Beyond Inflammation - but not too far beyond!
Beyond Inflammation: Other Drivers of “Biological Entropy”
By Cristina Shupe, MPT
As someone who has lived with the challenges of chronic illness since birth, I’ve spent a lifetime learning not just about disease, but about how the body loses its ability to self-regulate and repair. In both personal healing and clinical practice, I’ve come to appreciate that health isn’t just the absence of symptoms, it’s a state of organized, efficient, adaptable function.
We often focus on inflammation as the primary culprit behind chronic health issues, and for good reason, because it is. But it doesn’t work alone. While the phenomena discussed below are each physiologically distinct from inflammation, most are deeply intertwined with it. In many cases, inflammation is both a cause and a consequence, a central mechanism that accelerates the entropy process and amplifies dysfunction across systems.
Understanding these contributors gives us a broader, more actionable map of how health breaks down, and how it might be restored.There are other, often more insidious forces that contribute to what I call “biological entropy,”a kind of internal disorganization where energy is wasted, systems miscommunicate, and the body loses its ability to adapt and repair.
In my work with Fascial Counterstrain (FCS), a gentle, hands-on technique that releases tension in fascia and corrects dysfunction in nearly every system of the body, I see firsthand how these entropic forces manifest and, more importantly, how they can be reversed.
Here are seven key contributors to biological entropy, and how FCS may offer a path toward restoring order and vitality:
1. Oxidative Stress
What it is: An overload of free radicals that overwhelms the body's antioxidant defenses.
Why it matters: Free radicals damage DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. This micro-level damage adds up, disrupting tissue structure and cellular function.
How Fascial Counterstrain can help: FCS addresses venous and lymphatic congestion, which can improve the body’s ability to eliminate oxidative byproducts. By restoring proper drainage and immune regulation, we reduce the biochemical stress load—allowing antioxidant systems to catch up and restore balance.
2. Mitochondrial Dysfunction
What it is: A breakdown in energy production at the cellular level.
Why it matters: Without ATP (cellular energy), healing, detoxification, and tissue repair stall. Cells literally can’t do their jobs, leading to sluggish organ function and fatigue.
How Fascial Counterstrain may help: FCS improves circulation and autonomic balance, enhancing oxygen and nutrient delivery to mitochondria. It also reduces mechanical strain on tissues, helping cells operate in a more efficient, lower-resistance environment that supports energy production.
— While direct evidence linking FCS to mitochondrial function is still emerging, the therapy's effects on circulation, inflammation, and fascial mobility suggest a supportive role in enhancing cellular energy production. By addressing fascial restrictions and promoting a balanced autonomic nervous system, FCS can create an environment conducive to optimal mitochondrial function and overall tissue health.
3. Chronic Sympathetic Activation (Persistent Stress)
What it is: A stuck "fight-flight-or freeze" response that never fully shuts off.
Why it matters: Chronic stress keeps the body in survival mode. Regeneration, digestion, and immune defense are all sacrificed, and entropy builds.
How Fascial Counterstrain can help: One of FCS’s most profound effects is its ability to calm the sympathetic nervous system. By treating the cranial dura, spinal cord, and autonomic ganglia, we downregulate stress responses and shift the body into parasympathetic (“rest-and-digest”) mode, where healing happens.
4. Glycation and Insulin Resistance
What it is: Sugar molecules binding to proteins (glycation) and the body losing sensitivity to insulin.
Why it matters: These processes lead to stiff, dysfunctional tissues and vascular damage, setting the stage for metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
How Fascial Counterstrain can help: FCS helps restore vascular compliance and lymphatic flow, which can reduce the mechanical consequences (tissue stiffness) of glycation. It also supports pancreatic and digestive function by improving viscerosomatic relationships, helping the body process glucose more effectively.
5. Neuroinflammation & Impaired Signaling
What it is: Inflammation in the nervous system that disrupts communication between brain and body.
Why it matters: The nervous system coordinates everything. Disrupted signaling leads to poor coordination, slowed recovery, and dysfunctional feedback loops.
How Fascial Counterstrain can help: FCS offers direct access to cranial nerves, the brainstem, and spinal structures. By relieving fascial tension and inflammation in these areas, FCS helps restore precise neural signaling and improve coordination across systems.
6. Cellular Senescence and Stem Cell Exhaustion
What it is: Accumulated, non-dividing cells—often called “zombie cells”—that secrete pro-inflammatory substances and disrupt the tissue environment.
Why it matters: These senescent cells promote chronic inflammation, impair tissue repair, and contribute to aging by reducing the effectiveness of regenerative stem cells.
How Fascial Counterstrain can help: While FCS doesn’t eliminate senescent cells directly, it supports a healthier tissue environment by enhancing circulation and reducing inflammatory signals. This improved microenvironment may allow stem cells to perform better and limit the spread of degenerative processes.
7. Gut Dysbiosis
What it is: An imbalance in the gut microbiome.
Why it matters: The gut influences immune function, neurotransmitter production, and systemic inflammation. Dysbiosis leads to increased permeability, immune reactivity, and chaos across systems.
How Fascial Counterstrain Can Help: Fascial Counterstrain (FCS) gently releases fascial restrictions that impact the gastrointestinal tract, improving blood flow and lymphatic drainage within gut tissues. By enhancing circulation and perfusion, FCS supports better gut motility and the function. These changes promote improved digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune regulation—key factors in restoring and maintaining a healthy microbiome.
Health is not just about calming inflammation—it's about restoring internal order. That means improving energy efficiency, structural integrity, communication between systems, and the body's ability to adapt to stress.
I’ve learned—personally and clinically—that when we view the body through the lens of entropy, we gain a deeper appreciation for what’s really going wrong beneath the surface of chronic symptoms. And when we use gentle, precision-based techniques like Fascial Counterstrain, we’re not just treating the symptoms—we’re helping the body reorganize itself from the inside out.