Part 6: Who needs Glyconutrients? (Athletes)

Glyconutrients and Athletes

Nutrition is paramount for athletes seeking to achieve maximal performance and rapid post-exercise recovery. For elite athletes dietary factors can often translate into those milliseconds that separate winning from losing. Glyconutrition can support athletes in increasing performance, reducing pain, and reducing recovery time.

Optimised cellular function through glyconutrients supplementation results in enhanced performance. Roy Kurban, a karate black belt and Black Belt Magazine’s previous Man of the Year had tried many new nutritional supplements before he started taking glyconutrients in 1996. He found that glyconutrients worked where others didn’t.

A study involving NFL athletes found that those taking glyconutrients experienced less pain, had an improved range of motion in their joints and experienced an overall improvement in their quality of life.

One of the major drawbacks of the intensive training regimes undertaken by elite athletes is the diminished immune system function, resulting in increased risk of infection, prolonged recovery time and decreased tissue repair mechanisms. Glyconutrients boost immune system functioning and support the natural functions of our body to heal, repair, regenerate, regulate and protect itself.; Antioxidants can help protect your cells from free radicals which are released during exercise.

It’s well known that excessive exercise diminishes immune-system function. This increases the risk of infection, prolongs recovery time and decreases tissue-repair mechanisms. Glyconutrients have been shown to enhance immune function. Both the U.S. and Canadian Olympic teams officially endorse glyconutrient products for their athletes.

Glycoproteins make up more than 85% of the molecules in our cells. If glycosylation is not adequate, due to deficiency in glyconutrients, then crucial cells and their components – such as enzymes, antibodies, collagen, muscle fibres, hormones – are not created in sufficient quantities and as a result health and performance can be dramatically reduced.

Glyconutrients are non-toxic at even high amounts, and there is no possibility of long-term damage or drug interactions

WiFi May Be Hazardous To Your Health

It’s convenient and widely available but a growing group of researchers warn that WiFi may be hazardous to your health.

William Stewart, the head of Britain’s Health Protection Agency, is worried that wireless Internet access may pose a health threat — particularly to children — and is privately calling for a study of the hazards of WiFi, the Independent reports.

Researchers believe that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the phones, cell-phone towers and WiFi masts are contributing to an “electric smog” that could pose a future health risk.

The researchers say this smog of electromagnetic radiation is 1 billion times stronger than the natural fields in which living cells have developed over the last 3.8 billion years. Children may be more vulnerable as their skulls are thinner and their nervous systems are still developing, not to mention that they’ll be exposed to more radiation over their lifetime

The Austrian Medical Association is just one group that wants to keep WiFi out of the classroom, the Independent reports.

The head of environmental health and medicine in the province of Salzburg calls WiFi “dangerous” to sensitive people. “The number of people and the danger are both growing,” Dr. Gerd Oberfeld said.

The World Health Organization says that three out of every 100 people are “electrosensitive,” the paper reports.

In Britain, a lawmaker from the wireless city of Norwich is calling for an official inquiry into WiFi’s risks and the nation’s Professional Association of Teachers is lobbying Britain’s education secretary for one, as well.

“I am concerned that so many wireless networks are being installed in schools and colleges without any understanding of the possible long-term consequences,” said Philip Parkin, the association’s general secretary. “The proliferation of wireless networks could be having serious implications for the health of some staff and pupils without the cause being recognized.”

WiFi May Be Hazardous To Your Health

It’s convenient and widely available but a growing group of researchers warn that WiFi may be hazardous to your health.

William Stewart, the head of Britain’s Health Protection Agency, is worried that wireless Internet access may pose a health threat — particularly to children — and is privately calling for a study of the hazards of WiFi, the Independent reports.

Researchers believe that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the phones, cell-phone towers and WiFi masts are contributing to an “electric smog” that could pose a future health risk.

The researchers say this smog of electromagnetic radiation is 1 billion times stronger than the natural fields in which living cells have developed over the last 3.8 billion years. Children may be more vulnerable as their skulls are thinner and their nervous systems are still developing, not to mention that they’ll be exposed to more radiation over their lifetime

The Austrian Medical Association is just one group that wants to keep WiFi out of the classroom, the Independent reports.

The head of environmental health and medicine in the province of Salzburg calls WiFi “dangerous” to sensitive people. “The number of people and the danger are both growing,” Dr. Gerd Oberfeld said.

The World Health Organization says that three out of every 100 people are “electrosensitive,” the paper reports.

