Does Your Body Know Its ABC's??Written by Lori Wilton
What are Glyconutritionals? The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people think of sugar as being bad for you. However, there are actually TWO kinds of sugars. One is refined or "extracellular" sugars which have been long associated with human disease. The other sugars are "intracellular" which can be found in fruits and vegetables and provide body with nutrition it needs. These sugars, also known as “complex carbohydrates”, have been studied for years. However, only recently have we begun discovering their purpose in body. An increasing number of scientists believe that certain carbohydrates represent next frontier in search for non-toxic treatments for various degenerative conditions. Even though we have just begun to scratch surface in understanding full potential of these carbohydrates, research being reported in just last decade has ignited a new level of hope and optimism with some of world's leading immunologists. The March 23, 2001 issue of Science Magazine is devoted to topic of cellular communication and role that simple sugars play in that arena. Healthy bodies are comprised of many components working together in sophisticated harmony, and must have accurate internal communication to function correctly. In it's most basic form, this communication occurs at cellular level. Glyonutrients form what can be referred to as “alphabet” of your body! To maintain a healthy body, cells must "talk" to each other. Their language is one of touch, written in saccharides (or simple sugars) on cell surfaces. These simple sugars combine with other molecules to make glycoforms such as glycoproteins when combined with proteins or glycolipids when combined with fat. Of 200 monosaccharides that occur naturally in plants, 8 have been discovered to be components in cell surface glycoforms (see Harper's Textbook of Biochemistry--1996). Like thousands of different "keys" projecting from cell surface, they will either unlock required functions of adjoining cell or not. If right keys are available, body functions smoothly. If not, it doesn't. Acta Anatomica, a European journal, states that these simple sugars have a coding capacity that surpasses that of amino acids!! Only two of eight monosaccharides are found in today’s diet. Our diets have changed in response to demands for quicker, cheaper food. Consequently, we are not eating foods that contain necessary fuels for our cells to communicate in a healthy, effective manner. While our body has capacity to manufacture these simple sugars, conversion process is complicated. During conversion process your cells are exposed to tens of thousands of free radical hits each day. This requires time, energy and a host of other micronutrients in order to complete conversion. Viruses can also interfere with our body’s ability to make these conversions. People who are ill or who have inborn errors of metabolism are especially vulnerable to a breakdown in process. Whenever monosaccharides cannot be made, communication is slowed down or impaired as a result. Since your body has more than trillion cells and fully regenerates all of its cells in approximately 1 year, any miscommunication or slowdown could cause major health problems. With millions of cells regenerating each day, it's easy to imagine what could happen if during this process, cells didn't regenerate correctly. This is why glyconutritional supplements are so very important!
| | Adult Acne Treatment – Simple SolutionsWritten by Kay Smith
Are you one of millions of adults who have acne? Many adults are dealing with acne, first signs of wrinkles and grey hair all at same time – talk about physical and emotional tolls. Life just seems too unfair at times. Fortunately, there are some simple solutions for treating acne. Really. You don’t have to live with it.To properly treat acne, one must first understand what causes it. When hair follicles and sebaceous glands become inflamed acne follows soon after. Sebum is an oily substance made by sebaceous glands. Bacterial growth and inflammation result when too much sebum is produced. According to American Academy of Dermatology, four basic mechanisms contributing to acne are hormones, increased sebum production, changes inside hair follicles, and bacteria. These simple solutions require persistence and consistency. First things first, talk to a Dermatologist. A Dermatologist can provide you with best solutions for you based on your medical history, age, skin type etc. Depending on severity of your acne and your individual circumstances, your Dermatologist may want to prescribe an antibiotic, a vitamin A derivative like Isotretinoin, or one of other acne drugs now available. Use non-comedogenic products. Non-comedogenic basically means - not likely to block pores of skin, or cause blackheads or acne. There are many non-comedogenic products available today, including, makeup, foundation, moisturizers, sunscreen, lip stick, etc. If it’s something that you apply to your skin you should be able to find a non-comedogenic version. In fact, you can also find non-comedogenic and medicated makeup with acne fighting ingredients like, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur. These products shouldn’t clog your pores and should help treat acne.
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