|
|
      |
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
|
|
|
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
 |
From Cell to Super Cell - with Glutathione
Imagine you're a cell. Inside your body runs the machinery that creates life itself. But as that machinery keeps running, day after day, you begin to get worn out - the friction and the processes that cause damage (here the "free-radicals" - highly destructive little entities generated by biochemical processes, as well as pollutants, UV radiation and other sources) start to create havoc and you begin to lose the battle to disease, old age and ultimately death. In fact your battle would be over much sooner were it not for the numerous mechanisms that you and other mammalian cells evolved over millions of years, as protection from the injury that can result from your normal functional processes. The foremost among these internal protective systems is the "Glutathione antioxidant system." Glutathione, a small molecule composed of three amino acids - glycine, glutamate and cysteine - acts as your cellular Super-Mop, soaking up "free-radicals" (with the help of the sulfur-containing portion of the cysteine molecule), protecting your cellular membranes and internal organs from the cascading destruction they can cause. Besides being the major antioxidant that you produce as protection from "free-radicals," glutathione is also a very important detoxifying agent, enabling you to get rid of undesirable toxins and pollutants. If you were a liver, kidney or lung cell, you would contain high levels of glutathione, as you'd be exposed to the greatest levels of toxins. Glutathione also helps you dispose of many cancer- producing chemicals, heavy metals, drug metabolites etc. that invade the pristine recesses of your cellular world. And Mother Nature (the first recycler) also designed you to use glutathione to recycle other well-known antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, keeping them in their active state. If you were a cell delegated to the immune system department, you would require glutathione for many of the intricate steps needed to carry out your essential immune response functions - such as multiplying to make many clones of yourself, to mount a full-bodied immune response, or "neutralizing" undesirable elements of the cellular community, like cancerous or virally infected cells. But your finicky cell membrane does not allow whole glutathione molecules to cross over directly into your cellular spaces. And every time a molecule of glutathione neutralizes a destructive free-radical or toxin, it fatally binds with the undesirable element and is washed out with them in the bile or the urine. So how do you replenish your stores and get your daily fix of glutathione? Simple. You manufacture it in your cellular factory, from its raw materials - glycine, glutamate and cysteine. If your human eats a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables and freshly prepared meats, you should get be getting enough glutamate and glycine. But cystine comes mostly from eggs, milk and cheese. And when eggs, milk and cheese are cooked or processed, the composition of Cystine is changed to Cysteine (small difference in spelling, but BIG difference in action). While still a valuable protein, it can no longer feed your glutathione levels. If you can get a sufficient supply of cysteine (which determines the rate at which you can make glutathione), your arsenal is well- stocked. If not, you and your human are at a strategic disadvantage in the battle of "Cell v/s Free-radical Destroyers." As a normal, healthy cell, increasing your glutathione levels could help you and your human maintain that strategic advantage in the battle against free-radicals. If you're not really in your prime, boosting your levels could tip the scales in your favor, and help you fight the cellular damage that causes disease and aging. Copyright 2002 Priya Shah _____________________________________________ About the author:
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Cherries - A Natural Joint Pain Killer Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules are a nutritious, all-natural alternative for the more than 70 million people in the U.S. A Background to Dietary Fiber Fiber is the part of the plant that is resistant to hydrolysis (A chemical decomposition in which a substance is split into simpler compounds by the addition or the taking up of the elements of water) by human digestive enzymes and, with the exception of lignin, fibers are complex carbohydrates. These include pectin, gums, mucilages, hemicellulose, polysaccharides cellulose, and nonpolysaccharide lignins. The Versatility of Actinase Protein Complex The ingredients list found on the back or side panel of every commercially available food product - with few exceptions - serves as the consumer's best starting point for understanding the real contents of each product. It discloses the ingredients that make up the product, sorted in order from most abundant to least abundant. Protective Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 