Glucose Dysregulation and Stress: A Detailed Overview

Glucose Handling: Parasympathetic vs. Sympathetic Perspective

Glucose regulation is intricately connected to the body's autonomic nervous system, which comprises two main branches: the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) and sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous systems. These two systems maintain homeostasis and adapt the body's metabolism to changing demands.

Parasympathetic (Rest-and-Digest): The parasympathetic nervous system is dominant when the body is at rest. It promotes digestion, absorption, and storage of nutrients, including glucose. After consuming food, parasympathetic stimulation:

• Promotes Insulin Secretion: The pancreas releases insulin, which facilitates the uptake of glucose into cells for energy use or storage as glycogen.

• Enhances Cellular Glucose Uptake: Insulin signals target cells (muscle, liver, and fat) to increase glucose transporter proteins (GLUT4) on their surfaces, enabling glucose to enter the cells.

• Glycogenesis: Glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle tissues.

Sympathetic (Fight-or-Flight): In response to stress, the sympathetic nervous system dominates. It triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline (epinephrine), which prepare the body for immediate energy needs:

• Gluconeogenesis & Glycogenolysis: Cortisol and adrenaline stimulate the liver to break down glycogen into glucose (glycogenolysis) and create glucose from non-carbohydrate sources (gluconeogenesis). This raises blood sugar levels, ensuring energy availability during stress.

• Inhibits Insulin Secretion: Elevated cortisol and adrenaline suppress insulin, preventing glucose from being taken into cells and ensuring it remains in the bloodstream for immediate use.

• Lipolysis: Fat stores are broken down to release free fatty acids for alternative energy, further reducing reliance on glucose.

Stress-Induced Glucose Dysregulation

Chronic stress, whether psychological, emotional, or physical, can lead to persistent sympathetic activation. Over time, this sympathetic dominance leads to several problems in glucose handling:

1. Hyperglycemia: Prolonged stress continuously elevates blood glucose due to persistent cortisol and adrenaline release, promoting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis.

2. Insulin Resistance: Repeated stress exposure and elevated blood glucose can lead to cells becoming less responsive to insulin, which contributes to insulin resistance—a hallmark of Type 2 diabetes.

3. Beta-cell Exhaustion: The pancreas is overworked to produce more insulin to compensate for high glucose levels. Eventually, the beta cells (insulin-producing cells) can become exhausted, worsening glucose dysregulation.

4. Fat Deposition and Metabolic Syndrome: Chronic high cortisol also promotes fat storage, especially around the abdomen, contributing to metabolic syndrome, further exacerbating glucose dysregulation.

The Role of Stress Reduction in Reversing Glucose Dysregulation

Addressing stress is crucial for breaking the cycle of glucose dysregulation. By restoring balance in the autonomic nervous system, parasympathetic activity can be promoted, leading to:

• Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Lower stress means reduced cortisol and adrenaline, allowing insulin to function more effectively, and decreasing the risk of insulin resistance.

• Balanced Glucose Production: Parasympathetic dominance supports proper digestion, absorption, and glucose storage, preventing excessive glucose production from the liver.

• Cellular Glucose Uptake: With reduced stress hormones, cells become more responsive to insulin, enabling efficient glucose uptake and energy use.

How Resonate Wellness Chiropractic Addresses Stress-Related Glucose Dysregulation

Resonate Wellness is a holistic practice that integrates techniques such as Neuro Emotional Technique (NET), Body Code, Quantum Neurology (QN), and others to address both the physiological and emotional stressors contributing to glucose dysregulation. Here's how these can help:

• Neuro Emotional Technique (NET): NET identifies and resolves underlying emotional stressors, which are often stored in the nervous system. By addressing these, NET can reduce the body's chronic stress response, shifting the autonomic balance toward parasympathetic dominance, thereby improving insulin sensitivity and glucose handling.

• Body Code: Body Code aims to identify imbalances in energy, emotions, and body systems. By releasing trapped emotions and correcting imbalances, it can help reduce the body's stress load, fostering a more balanced autonomic response and improving metabolic functions, including glucose regulation.

• Quantum Neurology (QN): QN focuses on nervous system rehabilitation. By optimizing nervous system function through light therapy and neurological corrections, the body can better manage stress, improving both sympathetic and parasympathetic balance. This contributes to improved insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic health.

Chronic stress and glucose dysregulation are deeply interlinked due to the effects of the autonomic nervous system on insulin production and glucose metabolism. These holistic techniques target both the emotional and physiological root causes of stress, thereby promoting a parasympathetic shift. This allows for better glucose handling and long-term reversal of dysregulation through improved insulin sensitivity, reduced stress hormone output, and enhanced nervous system function.

Citations:

Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers. Holt Paperbacks.

Epel, E. S., et al. (2004). "Stress and body shape: stress-induced cortisol secretion is consistently greater among women with central fat." Psychosomatic Medicine, 66(5), 632-637.

Black, P. H. (2003). "The inflammatory response is an integral part of the stress response: Implications for atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, Type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome X." Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 17(5), 350-364.