In Britain, a lawmaker from the wireless city of Norwich is calling for an official inquiry into WiFi’s risks and the nation’s Professional Association of Teachers is lobbying Britain’s education secretary for one, as well.

“I am concerned that so many wireless networks are being installed in schools and colleges without any understanding of the possible long-term consequences,” said Philip Parkin, the association’s general secretary. “The proliferation of wireless networks could be having serious implications for the health of some staff and pupils without the cause being recognized.”

WiFi May Be Hazardous To Your Health

It’s convenient and widely available but a growing group of researchers warn that WiFi may be hazardous to your health.

William Stewart, the head of Britain’s Health Protection Agency, is worried that wireless Internet access may pose a health threat — particularly to children — and is privately calling for a study of the hazards of WiFi, the Independent reports.

Researchers believe that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the phones, cell-phone towers and WiFi masts are contributing to an “electric smog” that could pose a future health risk.

The researchers say this smog of electromagnetic radiation is 1 billion times stronger than the natural fields in which living cells have developed over the last 3.8 billion years. Children may be more vulnerable as their skulls are thinner and their nervous systems are still developing, not to mention that they’ll be exposed to more radiation over their lifetime

The Austrian Medical Association is just one group that wants to keep WiFi out of the classroom, the Independent reports.

The head of environmental health and medicine in the province of Salzburg calls WiFi “dangerous” to sensitive people. “The number of people and the danger are both growing,” Dr. Gerd Oberfeld said.

The World Health Organization says that three out of every 100 people are “electrosensitive,” the paper reports.

In Britain, a lawmaker from the wireless city of Norwich is calling for an official inquiry into WiFi’s risks and the nation’s Professional Association of Teachers is lobbying Britain’s education secretary for one, as well.

“I am concerned that so many wireless networks are being installed in schools and colleges without any understanding of the possible long-term consequences,” said Philip Parkin, the association’s general secretary. “The proliferation of wireless networks could be having serious implications for the health of some staff and pupils without the cause being recognized.”

Mercury Part 2

Breaking News about Mercury Amalgam Fillings and Chronic Mercury Poisoning – Page 2 Mercury Emissions: Poisoning our Air, Water, Soil, and Food We know that high amounts of mercury are found in the fossil fuels; oil, gas and coal. But the problem isn’t that mercury is found in fossil fuels but that it is released into the atmosphere when it is burned. Mercury is the only toxic heavy metal that is a liquid at room temperature and vaporizes as the temperature increases. Once in the air it can be moved over vast distances by air currents.  The Importance of Reducing Mercury Emissions Mercury is one of the most poisonous substances on our planet, much more poisonous than arsenic, lead, or cadmium. Living downwind from any facility that releases mercury into the air will expose you in many ways. First, you can inhale it from the polluted air. Second, airborne mercury will eventually find its way into the soil, rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Of course, the concentrations will be greatest in the area closest to power plants burning fossil fuel. Once the airborne mercury has returned to earth, microorganisms in the soil and water readily convert it to its most toxic form, organic mercury (commonly known as methylmercury). Once this poisonous form of mercury enters the food chain, it can be ingested and readily assimilated into the body from the intestine. Regardless of how mercury enters the body mercury, it will cause harm in extraordinarily small amounts. Mercury poisons everyone, but is especially toxic to the fetus, nursing baby, and young child.   Mercury Emissions and Silver Amalgam Dental Fillings There is no doubt that it is critically important to our health to eliminate any toxic substance that enters our environment, but there is absolutely no excuse for our government not to protect us from a substance as poisonous as mercury. Not only can mercury from power plant emissions enter and accumulate in the body, but mercury from the environment and food is not our only source of exposure.  Environmental mercury, as serious a health hazard as it is, pales in comparison with the daily amount of mercury people with silver amalgam fillings receive. For those with these toxic amalgam dental fillings any additional exposure to mercury increases the risk to their health. This is even more important for a pregnant or nursing mother.

I found this article about Mercury. I believe this is something that we all need to keep track of. I will post another article tomorrow about Mercury. 

The EPA Re-Evaluates Mercury Emissions Regulations

Thankfully, more and more people are waking up to the fact that mercury, whether from amalgam fillings or seafood, is a health hazard. It was very encouraging to learn that over 500,000 comments have been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding its proposal to reduce mercury emissions from fossil fuel burning power plants. This record setting response is meaningful and appropriate because this is the first time a governmental agency has attempted to regulate these emissions. But because the EPA was so strongly influenced by the White House and energy lobbyists, a controversy surrounding its original proposal arose. 

