Connections to Health - Getting the rubbish out of the cell.

THE ISHTA HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTRE

CONNECTIONS to HEALTH

This is the tenth and final part in our detoxification series. You can get the previous parts here. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

Getting the rubbish out of the cell.

The whole point of following the previous 9 sessions of the whole body cleansing process is to get to a place were it is possible to get the rubbish out of the cell and out of the body, therefore allowing the introduction of nutrients and vitality. Remember we are only as healthy as the cells in our body are! If they are congested then the rest of the body is.

How does the cell get the nutrients in and the rubbish out?

This takes place across the semi-permeable membrane of the cell and it follows that the degree of transportation across the cell is down to the health and integrity of the cell membrane.

Let's take a closer look at the cell membrane.
There are between 60 to 100 trillion cells in the body all with a plasma membrane. This plasma membrane is also called a phospholipid bilayer. This is a selectively permeable lipid (fat) layer that contains a wide variety of biological molecules, primarily proteins and lipids, which are involved in a whole array of activities such as cell adhesion, ion channel conductance and cell-to-cell-communication. The cell membrane physically separates the cellular components from the extracellular environment, serving a function similar to skin.
The barrier is selectively permeable and able to regulate what enters and exits the cell, thus facilitating the transport of materials needed for survival. The movement of substances across the membrane can be either passive, occurring without the input of cellular energy, or active, requiring the cell to expend energy in moving it.
Specific proteins embedded in the cell membrane can act as molecular signals that allow cells to communicate with each other. Protein receptors are found anywhere and function to receive signals from both the environment and other cells. These signals are converted into a form that the cell can use to directly effect a response. Other proteins on the surface of the cell membrane serve as "markers" that identify a cell to other cells. The interaction of these markers with their respective receptors forms the basis of cell-to-cell interaction in the immune response.
The membrane is partially permeable, capable of elastic movement, and has fluid properties, in which embedded proteins and phospholipid molecules are able to move laterally. Such movement can be described by the Fluid Mosaic Model(although this is not the whole picture), that describes the membrane as a mosaic of lipid molecules that act as a solvent for all the substances and proteins within it, so proteins and lipid molecules are then free to diffuse laterally through the lipid matrix and migrate over the membrane. Ccholesterol is wedged between phospholipid molecules in the plasma membranes of animals and helps to stabilize the membrane. Cholesterol also contributes to membrane fluidity by hindering the packing together of phospholipids.
What can get across this membrane?
The lipid bilayer is permeable to water molecules and a few other small, uncharged, molecules like oxygen and carbon dioxide. These diffuse freely in and out of the cell.
The lipid bilayers are not permeable to, ions such as potassium, sodium, calcium, chloride and hydrogen carbonate, glucose and proteins.
The body regulates what can and cannot enter and exit a call via the membrane.

Can the membrane integrity be maintained?
Because cell membranes are a collage of many different proteins embedded in the fluid matrix of the lipid bilayer. The integrity and fluidity of our cell membranes is determined to a large extent by our diet including the type of fat and carbohydrates we eat.
Researchers believe that diets containing large amounts of saturated or hydrogenated (trans) fats produce cell membranes that are hard and lack fluidity. On the other hand, diets rich in omega 3 fats produce cell membranes with a high degree of fluidity.
Danger of trans fats - in distorting cell membranes and cell structures.
Probably the greatest danger of trans fats is one that is not often discussed - it is the effect of trans fats in distorting the cell membranes as well as cell structures.
Most articles about the dangers of trans fats talk about their role in raising cholesterol or, more specifically in raising LDL or bad cholesterol and lowering HDL or good cholesterol, which can result in heart disease. This is something that most people can understand and identify with. Likewise, many articles talk about the links between trans fats and obesity, trans fats and diabetes as well as trans fats and cancer. These are discussed because these are the more visible and dramatic effects.
The effect on cell membranes, however, is possibly the most significant danger of trans fats - because when the cells are affected, every part of the body is affected.
This has wide implications for a long list of body systems and functions, including immunity and brain function. Plus, it has implications for the more commonly discussed dangers of trans fats in causing heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer and so on. For example, the effect of trans fats on cell membranes makes them interfere with insulin receptors that are responsible for the control of blood sugar, and this can then lead to diabetes. Likewise, the danger of trans fats in causing cancer also has to do with cell membranes becoming distorted.
Here's where the danger of trans fats comes in.
It has been found that in people who eat large amounts of foods containing trans fats, their cell membranes contain up to 20 percent trans fats.
In such individuals, the cell walls have lost their integrity, becoming distorted and weak.
Omega 3
Diets rich in omega 3 fats produce cell membranes with a high degree of fluidity and integrity. The three most nutritionally important omega 3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Dietary sources of alpha-linolenic acid include flaxseeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, soybeans and some dark green leafy vegetables. The body converts alpha-linolenic acid into two important omega 3 fats, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). For some people it is better to obtain EPA and DHA in its direct form and these fats are found in cold-water fish including salmon, tuna, halibut, and herring. In addition, certain types of algae contain DHA. EPA.
Vitamin E, the primary fat-soluble antioxidant, protects omega 3 fats from oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical process that produces free radicals.
Glycoproteins
The protein receptors in the cell membrane normally have a sugar molecule associated with them and this combination of protein and sugar has been given the name glycoprotein. For the correct communication to occur and for the cell to recieve the information required for it to perform its job the correct types of glycoproteins need to be present in the cell membranes. In fact, in recent years (1994, 1999, 2000 and 2001) four Nobel Prizes for Medicine have been won with research on how cells communicate, and its importance to our health & wellbeing. A lot of this research has been related to prevention and treatment of cancer.
A diet contaning glycoproteins has been shown to have a beneficial affect on the integrity of the celll membrane. A number of naturally occurring substances have already been identified as having high glycoprotein content. One was medicinal mushrooms. Reishi, maitake, cordyceps and oyster mushrooms all have beta-glucan polysaccharide. Cancer Research UK reported recently that Japanese mushroom pickers have half the cancer rates of the rest of the population. (They obviously scrump!).
Other natural sources of these essential sugars are:
Aloe vera, brans - slow cooked oatmeal, whole barley, brown rice, pectins - apples and citrus fruit eaten whole, breast milk, arabinogalactins - found in wheat, leeks, carrots, radishes, pears, red wine, coconut, meat, tomatoes, curcumin and echinacea, corn, psyllium, garlic.
The interesting point is the universality of the discovery. All cells seem to positively respond to glycoproteins, whether they are human, yeast, plants or animals.
Even tiny amounts of these sugars - or lack of them - have a profound effect.
To summarise, in order to restore and maintain healthy cell membranes eat a diet high in wholefoods, fruit, vegetables, omega 3 and plenty of fresh, clean water.
Where have you heard that before?

If you feel the need to supplement, especially the omegs 3 we can supply you with some safe fish oils that have a high concenration of EPA and DHA. We can also supply you with Aloe vera for the glycoproteins and a supplement containing the mushroom cordyceps. Just give us a call or email us for costs and any special offers.