervous system to send and receive nerve messages and especially to maintain
the integrity of those nerve messages as they travel along the spinal cord. Subluxations
interfere with the normal flow of nerve impulses and can either cause an increase or
decrease of nerve activity.
When the spine is in its optimum structural position, the nervous system is protected
and the integrity of nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain is at an optimal level.
This is when the control system of the body can best achieve homeostasis. Have you had
your spine checked for subluxation or sub-optimal structural position? If not, schedule an
appointment today to do so, your body’s homeostasis depends on it!