Beyond Wolff’s Law – Introduction
My theory on why the body remodels and adapts was developed over a 20 year period of time. My theory holds credibility as a corollary to the long-standing law in anatomy and physiology known as – Wolff’s law. Wolff’s law, in short, states that “bone remodels according to the physical stress, load or forces, placed upon it.” Here are two examples of Wolff’s law. One demonstrating adaptation to increased stress and the other, adaptation to decreased stress.
Stress adaptation – Increased unilateral muscle contraction causes a pitcher’s, pitching arm (humerus, radius, ulna, and all the supporting muscles, ligaments and tendons) to become denser and stronger than his non-pitching arm.
Adaptation to an absence of stress – zero gravity. If we lived in outer-space, in the absence of gravity, our bones, as well as other supporting tissues, would dissolve and atrophy. This would cause extreme osteoporosis and muscle wasting. We would not be able to walk or stand when we returned to Earth. All of the calcium supplementation, estrogen replacement (for women), and Fosamax (medication) in the world would not prevent this process from happening.
My Theory – Body Remodeling, Beyond Wolff’s Law
My theory expands Wolff’s law to the next level and states, “Our entire body, top to bottom, inside and out, remodels according to the invisible, physical, emotional, and chemical, stress it is exposed or not exposed to.”
This means that everything we do or don’t do, and to the degree, we do or don’t do it, will cause a corresponding remodeling of every cell, fluid and physiological function within the body. Additionally, our past, present and future, physiological state as well as our inward and outward appearance, is a direct manifestation of the (way, what, and how) we sleep, eat, drink, act, exercise, think, deal with stress, love, feel, process waste, etc. These are also known as epigenetic forces – See Bruce Lipton, Ph.D.
Physical Stress
Physical stressors, which includes chemicals, make-up the largest portion of all the influential stressors/forces we can or will be subjected during our lifetime. The foods we eat or don’t eat, how often, our exercise level or lack of exercise, chronic postures (work, driving and sleep), chemicals, pesticides, alcohol, medicines, drugs and our body’s own waste products, all influence how we remodel.
If we ingest all of the essential nutrients that our body requires, with all other factors aside, our body would remodel properly. The opposite can be said for eating devitalized food, such as fast food, boxed or canned food; as well as being exposed to drugs, medicines, alcohol, pesticides, toxins, etc. Examples: If we increase our protein intake and weight-bearing exercise, an increase in muscle mass and strength will be the result. If we increase our fats and carbohydrate intake, combined with a lack of physical exercise, an increase in body fat, blood sugar, blood fats and blood pressure will be the result. This is called diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and hypertension. Which direction is our population remodeling? Exposure to toxins, pesticides, molds, drugs or excessive alcohol, may lead to cancer, ADHD, and many other diseases. Lack of exposure causes a reduction in abnormal remodeling, which promotes continued health.
Emotional Stress
The emotional stress placed on the body will have similar effects. Exposure to happiness, joy or generosity, all positive emotions, will facilitate a positive remodeling through the reduction of inflammatory chemicals and increased beneficial neurotransmitter and hormone production. Exposure to or the feeling of anger, expressed or unexpressed resentment, blame or shame, all negative emotions, will manifest in the body, especially the brain, to remodel in a non-optimum fashion. Increased brain inflammation, decreased hormone and neurotransmitter production can lead to Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.
Invisible Stress
Invisible forces (electromagnetic waves [radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma rays], gravity and ionizing radiation) are constantly present and can affect us as much as the overt chemical, emotional and physical forces do. These invisible forces, most of the time, actually precede and initiate the physical, emotional or chemical stress’ that causes the adverse remodeling of our body’s cells or, more specifically, the cell membranes. Are you a straw house, stick house or brick house? You control the state of your own house.
Conclusion
It’s easy to see from this, that everything we do or don’t do, and everything that happens to us, sometimes unknowingly, affects how the body remodels. This means how we look, feel and function is the end result, for good or bad. You also have the biggest hand in this remodeling process by the way you have lived and are living your life. Believe me, we do have control over a very large portion of what can cause the body to remodel, positively or negatively.
The point I am trying to make here is that the majority of these stressors/forces are under our control. We can control what we do on a daily basis (eat, exercise, rest…), and what we allow into our environment. Negative remodeling leads to everything we don’t want to have our body experience, such as cancer, autoimmune disease, weight gain, and body degeneration. Positive remodeling will help increase the immune system and overall strength of the body, leading to a longer, healthier and more vibrant life. The choice is yours.