Integrative Overview of the Endocrines Part III

by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

To review the subject of the Endocrine System:

The endocrines are just so perfectly expressed as "everything being connected to everything else in the body" that it is pure joy to share the information.

We will discuss SEVEN aspects of the reproductive glands based on these concepts:

(1) the physical gland
(2) the seven (7) virtues
(3) organs and systems
(4) Selye's stress model
(5) the five (5) Whole Health aspects
(6) Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
(7) the seven (7) "deadly sins"

The Pancreas is the next endocrine gland to discuss. The Pancreas, in yoga and energy circles is often referred to as “the solar plexus” chakra. The Pancreas is one of the hardest working digestive and metabolic organs of the body. Both an endocrine AND exocrine gland, this truly amazing organ/gland is the “end organ” of all digestive activity in the upper intestines. The health and function of your pancreas is of the utmost importance to your overall health and is probably the most abused gland/organ in the body.

The Pancreas works 24/7, deals with digestion as well as stress adaptation, reproduction needs, cellular nutrition needs and brain glucose imperatives. The Pancreas is the belonging component of Maslow's Hierarchy and is evident that it expresses “the sweetness of our lives” (or not) when we look at its function and malfunctions and how intimately it is connected to our body's glucose regulation. Like the adrenals, which we could not live without for long, without a properly working pancreas we would fall into a coma and die within days. Physically, it is intimately connected to our digestion, absorption and assimilation functions.

Regarding Selye’s Stress Model, the Pancreas is "the proper or improper nutrition of our body" and all of its systems. It is the nutritional component of the Whole Health Five Aspects.

So far we have gone over FIVE (5) of the SEVEN (7) aspects. The last two, as we saw with the reproductive glands and the adrenals, clarify the emotional and behavioral aspects of each specific endocrine gland.

The VIRTUE of the Pancreas is TEMPERANCE or Balance – not too much or too little consumption. This means not eating too much food, especially carbohydrates, which lead to hypertrophy of the beta cells of the pancreas. This leads to hyper-secretion of insulin which is the main disturbance in many chronic diseases.

The DEADLY SIN of the Pancreas is very similar to that of the adrenals (greed). For the Pancreas the deadly sin is GLUTTONY. Gluttony is when we eat too much, consume too much and create imbalance in our pancreatic function and whole body nutrition and chemistry. It is the act of gluttony, or taking in more than is appropriate or necessary that leads to most of the digestive problems and pathologies we see today.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of a comprehensive, whole person understanding of the digestive system. If there was one course and only one I could teach for the rest of my career it would be the Digestive System, because to understand its anatomy, physiology and the whole picture of its function and integration with the rest of the body is utterly magnificent - and absolutely essential if you wish to facilitate authentic Whole Health with your patients or clients.

Next Endocrine: The Thymus Gland

With all good wishes,
G
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