Metabolic and Mental Health
Manage 6 Triggering or Aggravating Factors for Metabolic/ Mental Health Disorders
Why do these risk factors cause health events or disease outcomes, and how can we mitigate them?
This article defines and explains two important health terms, “triggering” and “aggravating,” by leveraging the established literature.
I introduce and summarize the events and outcomes of six triggering and aggravating factors for metabolic and mental health disorders based on my reviews and experience with practical takeaway points.
This post is not health advice. Instead, my aim is to inform, inspire, and create awareness of these crucial factors for health improvement based on my research and experience.
What do “triggering” and “aggravating” concepts mean within a health context?
Health literature defines triggers as specific events that start a process or that cause a particular outcome. Triggers can be psychosomatic, meaning they affect both the body and mind.
For example, the National Cancer Institute informs that “chemotherapy, painful treatments, or the smells, sounds, and sights that go with them may trigger anxiety and fear in a patient with cancer.”
All biological systems can be triggered by some chemical or electrical events. For example, exposure to dust or pollen creates allergic reactions, triggering the immune system to manifest as sneezing or coughing.
Aggravation means to make a situation or disease worse. Some conditions might aggravate others. For example, this systematic review and meta-analysis confirm that obesity aggravates the COVID-19 situation.
Some substances can trigger and aggravate a situation. For example, as documented in this scientific paper, food can be both a triggering and aggravating factor for migraine.
Understanding the triggering and aggravating factors in our body and environment can help reduce the risks of diseases and proactively prevent them from occurring. Some triggers might remain mysterious.
Thus obtaining support from qualified healthcare professionals who can inform us about these factors and give us the necessary action to take.
Keeping a record of triggering and aggravating factors in the following sections can be valuable in improving our health and well-being.
Six Triggering and Aggravating Factors for Metabolic and Mental Health Disorders
This section summarizes my findings on six triggering and aggravating factors for metabolic and mental health disorders based on my reviews, observations, and experience.
As these items are comprehensive, I only focus on the critical points to depict the big picture.
Interested readers might find more information on these items by using a keyword search on the web or following the links I provide.
1 — Processed Foods, Excess Glucose, and Unhealthy Fats
Many triggers and aggravations happen in the digestive system, particularly in the gut. As there is a biological connection between the gut and the brain, triggered gut events affect our metabolic and mental health.
Additives and flavors in processed foods can cause the manifestation of chemical and electrical reactions in the digestive system and trigger the immune system. As I explained in this story, a leaky gut might trigger biological and electrical signals causing a leaky brain.
Excessive sugar can trigger the release of more insulin. Disproportionate and prolonged insulin releases can lead to insulin resistance, putting the body in a metabolically disadvantaged position. Insulin resistance is a root cause of metabolic disorders such as type II diabetes and fatty liver disease.
Headaches and migraines impact our mental health. Literature indicates that some food triggers migraine attacks. For example, this review paper on Neurological Science points out that “migraine attacks may be precipitated by dietary items, the percentage of patients reporting foods as trigger ranging from 12 to 60 %.”
Highly processed oils such as trans fats can trigger inflammation. As informed by MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), overeating trans-fat might cause weight gain and increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems.
Takeaway
Refrain from processed foods, unhealthy fats, and excess refined carbs, increasing glucose and causing insulin resistance. Instead, consume whole and nutrient-dense foods (from plants or animal products) to get the necessary energy and nutrients.
2 — Toxins and Pathogens
As documented in the body of knowledge, toxins and pathogens can be triggering and aggravating factors for many health conditions.
The human body has a complicated defense system to deal with toxins and pathogens. However, when these harmful substances go above the threshold, undesirable health conditions manifest.
Toxins and pathogens interfere with our hormones and neurotransmitters, causing hormonal imbalance. When our hormones and neurotransmitters get imbalanced, they aggravate the existing health conditions.
For example, accumulated toxins in our fat cells can release into the bloodstream stream and intoxicate our tissues. Some of these toxins might also pass the brain-blood barrier and interfere with our neurotransmitters.
It is not possible to eliminate toxins entirely. However, we can reduce the amount by taking precautions.
Takeaway
Refrain from toxins and pathogens in food, water, and the environment. Quit smoking, as cigarette smoke has multiple toxins. Refrain from excess alcohol as it causes neurotoxins to the brain. Find ways to initiate autophagy and mitophagy naturally to reduce the harmful molecules in our cells.
3 — Physical and Mental Stress
Physical and mental stress can be a triggering and aggravating factor for physical and mental health conditions.