The essence of the controversy comes down to how much and how quickly mercury can be reduced. Today mercury emissions from power plants total 48 tons a year. The Bush administration proposed that the EPA reduce mercury emissions by 29% by the year 2010 and 70% by 2018. This is in sharp contrast to what environmental groups and Democrats in Congress believe is necessary and possible. They say the EPA should reduce mercury emissions by 90% and achieve this reduction no later than 2009. 

Had it not been for such an intense public response, the EPA would have followed the Bush administration’s recommendations and issued its regulations in December of 2004. It is very encouraging to know that public opinion forced the EPA to re-evaluate its position. Environmentalist hope this will give the EPA time to use science and concern for public health, and not politics, to come up with more objective recommendations. The EPA has agreed and postponed its final decision to 2005. But the real questions are, why the big gap between the two factions and why should the public be so concerned? 

In 1994, electricity generated with fossil fuels was responsible for 23 percent of all industrial atmospheric mercury emissions, with coal-fired power plants producing the most mercury. Environmental mercury pollution isn’t selective. You really don’t have a say in how much exposure to environmental mercury you will receive. Of course, your exposure will be determined by how close you live to pollution sources, but because mercury emitted from power plants finds its way into the atmosphere, you can be affected even if you live far from the emission area. Consequently, no one is safe from these emissions, including the polluters. 

Is Fast Food Addictive?

People may become addicted to the sugar and fat in fast food, much like a person can become addicted to a drug, which may help explain the rising rates of obesity in the United States.

Researchers determined that some animals, and therefore some humans, could become dependent on sweet food. In their study, rats fed a diet containing 25 percent sugar became anxious when the sugar was removed–displaying symptoms similar to people going through drug withdrawals, such as chattering teeth and the shakes.

In the study, a link was found between opioids, or the brain’s ‘pleasure chemicals,’ and a craving for sweet, salty and fatty foods. It is thought that high-fat foods stimulate the opioids, as when researchers stimulated rats’ brains with a synthetic version of the natural opioid enkephalin, the rats ate up to six times their normal intake of fat.

Further, long lasting changes in rats’ brain chemistry, similar to those caused by morphine or heroin use, were also noted.

According to researchers, this means that even simple exposure to pleasurable foods is enough to change gene expression, which suggests an addiction to the food.

However, other researchers have disputed the addiction theory, peak and drop in blood sugar caused by eating fast food creates a desire for more, but is not necessarily an addiction.

Source: News Scientist

Part 5: Who needs Glyconutrients? ( Anti-Aging)

Glyconutrients and Anti-aging –

 glyconutrients and gerontology

Our body has a remarkable ability to heal itself, but especially as we grow older the effects of daily stress and lack of proper nutrition reduce our body’s ability to maintain good health. We don’t have to get sick or grow old faster than we need to. We all live in a hostile environment where staying healthy is a major challenge for everyone especially those of us who have had more time to expose our bodies to toxins and inadequate nutritional intakes.

New discoveries in biochemistry, in particular, in glycobiology, provide us with knowledge on how to slow down the aging process and how to maintain optimum health into our 70s, 80s and beyond. No matter what our age, the addition of glyconutrients into our health regime will support our body’s incredible ability to heal, repair, regenerate, regulate and protect itself. Science has proven that our bodies use glyconutrients to prevent infections and diseases, and slow the aging process.

Many chronic diseases that develop late in life have been found to be influenced by earlier poor eating habits or poor nutritional intake. The earlier a balanced nutrition supplementation program is undertaken the greater the opportunity for prevention of the debilitating multi-diseases of aging. But even in later life when we are suffering the effects of earlier nutrition deficit and the debilitating effects of degenerative disease, the addition of nutritional supplements especially glyconutrients, can help to lessen the effects of diseases and improve the quality of life for people who are experiencing disease. This allows older people to maintain their independence for longer. It also can shorten the recovery time from illnesses.

If we take a proactive approach to our wellness as we age, we find that we enter a beneficial recursive cycle. By taking nutritional supplements such as glyconutrients that have been shown to improve our body’s ability to heal, repair, regenerate, regulate and protect itself, we find we feel better – we have more energy and a greater sense of well being. This leads us to want to be more physically active, which in turn enhances our positive attitude. Combined, these actions and attitudes lead to greatly improved wellness, which makes us feel better, and on, and on.

