Homeostasis is a term that refers to any self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival . If homeostasis is disrupted , it must be controlled or a disease may result . can be caused by nutritional deficiencies or toxicity . The major causes of nutritional deficiencies are insufficient intake of food , inability to absorb nutrients , and consumption of diets that lack some of the essential nutrients .
HEALTH MATTERS
What Is Homeostasis ?
By Kepha Nyanumba
Health is not a static condition but represents a fluid range of physical and emotional well-being that require mechanisms to maintain a constant internal environment . Homeostasis is a term that refers to any self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival . If homeostasis is disrupted , it must be controlled or a disease may result .
Your body systems work together to maintain balance . If this balance is disrupted and homeostasis is not maintained , the results may not allow normal functioning of the body . Although virtually all diseases involve homeostatic imbalances in some way , there are many different underlying causes of disease . For example , some diseases are caused by pathogens which are agents usually microorganisms that cause disease .
Diseases caused by pathogens are called infectious , or communicable diseases because pathogens can spread the diseases by moving from host to host . Types of pathogens that commonly cause human diseases include bacteria , viruses , fungi , and protozoa . Examples of infectious diseases include the common cold , influenza , chickenpox , cholera , and malaria .
Diseases that are not caused by pathogens are called non-infectious diseases . They are also called non-communicable diseases because they do not spread from person to person . Examples of non-infectious diseases include diabetes , most types of cancer , and cardiovascular diseases . There are numerous possible causes of non-infectious diseases . They include unhealthy lifestyle choices , inherited mutations and exposure to environmental toxins such as air pollution .
Disruption of Homeostasis
Many homeostatic mechanisms keep the internal environment within certain limits . When the cells in your body do not work correctly , homeostatic balance is disrupted . Homeostatic imbalance is a fluctuation from equilibrium that changes the body ’ s internal environment and prevents it from going back to equilibrium .
Homeostatic imbalance may lead to a state of disease and cellular malfunction . This
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Homeostasis is a term that refers to any self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival . If homeostasis is disrupted , it must be controlled or a disease may result . can be caused by nutritional deficiencies or toxicity . The major causes of nutritional deficiencies are insufficient intake of food , inability to absorb nutrients , and consumption of diets that lack some of the essential nutrients .
Toxicity occurs when cells have an excess of a toxin that poisons the cell . Human cells are delicate and require concise levels of every necessary substance including nutrients and levels that are too high or too low can be extremely dangerous . The cells undergo homeostasis to maintain the ideal levels , but , when homeostasis is interrupted , your body may correct or worsen the problem based on certain influences .
In addition to genetic influences , there are external influences that are based on lifestyle choices and environmental exposure . These factors together influence the body ’ s ability to maintain homeostatic balance .
A commonly seen example of homeostatic imbalance is diabetes . In a diabetic , the endocrine system has difficulty maintaining the correct blood glucose levels and diabetics must closely monitor their blood glucose levels . They must monitor their daily sugar intake and regulate their blood glucose levels with diet , insulin injections or oral medication . Like most homeostatic imbalances , diabetes is dependent on both lifestyle and genetics .
Factors that Influence Homeostasis
Nutrition
For proper cell function , it is imperative that cells get the vitamins and minerals
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