Chronic Degeneration and Aging
In chronic diseases and degenerations, basic regulation is at the center of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.
For the organism, stress means adaptation to a persistent stimulus; this adaptation depends on the organism's regulatory capacity. Chronic stress represents a problem that begins with the disruption of basic regulation. This is because every chronic challenge represents a persistent stimulus and is equated with sustained stress.
Stress creates a pro-inflammatory state through an increase in cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules. It also activates the noradrenaline system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). In addition, stress (in addition to poor nutrition) triggers disruption of gut flora by suppressing streptokinase-producing bacteria and reducing streptokinase in the blood. As a result, there can also be an increase in blood viscosity along with an imbalance in fibrinogen-fibrin formation.
Poor nutrition also triggers excessive acidification — acidosis is a metabolic condition that disrupts not only basic regulation, but also the defense reaction. Chronic stress thus causes chronic strain on the ECM (bioelectrical state, water content, acid-base balance, etc.) and the basic system, ultimately resulting in impaired regulatory capacity. With all these consequences, it is possible for a vicious cycle to develop in the direction of a chronic stress syndrome.
This is because a persistent stimulus is initially confined by local defenses, causing dysfunction of the basic system (local regulatory degeneration, regulatory disintegration). Its general effect on the entire organism gradually takes hold. Up to this point, the regulatory processes in the primarily affected area differ from those in "free" (as yet unaffected) regions. This regulatory disintegration encompasses nearly all parameters (local systems), meaning it can also be used to diagnose the disintegration. Later, the local regulatory degeneration is, for example, sensitively transmitted to the spinal cord via the relevant spinal nerve, processed in the segment-related central nervous system, establishing a tonic-algetic pain symptomatology in the relevant segment.
When the already-imbalanced basic system is loaded with an additional burden, this "second hit" can produce an outsized response and, independent of the location of the primary regulation, can trigger a disturbance through a global effect on basic regulation. This means: increased stimulus duration and stimulus strength (often through cumulative effects) cause the generalization of the primary local regulatory disorder, involving central regulatory mechanisms. The result is a dysmetabolism that leads to degeneration phenomena, first in the matrix and later in organ cells, ultimately affecting the entire organism in the form of a chronic stress syndrome. However, this also means that the long-acting risk factor of any persistent stimulus can trigger this phased course. It is important to note that the regulatory disorder determines the course of the disease. The interaction with individual additional stresses (secondary stress factors) determines the individual presentation of the disease.
For more information on this and related topics, you may benefit from my book "The Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Guide."