appear to reduce the risk of heart attack. A 20-year project at the University of Leyden in the Netherlands, comparing the eating habits of more than 800 men at risk of heart disease, found that men who ate more than an ounce of fish a day had a 50 percent lower rate of heart attacks. Learn About Food Nutrition Facts Food nutrition factsFinding food nutrition facts and dietary nutrition used to be almost impossible because of the mountains of facts scattered all about in libraries and books. Lets face it most of us aren't going to cuddle up to a book on vitamins and minerals. Macrobiotics: Diet and Lifestyle for Long-term Health A frequent misunderstanding about macrobiotics is that itis a diet sick people use - cancer patients especially - inorder to heal. While it is true that a macrobioticapproach has helped a great many people get well,macrobiotics is much more than a mere diet, and it is foreveryone. Learn About Diet Nutrition Physique Diet nutrition physiqueToday, learning about diet nutrition physique isn't all that difficult any longer. The truth of the matter is what should you do about your overall health and well being? If you're concerned about you weight and physique then a little different twist on things are in order. Brown Sugar is Not Brown Rice Question from Jack:A question from Jack, one of the subscribers to the MericleDiet newsletter, "Reference your tip regarding diabetes. The only sugar I use is brown and is this a concern in my case?"Answer:The word "brown" has gotten a lot of play lately regarding "healthy eating. Vitamins and Minerals for a Healthy Reproductive System Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential to the development and proper performance of the reproductive system. Nutrition plays a vital role in the development and maturity of the reproductive system through childhood and adolescence and can even affect the endocrine system which regulates the hormones that rule the functions of the reproductive system. The Sneak Attack of Trans- Fats If you are like most people, you are probably confused about trans fats. What are they? Which foods have them? What is the health risk?The truth is, trans fats are everywhere. Dietary Sources of Glutathione DIETARY SOURCES OF GLUTATHIONE: Glutathione (GSH) is an antioxidant and detoxifying agent whose protective role has been demonstrated in numerous clinical studies. GSH is synthesized rapidly in the liver, kidneys, and other tissues of the body, including the gastrointestinal tract. Milk Soy Protein Intolerance: A Mothers Perspective I first learned of Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI) in the office of a pediatric gastroenterologist's office with my seven-week-old son, Max. After the first week of his life Max lost weight and was labeled "failure to thrive. Protein, Carbs and Fat: Learn How to Diet with Macronutrients Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you to get rid of some food that you love. However, the three macronutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat) as well as the unofficial fourth, water, are all necessary for good health. Minerals, Minerals, Minerals You are a mineral bodyEvery part of you is made from minerals - your bones, cell structure, lymph liquid, arteries, organs, tissue, muscle, hair, and so on. You cannot live without minerals. How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day? I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know the answer to this question yet in practice they fail. Everybody I've talked to seems to know that 8-12 glasses of water a day is the recommended standard. Take Back Your Life 5 In parts 1-4 of this series of articles titled "Take Back Your Life", we discussed what could be considered the four wheels of the human wellness vehicle. We discussed the importance of proper cell function, the necessity of having and maintaining a balanced endocrine system, and the role of vitamins and minerals, including certain trace minerals as they relate to wellness, and the value of antioxidants. Small Changes Yield Big Benefits You can start today - right now, even - on a road to feeling better, looking better, living longer and enjoying a far better quality of life.We're all familiar with the big steps:If you smoke, do yourself and those who love you a huge favor - STOP. Glutamates Approximately 30 years ago, food manufacturers were competing against the American Homemaker for consumable dollars. Women, traditionally prepared food fed to the family and the food prepared came fresh and cheap!Food scientists knew then that we have glutamate receptors on our tongues. Surrender To The Spell Of The Pyramid Food in general has the distinction of being probably thefirst thing we all think about in the mornings before our feet hit the floor. The main reason for this is we cannot survive without it. 7 Bad Eating Habits You Should Change Immediately People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don't believeme? Just tune-in to any source of advertising..
|
Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved. 
|
