In the brain, a typical protein can live for approximately ten days. The thoughts, feelings and memories of a human being are made up of what was in the stomach only a few days before. As you can see, in choosing one's diet, you actually can determine who and what you are going to become.
About 2500 years ago, Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals are designer foods and supplements that are combined with nutritional value that are disease-preventative and have medicinal benefits. These are usually natural products which may reduce or prevent chronic and acute disease or promote good health.
Many chronic and acute diseases are caused or irritated by nutritional imbalances or deficiency. The link between diet, disease and the ability to process thought are sometimes subtle and complex. Many studies suggest that some 40% of cancers are linked to dietary choices. Unhealthy eating habits are sometimes caused by farming practices, lack of money, and a manufacturing industry that promotes the ignorance of true, beneficial nutrition.
There is conjecture and speculation in the field of Nutritional Science that mood and aggressive behavior has more to do with diet than what was first thought. The most effective way to raise neural serotonin levels, which is the chemical that helps the body relax, is to eat a high carbohydrate meal. The insulin released lets more tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier by moving competing amino-acids out of the blood stream. A high-protein diet will tend to lessen the serotonin function at the expense of norepinephrine and dopamine, with a more aggressive and temperamental reaction from the subject.
Functional Foods and Nutraceutaicals work by balancing out the human bodies deficiencies or excessive chemical make-up. When foods are broken down in the mouth and stomach, they become massive ingredients for thousands of chemical reactions. Everything that a human consumes becomes a storehouse for chemical reactions that maintain the bodies life force. An example of this would be the cholesterol lowering effects of eating Oatmeal. How does this work? When a person consumes oatmeal, they consume carbohydrates called glucans, small fibers that fill the intestines which decreases the ability to absorb carbohydrates, it increases the movement of the food in the intestines and colon, and cleanses the body as it moves out as waste. The following would be other examples of how functional foods are working:
Erythema may be reduced by eating tomato paste ( Stahl W, Heinrich U, Wiseman S, Eichler O, Sies H, Tronnier H. J. Nutr. 131: 1449-1451, 2001 ).
Tomato and Tomato products may reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
(Sanjiv Agarwal and Akkinappally Venketeshwer Rao Canadian Medical Association Journal 2000; 163(6):739-44. )
Soy may prevent bone loss in menopausal women. (Arjmandi BH, Smith BJ Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 2002, Vol. 13:130-137 )
Soy with isofalvones can reduce cholesterol. ( Vitolins MZ, Anthony M, Burke GL Current Opinions in Lipidology 2001, 12:433-437)
Garlic may reduce Cancer risk. (Dorant et al., 1993)
Cranberries aid in treatment of Urinary Tract Infection. (Schmidt and Sobota, 1988)
Dairy products aid in the prevention of Osteoporosis and Colon Cancer. (Fuller, 1994)
There are many, many more studies by accredited universities that have been done on a variety of plants and animals for functionality in nutritional therapies.
A diet of Functional foods can not only maintain better health, it can also repair chronic health issues. Functional foods would be foods that help to maintain better glucose control for diabetics, while having components that aid in repairing the pancreas. Foods that help to lower cholesterol levels in heart patients, foods that build the immune system in autoimmune patients.
Functional Food Specialists will be the physicians of tomorrow and those who manufacture functional foods will be the pharmacists that aid in healing the world of chronic and acute diseases.
D.S. Epperson is the top formulator for Home Blend Gourmet / South Pacific Health, a leader in the functional food industry in the U.S. With 20 years of experience in Nutritional Biochemistry, she has written reference books on botanicals and manufacturing of medicines from botanicals, and published articles on health, fitness and foods. She has formulated over 240 formulas and inventions for health, the environment and agricultural uses, and continues to research and study microbial advantages in nutraceuticals and functional foods. For more information or to view the articles that she has written: http://www.sugarblend.com
Brighton limousine Chicago ...It seems as if the health of America is failing.... Read More
Each and every person living in the UK is... Read More
I know you've heard this many times - "Drink more... Read More
After we have eaten a meal -- and often we... Read More
You are what you eat is a simple, time tested... Read More
There seems to be fairly poor tracking by any formal... Read More
Originally, all foods were "organic" ? grown and prepared without... Read More
Niacin, also called nicotinic acid, is a member of the... Read More
Before we get to honey we have a question from... Read More
Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you... Read More
You wouldn't judge a book by its cover, would you?You... Read More
What if I told you tap water and homogenized milk... Read More
Health is the thing. And no matter how many ways... Read More
A flood of scientific evidence about fish oil points to... Read More
Okay, so you think you are doing pretty well with... Read More
Hormonal changes during pregnancy, and quite normal fat gain often... Read More
Although many realize that the liver has its own cleansing... Read More
Factory FarmingThe big names in American agriculture would like you... Read More
Your fiber intake is a critical factor in weight loss... Read More
It is amazing to be able to say I am... Read More
Nutrition usually only comes up when people are finally deciding... Read More
Inflammation is not a disease.Inflammation is best described as a... Read More
Millions of people around the UK consume dairy products on... Read More
"To eat an apple before going to bed will make... Read More
If you are like most people, you've tried dieting before.... Read More
Arenzville Chicago limo O'Hare ...These are questions we have to ask ourselves? because after... Read More
Aging occurs when the body's cells die at faster rates... Read More
The Human Body is in a constant flux with the... Read More
Today's tip is on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).Hypoglycemia affects both... Read More
A frequent misunderstanding about macrobiotics is that it is a... Read More
You can spot a juicer a mile off at the... Read More
According to the National Institute of Health, Magnesium is needed... Read More
Here is a continuation of the light and darkness metaphor:... Read More
Every day we are bombarded with information about food products... Read More
Organic farming is the production of food using all natural... Read More
Spring in New York City is a really magical time.... Read More
AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by... Read More
Being vegetarian is one of the greatest things in the... Read More
Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More
You can eat whole flax seeds but you need to... Read More
With so much 'diet advice' around today it is little... Read More
Since the 1930's the western diet has dramatically changed. This... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
While there are many effective ways to get more energy... Read More
Post nasal drip is a sensation of mucous build up... Read More
Having spent most of my life living off of junk... Read More
The old clich? that you are what you eat is... Read More
I'm sure by now you've heard all about the amazing... Read More
Inflammation is not a disease.Inflammation is best described as a... Read More
Americans are literally running out of time. Achieving a work-life... Read More
Nutrition Nutrition |