The top herbs and supplements for wound healing and post-surgical recovery

Is it any wonder everyone wants to get out of the hospital as soon as they’ve arrived? Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are dangerously common; new viruses surface with frightening regularity. Horror stories of Staph infections and amputations can make the hospital stay after surgery scarier than the procedure itself.

Post-surgery recovery can be another time of great concern. Did the staff sterilize the medical equipment carefully? Did they follow guidelines to prepare properly for the surgery? Even when medical staff follow procedures by the book, something as simple as your doctor’s necktie – which an Israeli study found to be an unknown source of contamination in hospitals – can derail your recovery.

Even if you decide to undergo surgery (and there are many surgical procedures that have been proven to be largely unjustified, such as coronary bypass surgery, so make your decision carefully), you can take steps to speed your recovery even before you go under the knife. Good nutrition and supplementation helps ensure that small wounds heal quickly. Healthy immune systems also protect you from infection. In addition, the following herbs and supplements are well known for helping the body heal more quickly following surgery or trauma.

• Zinc: Best taken prior to surgery, zinc reduces wound healing time, rapidly reduces wound size, and bolsters immune function to help ward off infection. Topical zinc, such as calamine lotion, also inhibits bacteria growth on the surface of skin, helping to prevent infection. As zinc deficiency is common in the United States, most doctors recommend 30 mg/day, taken orally for four to six weeks, to bring your levels up to par before surgery. If you undergo surgery in a zinc deficient state, your recovery time will be lengthened, so be sure to test and supplement your zinc levels, if necessary, well before any planned surgical procedures.

A good resource for getting a comprehensive blood test that may help highlight nutritional deficiencies is the Life Extension Foundation (www.LEF.org)

• Vitamin C: Another important component for full post-operative recovery is vitamin C. According to the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, levels of this vital compound actually drop in burn victims, post-op patients, and other victims of physical trauma. The minimum required intake of vitamin C to maintain healthy bodily function is about 300mg to 1g per day following surgery or other procedures.

Vitamin C is required to make collagen, the connective tissue in the skin that helps healing and prevents blistering. Vitamin C strengthens scar tissue and also helps reduce tissue death after burns. It also helps to strengthen the immune system and fight off infection.

But don’t take processed, synthetic forms of the vitamin. Ascorbic acid is not the same thing as full-spectrum vitamin C. Get your vitamin C from nutritional supplements or superfoods made from plants. Good sources are rose hips and Pure Camu — a product from the Amazon Herb Company that’s made from camu camu berries (the highest natural source of vitamin C in the world). (See http://amazondreams.amazonherb.net/Pure_Camu_Solo.aspx )

The Amazon Herb Company also makes a high-grade Camu C Serum product that’s excellent for wound care. It’s positioned as a high-end skin care product, but many people use it directly on wounds to speed healing. See: http://amazondreams.amazonherb.net/Lluvia_CamuSerum.aspx

• Bromelain: An enzyme found in the stems of pineapples, bromelain is useful for reducing post-op swelling. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and boosts the immune system to reduce pain, bruising, tenderness, frostbite, and burns. It is a natural supplement that works the same way as Ibuprofen, the well-known over-the-counter drug. The only difference: bromelain will not harm your liver.

If you decide to take anti-inflammatory supplements following surgery, however, remember that inflammation is not always a bad thing. In fact, inflammation is your body’s way of bringing blood and nutrients to the area that needs healing. Conventional doctors tend to take the view that all inflammation is bad, but that’s an outmoded, limited view of the body’s adaptive response to trauma. Inflammation actually serves an important healing purpose, so don’t go crazy trying to eliminate it with drugs or supplements unless there is a strong medical reason for doing so (check with your doctor to determine what’s right for you).

A great rainforest herbal product that eases inflammation is Recovazon offered by the Amazon Herb Company. It eases inflammation and speeds injury recovery. I’ve personally used it to heal from sprains and bruises earned during gymnastics and martial arts.

• Chlorella: Japanese studies have found Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) to be especially effective in speeding up cell growth, a major factor in the natural repair of wounds. Various other studies reveal CGF helps heal ulcers and promote bone and muscle growth. When taken internally, it also acts as an immune-booster. Topically, it functions as a protective cleansing compound for skin.

