At the end of the day, what we are all seeking is good health. Getting more specific, this means:
- high, stable energy
- avoidance of illness
- weight management (weight loss if necessary)
Based on the Reprogrammed Systems Model, this boils down to a more specific goal, metabolic homeostasis.
A primary component of metabolic homeostasis is proper insulin signaling, allowing for the tight control of blood sugar and the balance of the body’s energy stores. Expanding on this state of metabolic homeostasis and proper insulin signaling, the following sub-goals should be a regular part of the decision-making process (i.e. how will this decision affect this system in my body):
- Stable blood sugar – keeping blood sugar within a tight range is of utmost importance for the body. If blood sugar drops then tissues that ae dependent on glucose for fuel (e.g. the brain and red blood cells) cannot function, meaning death is a strong possibility. If blood sugar elevates too far, that sugar becomes acutely toxic, resulting in the damage of tissues and dysfunction of proteins. To maintain stable blood sugar, sugar levels must be lowered when carbohydrates are consumed and sugar must be properly released into the bloodstream from storage during periods of time when carbohydrates are not consumed
- Fat storage homeostasis – energy is stored when needed and then released later on for ATP synthesis, which means:
- fat is free to be stored and free to be released
- there exists a strong mitochondrial oxidative capacity for utilizing fats for ATP synthesis
Remember,
If the body loses its ability for proper insulin signaling:
- blood sugar fluctuates too far, resulting in energy crashes or glucose surges, both of which are damaging (when fluctuations are slight) and even life-threatening (when fluctuations go too extreme)
- excess energy is stored as fat, which may eventually build up in excess
If the body loses its ability for effective fat oxidation:
- fat builds up in the bloodstream (hyperlipidemia), which may lead to
- fat stored in excess in normal fat deposits (i.e. in adipose tissue)
- fat stored in abnormal fat deposits (in the muscle (IMTG), liver, or in/around other organs (visceral fat storage))
All of this is to say that energy balance goes much further than the simple concept of calories. When we only consider the total amount of energy in and energy out, we miss the important aspects of the picture, that being all of the mechanisms in between that energy entering and leaving the body
Energy takes different forms in the body, and ensuring that each form is properly regulated is important for many different aspects of health. These tasks are no easy feat to accomplish, but fortunately, your body has been designed with a complex network of organs and signaling molecules to get the job done.
Do yourself a favor and take some time to understand how your decisions impact this network so that you can program your body for a long, healthy life.