Mechanism of Disease
What is homeostasis?
Homeostasis is any self-regulating process by which an organism tends
to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are best for its
survival. If homeostasis is successful, life continues; if it’s unsuccessful, it
results in a disaster or death of the organism.
What is stress?
Stress is a physiological, biological or psychological response to a stressor
such as an environmental condition. The stress response system is a
common pathway across organisms, which is designed to temporarily
assign energy currency from areas of the body considered useless in a
stressful situation to other areas in the body that are beneficial for
survival
Adaptation
Stress can have both positive and negative effects on the body. Short-
term stress can be beneficial by helping us focus and perform better
under pressure. However, long-term stress can lead to chronic health
problems such as anxiety, depression, heart disease, and diabetes
Stress at the cellular level
Key Takeaway
Your cells crave balance so much that maintaining homeostasis is their
operating principle. A cellular stress response is triggered whenever
cellular balance is thrown a bit out of whack or when the serenity of
homeostasis is even threatened.
Most common cellular
stressors
Example 1: Cellular Stressors
Temperature Increase: There’s a good reason your body sweats. It’s
kicking on the evaporative cooler (your skin) to maintain a good operating
temperature. Your cells thrive in a certain temperature range. Throw off
that thermal balance with a little extra heat, and your cells start the
stress-response processes you’ll read about momentarily.
Example 2: Cellular Stressors
Exposure to Toxins: Cells are tiny pouches containing many chemical
reactions. Any interruption to this chemistry—especially by toxins, but
even by nutrients that may act like a toxin—throws a wrench into
normal operation. That’s enough to trip the stress-response wire.
Example 3: Cellular Stressors
Lack of Energy Resources: Your cells contain the machinery to
manufacture energy from your diet. But if you fast or limit calories,
cellular environmental conditions change enough to trigger a stress-
response process called autophagy (important in energy accumulation and
burning).
Basic mechanisms - Cell
injury
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion
Permeabilization of cell membranes
Disruption of biochemical pathways, especially those of protein
synthesis
DNA damage
Cellular response to injury
- Inflammation
Definition: Inflammation
Inflammation is a biological response of the immune system that can be
triggered by a variety of factors, including pathogens, Example 3: Cellular Stressors
damaged cells and toxic compounds.
Key Takeaway
*The inflammatory response is a localized defense mechanism used by
the body following a physical injury or infection.
*In response to injury and infection, specialized immune cells called mast
cells release histamine.
*Histamine causes blood vessels to widen (vasodilation). This increases
blood flow to the area. The increased blood flow leads to an accumulation
of phagocytes and clotting elements at the site of infection.

Inflammation
At the tissue level, inflammation is characterized by redness, swelling,
heat, pain, and loss of tissue function, which result from local immune,
vascular and inflammatory cell responses to infection or injury

Cellular healing
Cellular healing is a process that helps to create new cells, neurons, and
tissues that replace damaged or destroyed cells --- Holistic approach.
Benefits of Cellular Healing
Repair, regenerate and renew old, damaged or degraded cells
Healthier and youthful appearance
Reduces pain & increases mobility
Helps in the treatment of several disorders

How do you achieve

cellular healing?
Healthy diet - nutrition
Lifestyle changes
Supplementation
Environmental eradication of stress of any category