Nutrition Information.... from Heart-Links.com

Are Your Cells Talking To Each Other?


Are Your Cells Talking To Each Other?

Communication! It permeates our lives. We communicate for many reasons such as: 1) to get what we want, 2) to get rid of what we don't want, 3) to let people know how we feel, 4) to show people we care, 5) to work productively with co-workers, etc. As members of the human race we are fortunate to have various ways to communicate our needs and desires. We can talk, use body language, write our requests or key them into the computer.

But what would happen if we spoke one language and the intended receiver of our message spoke another language. Or perhaps we are speaking on the phone to a friend and static interfers so much that they only hear some of our words or we say one word and they hear it as a different word. Perhaps we are sending our message via computer but some of the keys are either missing or mixed up. That could cause some confusion, right? And the more static or more keys that are missing, the more confused the message is. On the other hand the better we can communicate with other people, the higher level we can function at.

Did you know that the same thing happens in our body? Our body is designed to function at an amazing level. When we think of how complicated our body is, of all the things that could go wrong, and of how much actually goes right without our even thinking about it, it is truly amazing. But why do things sometimes go wrong?

Our body is made up of various systems (circulatory, nervous, muscular, etc) that are made up of organs (heart, lungs, blood vessels) that are made up of cells. To understand the importance of communication in our body, let's take a look at what would happen if our body was a business.

If our body was a company, our systems would be the various departments in the company, our organs would be the teams of people working together within each department, and the cells would be each individual person within the teams. The individual people are the powerhouses of the company. If they are doing what they are supposed to do, when and how they are supposed to, and if they are communicating well to each other to get their individual needs met, then the team will work well. If the teams are working well and communicating so their needs are met, the department will work well. And if all departments are communicating and getting their needs met, the company is successful. But if communication brakes down at any level, it puts the success of the company in jeopardy.

Just as people power companies, our cells power our bodies. So what do our cells need and how do they communicate to each other? Let's look at their needs first. In order to work optimally our cells require nutrients which they use to produce energy and repair themselves. This process produces waste materials which they must eliminate. And they must identify themselves as to what kind of cells they are and if they are native to our body or if they are an intruder (virus, bad bacteria, etc). Each cell is covered with glycoproteins (much like a fuzzy ball). When our cells touch each other these glycoproteins pass messages from one cell to another. The glycoproteins are comprised of variations of 4 proteins and 8 essential sugars (also called carbohydrates or saccharides).

If all glycoproteins are completely formed (no missing sugars or proteins), the message gets passed along intact and the needs of the cell are satisfied. However, just like having static on the phone lines or missing keys on the computer keyboard; if something is missing from the glycoproteins, communication breaks down and the cell either doesn't get what it needs or is sabotaged by sending out a wrong message.

What happens if a cell doesn't get the nutrients it needs to produce energy or repair itself?
Oooh! Energy drain! Premature aging!

What happens if it's message to get rid of waste material is not understood?
Ouch! Toxin build-up! Yuck!

What if it is an invading virus but the body doesn't know it because of faulty cell communication?
Cold? Flu? Pneumonia? _____?

What if it is in fact a native cell that gives out a message that is interpreted by another cell that it is an invader?
Oh-oh! The macrophages are called in to eat it up pac-man style. If this happens frequently enough, we will eventually be diagnosed with one of the 85 known auto-immune diseases.

Wow! Did you have any idea how important each of your cells is (yes, all trillions of them). So how do we keep our cells communicating? It is in the glycoproteins. If our glycoproteins are complete and properly formed, our cells are happily sending and receiving the right messages. Highly functioning cells make highly functioning organs, which make highly functioning systems, which make a highly functioning body for us. The bottom line is getting the right nutrition so our cells can make complete and properly formed glycoproteins.

© Jan Barosh 2004. Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the following paragraph is included and contact information is provided to http://www.janbarosh.com

Jan Barosh's degree is in health and physical education with post- graduate work in exercise science and psychology. She is a licensed corporate wellness coach and a certified teleclass leader and has helped adults and children be more healthy and fit for over 25 years. Jan has developed a unique weight management program called LifeWeight? which is being taught in the US and licensed for distribution in the UK.


MORE RESOURCES:

Parents Not Best Barometer of Kid's Eating, Exercise Habits
Washington Post, United States - 11 hours ago
Researchers reported in the January/February issue of Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior that mothers of preschool-aged children thought their kids ...
Poor eating habits set in early: study CBC.ca
Eating Habits And Exercise Behaviors In Children Can Deteriorate Early Science Daily (press release)
Bad Health Habits Start Early In Life KIROtv.com
all 66 news articles


WOWK

Schools receive nutrition award
Times Community Newspapers of Greater Dayton, OH - 2 hours ago
By Doug Skinner The Beavercreek School District is one of 16 districts throughout the state to win the 2008 Stellar Award for Best Nutrition Practices from ...
School Districts See More Families Applying for Lunch Program WVNS
all 4 news articles


Americans Consuming More Sugary Beverages
Washington Post, United States - 7 hours ago
Published in the January issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research found that people are now drinking almost 50 additional calories ...


Garlic as a Cancer Fighter? Maybe Not
Washington Post, United States - 3 hours ago
... Women's University in Seoul, South Korea, and lead author of the study, published in the January issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. ...


The Beverage Network

Nestle launches nutrition drink for children
SmartBrief, DC - 11 hours ago
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition has introduced Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink, which contains probiotics, vitamins and minerals, and is intended ...
Nestle Nutrition Launches BOOST(R) Kid Essentials Nutritionally ... PR Newswire (press release)
all 4 news articles


Massachusetts And New York Consider Mandatory Nutrition Labeling ...
AMonline.com, WI - 9 hours ago
New York and Massachusetts are considering following California and enacting statewide nutrition labeling on chain restaurant menus, according to Nation's ...


Rudy Nutrition Mutually Agrees to Terminate Merger into Marshall ...
Business Wire (press release), CA - 5 hours ago
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rudy Nutrition reports it and Marshall Holdings International have mutually agreed to terminate the merger agreement between the ...
Rudy Nutrition Mutually Agrees to Terminate Merger into Marshall ... American Digital Networks (press release)
all 6 news articles


Old-fashioned lifeline
Boston Globe, United States - 16 hours ago
But the IV nutrition also damages their livers. Dr. Rusty Jennings, a pediatric surgeon and one of Ellie's doctors, described the double-edged sword ...


10-Q: SCHIFF NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
MarketWatch (press release) - 6 hours ago
Schiff Nutrition International, Inc. develops, manufactures, markets and distributes branded and private label vitamins, nutritional supplements and ...
10-Q: AMERICAN MEDIA OPERATIONS INC MarketWatch (press release)
all 60 news articles


Mixed signs for West Virginia economy
Forbes, NY - 7 hours ago
The anecdotes are amplified by figures like the 285242 West Virginians receiving monthly benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, ...
Mixed signs for WVa economy Daily Mail - Charleston
all 6 news articles

Nutrition - Google News

home | site map | Heart-Links.com Site | Start Your Online Business for Just $8.95
© 2006