For example, this review paper confirms that “Stress can be either a triggering or aggravating factor for many diseases and pathological conditions.”
In addition, stress can affect our cells, mitochondria, and genes. For example, I documented the effects of stress on our genes in an article titled Here’s How Stress Impacts Us at a Genetic Level and How to Address It with Lifestyle Changes.
Psychological stress also affects our organs, such as our skin. For example, this scientific review informs that “recent clinical observations link psychological stress to the onset or aggravation of multiple skin diseases.”
Takeaway
Lower stress and prevent accumulation with healthy lifestyle choices such as restorative sleep, regular exercise, nutritious food, rest, and fun.
4 — Unpleasant Emotions
Emotions can trigger biochemical and electrical actions in the body and brain. Emotional stress is the root cause of many mental health disorders. Unpleasant emotions such as fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, envy, or guilt can aggravate existing mental conditions.
In addition, unpleasant emotions can adversely affect our physical health if they are not addressed timely. Unexpressed emotions can accumulate as memories and increase stress at a genetic level.
Emotions also cause changes in our hormones and neurotransmitters. Thus, unexpressed emotions can lead to hormonal imbalance, adversely affecting both physical and mental health.
Takeaway
Recognize unpleasant emotions using mindfulness practices such as meditation, visualization, and self-talk. Find ways to express emotions timely. Seek support from loved ones and qualified professionals when needed.
5 — Chronic Inflammation
Even though inflammation itself is a trigger for the body to deal with wear and tears in the tissue, it can also be a triggering and aggravating factor for many health conditions.
As the National Library of Medicine documented, “Inflammation is a biological response of the immune system that can be triggered by various factors, including pathogens, damaged cells, and toxic compounds.”
Literature indicates that chronic inflammation is the root cause of multiple physical and mental health disorders, both as triggering and aggravating factors.
For example, Harvard Medical School stated, “Research has shown that chronic inflammation is associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Takeaway
Reducing chronic inflammation is critical for physical and mental health. I documented my findings and experience in an article titled Here Is How I Defeated Chronic Inflammation via 9 Lifestyle Habits.
6 — Hormonal Fluctuations and Imbalances
I left this item to the end as hormonal fluctuations caused by previous items can be both triggering and aggravating factors for numerous metabolic and mental health conditions.
For example, Cleveland Clinic informs some hormonal imbalances manifesting as metabolic and mental health symptoms such as:
“ Slow/rapid heartbeat, unexplained weight gain/loss, fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, numbness, high blood cholesterol, depression, anxiety, dry skin, irregular body fat distribution, skin tags, extreme thirst, and frequent urination.”
From my experience, significant hormones affecting our metabolism are insulin, glucagon, leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, cholecystokinin, growth hormone, and cortisol.
For example, ghrelin triggers hunger and leptin signals for satiety. Growth hormone triggers muscle cells to grow and insulin fat cells to expand.
Sex hormones testosterone (for men) and estrogen (for women) can trigger and aggravate various effects on both physical and mental disorders. For example, an imbalance of these hormones can generate anxiety, cause excess fat gain, muscle loss, or even weakening of bone, leading to osteoporosis.
Takeaway
Acquiring hormonal intelligence is essential. We can balance and optimize our hormones with lifestyle factors like restorative sleep, quality nutrition, regular exercise, rest, fun, and timely recovery. However, underlying hormonal disorders require support from medical specialists such as endocrinologists.
Conclusions
Biochemical and electrical signals can cause reactions and trigger events in our biology. These triggers can affect bodily systems such as the immune, endocrine, or nervous systems.
Triggers then manifest as various physical and psychological conditions such as fat gain, sneezing, coughing, inflammation, stress accumulation, pain, anxiety, or depression.
These triggered events can also create more events and generate undesirable outcomes by aggravating them, as I explained under the six headings above.
Learning the significant triggering and aggravating factors can empower us to reduce the risks of diseases and proactively prevent them from occurring.
Once we understand these triggering and aggravating factors, we can record them and discuss the outcomes with our qualified healthcare professionals.
Triggers are not always bad. Some biochemical or electrical triggers, such as exercise, healthy food, restorative sleep, rest, and fun, can improve our health and quality of life.
From my experience, observations, and reviews, dealing with triggering and aggravating factors can contribute to our health and life span.
Knowledge is power, but action is crucial for success.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a happy and healthy life.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.
Petechiae, ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.
I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:
Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients.
Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
As part of my creative non-fiction writing goals, I’d like to share a few stories that might warm our hearts with a bit of humor into weighty topics.
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