Chlorella is found in numerous superfood products, including Rejuvenate! from Health Products Distributors, Inc. at http://www.IntegratedHealth.com

You can also find chlorella in a variety of superfood products at any health food store. Chlorella varies widely in quality. One of the best brands of chlorella is Yaeyama (from Japan).

• Gotu kola: This herb has been used for centuries in Asia as natural medicine. Gotu kola – also called marsh penny, Indian pennywort, and British pennywort – helps in the treatment of scars and wounds with infections that have not yet reached the bone. The herb can be used both internally and externally while components of gotu kola have been shown to increase levels of antioxidants and help repair connective tissues.

For more information on herbs and supplements that help heal wounds, visit SupplementReference.com and its sister sites. You’ll find information on supplements and herbs that can help with wound healing, immune function, inflammation and much more.

Always ask your naturopath or physician about which herbs or supplements may work best with your particular health circumstances. Avoid processed hospital junk food and eat fresh, healthy foods that are rich in natural plant fats, full-spectrum nutrients and trace minerals. (Buy organic.) Olive oil is excellent for easing inflammation following surgery.

Stay positive and relaxed, and let nature run its course. Remember: Your body is a self-healing system. It knows how to repair itself. All you have to do is give it the proper nutrition, relaxation and good circulation.

Also worth noting

Silica helps heal skin, ligaments, tendons and other tissues. Get a high-grade liquid form of silica from www.Eidon.com

Sunlight accelerates wound healing quite dramatically, probably by producing vitamin D in the skin. Patients who are exposed to sunlight heal far faster than those who are not.

Phototherapy can also help wounds heal quickly. Various phototherapy devices use infrared LED lights to bathe the wound in healing light. The cellular DNA responds by speeding up the repair process.

Avoid junk food during the healing process, especially processed fats such as hydrogenated oils and homogenized milk fats. They interfere with healthy cell wall construction.

Colloidal silver can be used topically to prevent infections. It works better than antibiotics and offers no opportunity for bacteria to build up resistance. Some people take colloidal silver internally as a replacement for antibiotics (that topic is a whole article).

Acupuncture can help speed wound recovery. Needling the tissues near the wound can boost local circulation and help eliminate scar tissue

(Source:Newstarget)

Part 4: Glycontutrients and Your Immune System

How do Glyconutrients Work? Immune System

The immune system is the body’s way of defending itself against bacteria and other ‘foreign’ substances. The fundamental protective actions involve neutrophils, macrophages, killer cells, and T and B cells. The specific actions of these cells, and how glyconutrients can support their function is explained below.

Other terms we often hear are immunodeficient and autoimmune, but what do they mean?

Immune dysfunction can result in the immune system being either overactive or underactive. An underactive immune system shows itself in such conditions as cancer and AIDS. If the immune system seems to be doing nothing to fight viruses, bacteria, and cancers it is called immunodeficient. Whatever the dysfunction, whether overactive or underactive, glyconutrients have been shown to help, acting as immunomodulators. Immunomodulators down-regulate the overactive system and up-regulate the underactive system. In fact, the glyconutrients are not the primary immunomodulators – they cause the DNA and the cells themselves to immunomodulate.

On the other hand autoimmunity is the opposite of immunodeficiency and is evidenced in the body seemingly attacking itself as if it is confused as to how to respond. Autoimmune conditions can be either systemic or localised:

Systemic Autoimmune Diseases	Localised Autoimmune diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis (joints, less commonly lung, skin)	Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (pancreas islets)
Lupus [Systemic Lupus Erythematosus] (skin, joints, kidneys, heart, brain, red blood cells, other)	Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves’ disease (thyroid)
Scleroderma (skin, intestine, less commonly lung)	Coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative colitis (gastro-intestinal tract)
Sjogren’s syndrome (salivary glands, tear glands, joints)	Multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome (central nervous system)
Goodpasture’s syndrome (lungs, kidneys)	Addison’s disease (adrenal)
Wegener’s granulomatosis (sinuses, lungs, kidneys)	Primary biliary sclerosis, Sclerosing cholangitis, Autoimmune hepatitis (liver)
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (large muscle groups)	Raynaud’s phenomenon (fingers, toes, nose, ears)
Temporal Arteritis / Giant Cell Arteritis (arteries of the head and neck)

There is still some debate whether MS, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia are autoimmune conditions.

In some cases, a person may have more than one autoimmune disease, for example, people with Addison’s disease often have type 1 diabetes, while people with sclerosing cholangitis often have either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. (Source: same as part3)