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Glyconutrients are a subgroup of the nutraceuticals, which
is an unofficial term combining nutrition and pharmaceuticals. What
this means is that glyconutrients are nutritional substances that
have pharmaceutical effects. Glyconutrients are natural, food-based
nutritional substances that encourage healing of the human body.
Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine coined the
term 'nutraceutical' to describe glyconutrients and other natural
healing food-based substances. Glyconutrients are the most exciting
of this group, however, since they have the greatest promise in
the medical field.
Glyco means "sweet" and thus is sugar or carbohydrate-based
down to the molecular level. In this context, "Sugar",
"Carbohydrate" and "Saccharide are all used interchangeably.
What makes glyconutrients different than other nutrients is that
they provide the monosaccharides necessary for good health. Glyconutrients
address the fundamental structure of the body at the molecular level.
What these food-based nutritional substances do is help cells communicate
to each other more efficiently.
The 1996 edition of Harper's Biochemistry identified the eight
most important saccharides essential for healthy functioning cells:
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- Mannose
- Fucose (not to be confused with fructose)
- Galactose
- Glucose
- N-AcetylGalactosamine
- N-AcetylGlucosamine
- N-AcetylNeuraminic Acid
- Xylose
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When many people find out that glyconutrients are sugar-based,
their minds close and they move on to something else. This is because
we've been taught that sugar is bad for us. But, just like the fact
that there is "good cholesterol" and "bad cholesterol"
there is also "good sugar" and "bad sugar" as
well. Glyconutrients are the good sugars that help in the healing
process and in fact, can help to raise the levels of good cholesterol
and lower the levels of bad cholesterol.
For our bodies to function properly and heal well, we need eight
essential sugars in small amounts. But only two sugars, glucose
and galactose, are readily available in our limited, over-processed
diets. When all eight sugars are available, people are able to reactivate
their immune systems, fight disease and ward off infection.
In many tests around the world, glyconutrients have been shown
to decrease body fat, lower cholesterol, accelerate wound healing,
increase lean muscle mass, ease allergy symptoms, and stave off
autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetes.
For cancer patients, glyconutrients have been shown to mitigate
the toxic effects of radiation and chemotherapy.
Glyconutrients have also been shown to help other mechanisms and
processes within the body that help with healing:
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- Bacterial infections
- Flu
- Herpes outbreaks
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Gulf War Syndrome
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Asthma
- Neurological disorders
- ADHD
- Depression
- Cancer
- Muscle pain
- Allergies
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- Anxiety
- Obesity
- Pulmonary Disease
- Skin disorders, burns, wounds
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Hepatitis
- Sexual Function
- Osteoporosis
- Cataracts
- Insomnia
- Lupus
- Cystic fibrosis
- Psoriasis
- Hypertension
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These are just some of the areas and ailments that glyconutrients
have been proven to be effective in facilitating healing. Glyconutrients
accomplish these tasks by activating immune T-cell activity, promoting
antioxidant abilities and enhancing individual tissue cell communication.
It should be noted that glyconutrients do not directly cure any
diseases by themselves but stimulate and facilitate other processes
in the body to step up and take charge of the healing process. Before
ingesting any glyconutrients it is best advised to consult a personal
physician first since allergic reactions, reactions with other drugs
or other health issues may occur as a result.
In 1999, Dr. Günter Blobel won the Nobel Prize in Medicine
for his studies in the new field of glycobiology concerning cellular
communications. The last four out of eight Nobel Prizes for Medicine
have dealt with cellular communications as well.
Glyconutrients are not the latest gimmick or fad, but rather the
foundation upon which current nutritional science is being built
around. The excitement is just beginning.
As more media coverage takes place and more stories about the wonders
of glyconutrients come to the forefront, people will start to wonder,
"Why haven't I heard of this before?"
The next step is that people will say to themselves that they have
to try glyconutrients because what do they have to lose except their
medical problems. This is one of the few substances where there
has not been shown to be a downside to taking it.
So, what are you waiting for? It may not work for you at all or
it may work wonders. You owe it to yourself to at least try and
see if this is the solutions that you've been needing.
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