home
Search the site:
search

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:

Los Angeles Times

Vending machine snacks can damage childrens' health
Celebrities With Diseases
According to researcher Madhur Kakarala, “Targeted nutrition education to promote the importance of healthful snacks is further stressed by the Child ...
Another study highlights the insanity of selling junk food in school vending ...Los Angeles Times
Making School Lunches and Vending Machines HealthierFresh and Healthy Nutrition (blog)
Fresh Healthy Vending Franchisee to Launch Throughout Scottsdale SchoolsGlobeNewsWire (press release)
PR Newswire (press release)
all 62 news articles »


KDRV

S. Oregon schools get creative in making nutrition a priority
KDRV
As kids get ready to go back to school, nutrition is a top concern for many parents, and cafeteria staff in Southern Oregon are also taking it very ...

and more »


The State

Kids Cafe combines nutrition with after-school care
The State
Bowers said while the nutritional and educational needs of the students are crucial, the sites serve another important role. “A lot of these kids are latch ...

and more »


Most Americans struggle with long-term weight loss: Study
Oneindia
Penn State College of Medicine researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999-2006, a nationwide survey ...

and more »


TopNews Singapore (press release)

Prescription Drug Use Rising in US, CDC Reports
BusinessWeek
... more drugs increased from 6 percent to 11 percent, according to the analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). ...
CDC Says More Americans Are Taking Prescription DrugsRTT News
Better Living Through Chemistry? Americans Reliant on PrescriptionHealthNews
Americans' RX drug use on the riseCNN (blog)
Scope (blog) -eMaxHealth
all 82 news articles »


New nutrition center feeds seniors in need
NorthJersey.com
The center, which opened last month in the old Riverside Vets building at 165 Fifth Ave., is among four nutrition sites in the city that feed 300 seniors a ...

and more »


Research and Markets: This Essential 2010 Edition of Nutritional Supplements ...
Trading Markets (press release)
The present report analyses Human nutrition and health industry with detailed description of industry segments. Report covers global industry size, ...

and more »


CBC.ca

Organic Strawberries Have Better Taste & Nutrition Than Conventional & Better ...
Treehugger
In coming to that conclusion, the scientists analyzed 31 chemical and biological soil properties, soil DNA, as well as the taste, nutrition and quality of ...
Is Organically Produced Food More Nutritious?NPR
More proof: Organic mattersWashington Post (blog)
Organic strawberries given a thumbs up in WSU studySeattle Times
The Money Times -World Science -Food Consumer
all 81 news articles »


Professional Research on Dean Foods and Mead Johnson Nutrition Company - Food ...
MarketWatch (press release)
(NYSE:DF) and Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (NYSE:MJN) . Register today at www.wallstreetequityresearch.com to receive free research reports on these ...
Mead Johnson Nutrition Backs FY10 Non-GAAP EPS Guidance - Quick FactsRTT News
Mead Johnson to Present at Barclays Capital Back-to-School Consumer ConferenceMarketWatch (press release)

all 20 news articles »


Kore Nutrition and Go All In establish new Asian Licensee
Trading Markets (press release)
Kore Nutrition and the company's wholly owned subsidiary, Go All In have announced the establishment of their new Asian licensee, ALL IN Asia. ...
Kore Nutrition forms Asia Licensee for ALL IN EnergyDrinks Business Review

all 2 news articles »

Google News