Homeostasis

We have known for two hundred years that the body has a natural set point (homeostasis) but we have had no idea how to change the set point. That is what we are trying to do – learn how to change the set point.

The human body has a highly sophisticated control system that regulates temperature, heart rate, breathing, appetite, and many other vital functions.

It is often assumed that weight gain is simply a matter of consuming more calories than we burn, and that the solution is to eat less and exercise more. But the body does not work like a simple calculator. It is a highly evolved survival system that constantly monitors what we eat and how that food affects us.

Every time we eat, the body assesses the nutrients in that food. It can detect dietary deficiencies and may even recall which foods are most likely to correct them.

Food Cravings and Hormone Signals

If the body detects deficiencies in the diet, it releases hormones that signal the need to eat more. These hunger-making hormones include ghrelin, ILP5, NPY, AGRP, and orexin.

These signals are extremely powerful, which is why resisting cravings can be so difficult. The body can also send signals to the gut to produce a hormone profile that makes us crave particular foods.

If the body senses that it has the nutrients it needs, it releases other hormones that make us feel full and satisfied. These satiety hormones include leptin, CCK, PYY, and GLP-1.

These hormones are naturally produced by the body, although GLP-1 is now also widely available as a manufactured drug. However, it is generally better for the body to produce these hormones naturally by eating the right foods.

This process works best when we already eat a broad spectrum of nutrient-rich foods, allowing the body to learn which foods support it properly.

Set Point and Fat Storage

The body is even more intelligent than simple hunger regulation. It sets a “set point” for how much fat we need to store as a buffer against possible nutrient deficiencies.

As we age, the body becomes less efficient at extracting nutrients from food, so it may automatically adjust this set point upward. This helps explain why many people gain fat as they get older.

If we drastically reduce calories, the survival system may respond by becoming even more determined to secure enough nutrients. In this view, the body may raise the set point further, storing more fat as a larger reserve.

The Modern Diet Problem

Unfortunately, the modern diet is often high in energy-dense foods while being deficient in important minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients, and beneficial microbes. When that happens, the body may not produce the right hormone responses, which can lead to overeating and contribute to chronic disease.

Modern food production has also reduced the diversity of nutrients and microbes that humans evolved with. These play an important role in health, appetite regulation, and how the body uses nutrients.

Restoring Nutrient and Microbial Balance

Over many years, I have been developing a method of growing plants that encourages a much richer community of nutrients and beneficial microbes.

When these plants are eaten fresh, those microbes can help restore microbial diversity in the gut. Over the last thirty years, I have researched how to grow these foods naturally in ways that are practical and achievable, even for people living in apartments with no garden.