Scientific References for Trauma and Metabolic Dysfunction

This page lists supporting research and expert insights referenced in our blog posts, including When Your Body Won’t Settle. We believe healing happens best when biblical truth and compassionate science work together.

🧠 Trauma, Stress & the Body

Felitti, V.J., et al. (1998).
Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

  • Key finding: Early trauma increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease.

  • Read the study

Van der Kolk, B. (2014).
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.

  • Explores how trauma reshapes the brain and body, leading to long-term physical and emotional consequences.

  • Book on Amazon

🔬 Stress and Metabolism

Rosmond, R. (2005).
Role of stress in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome.
Psychoneuroendocrinology.

  • Shows how stress contributes directly to insulin resistance and abdominal fat gain.

  • Read the study

Kyrou, I., Chrousos, G.P., & Tsigos, C. (2006).
Stress, visceral obesity, and metabolic complications.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

  • Links chronic stress with hormonal imbalance and metabolic dysfunction.

  • Read the study

Sapolsky, R.M. (2004).
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers.

  • A layperson-friendly explanation of how chronic stress impacts digestion, immunity, and metabolism.

  • Book on Amazon

🍽️ Nutrition & Environmental Impact

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and metabolic disorders: An overview.

  • Explains how environmental toxins can disrupt hormonal systems and contribute to obesity and metabolic disease.

  • Read summary

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
The truth about fats: The good, the bad, and the in-between.

  • Covers the metabolic impact of processed foods and inflammatory oils.

  • Read article

🙏 Why This Matters

The Bible teaches that we are body, soul, and spirit (1 Thess. 5:23). These sources help us understand how deeply these parts are connected—and why healing must address all three. At Exchanged Life Christian Counseling, we believe your body is not broken—it’s responding to pain that can be healed through grace, truth, and a Spirit-led process.