Carbs and Your Immune System Pt II

The Pancreas and Its Job

In the last segment, I spoke about how carbohydrates affect not only one's weight, but also the blood sugar levels in the blood.  You might remember that the pancreas has a large role in the body's coping mechanism when it is faced with dealing with a carb overload.  Whenever you load up on concentrated carbohydrates such as processed flour and starches, a rapid rise in blood sugar (glucose) levels is generated.  When these levels get too high, the hypothalamus tells the pancreas to secrete insulin.  The insulin  proceeds to remove the excess glucose from the blood and delivers as much of it as it can to our muscles and liver.

The glucose that can't be used is converted into glycogen or stored carbohydrates.  When the body depletes its primary glucose account, it relies on this glycogen reserve to fund it.  Basically, the glycogen receives a signal to break down, convert and send back the glucose into the system.  This process restores the body's glucose levels to a healthy state.  (Note:  Cortisol is naturally created by the adrenal glands.  Cortisone is an artificially made pharmaceutical drug.)

When there is too much glucose to be used either by the primary or by the secondary storage accounts, the glucose is domiciled as body fat.  As we know, if the body fat builds up to the point of obesity, it can result in a myriad of health complications that worsen over time.  

Cortisol:  The Good Guy - Bad Guy Syndrome

For many folks, the pancreas over-reacts to a carb dump by removing more sugar from the blood than is necessary.  So, in order to raise the blood sugar back to a healthy level, the body produces a hormone called cortisol. 

Cortisol triggers the body to turn glycogen back into glucose by attaching itself to the glycogen storage receptors.  This is the good-guy-role that cortisol plays.  On the flip side, this hormone plays the villain when the body produces more cortisol than glycogen.  This occurs when the pancreas becomes depleted in insulin or when the body manifests an insulin resistance.  This condition happens when one's diet is loaded with the high carb foods like bread, pasta, cookies, high carb energy bars, rice and the like.  The excess cortisone that is circulating in the body starts looking for some other thing to which to attach itself.  In other words, when there are not enough available receptors to accommodate the overwhelming quantity of cortisol, then the cortisol looks for another place to go.

What happens next?  The cortisone actually hooks on to the next best thing - the receptors of your immune cells (the white blood cells)!  Why?  Well, its is really a case of mistaken identity in a way.  The receptors of your immune cells (white blood cells) that line the gut look almost identical to the glycogen storage receptors.  So, the cortisone naturally identifies them as handy opportunistic targets and attaches itself to them.   This is definitely not good!  In the process, the white blood cells are immobilized and  they stall in  the performance of their necessary function.  OOPS!

I'll have more for you in my next segment.  In the meantime, if you feel that you would like to chat with me about your health, then please give me a call at (510) 652-2302.  We can talk about the ways in which I can help you regain your energy ans stamina.

Dr. Larry Gertler, M.Ed., D.C., is a nationally known holistic chiropractor and teacher.  He is available for in-office visits and telephone consultations (for California residents only).  For more information, please call (510) 652-2302 or visit his website drgertler.org.

Dr. Gertler has been designated as a TOP Chiropractor in This Prime Buyer's Report!  Click here.


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