The following information is a solid model one can use for optimal health. Moreover, it is a tool developed to aid your self-empowerment in understanding and participating in your own health and well-being. This model focuses on supporting and balancing the twelve metabolic systems in your body essential to health. This approach is clear and simple. By consciously supporting your body systems, you are actively choosing and actualizing a life of vibrant health. Like all humans, your body works hard to maintain homeostasis, the precise balance of systems resulting in optimal functioning. This Metabolic Model provides you with a positive, proactive, health-supporting tool for your life that recommends safe, natural and nutritional compounds. With system-supportive nutrients and healthy diet and lifestyle options, you can optimize the healthy balance of your diverse, complex, and interdependent body systems. Nutritional supplementation can sometimes be confusing. This model addresses this and recommends a supplementation starting point, a Foundation Program for general good health.
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a molecule that provides the energy you need for vitality in every cell in your body. You may be eating well and getting enough sleep, but without adequate amounts of ATP, you may feel tired and fatigued. Supplemental vitamins and minerals can not only provide for optimum production of ATP, they can increase the body’s antioxidants, an excellent way to combat free radicals.
Cells & DNA
The genes and DNA in our cells hold the information that determines all of our unique traits and the structure and function of our cells. By modulating and controlling gene expression, our cells control our health, our memory, how much fat we burn, and how our immune system works. Various nutrients and plant extracts support the maintenance of genes that correctly code for valuable proteins and support the expression of these genes at the appropriate times.
We can describe classic inflammation as one of the immune system’s protective responses to an injury, wound or infection. Our immune system coordinates the response to these threats to neutralize and eliminate their impact on the body. When this process is complete, inflammation stops. In recent years, scientists have found that our immune system also responds with inflammatory activity to other triggers such as stress, nutrition, poor eating habits and pollutants. Unlike classic inflammation, these triggers, if ongoing, may cause the body to remain in an inflammatory mode, shifting our body chemistry. We call this immune response “metabolic inflammation”. Metabolic inflammation affects the optimal structure and function of multiple metabolic systems which can impact our overall health. Keeping this inflammatory system in check through a healthy lifestyle, reduced exposure to environmental toxins, and nutrition including a dietary supplement regimen of nutrients and herbs that slow unnecessary inflammatory messenger compounds, can be a good way to support optimal health. Through these proactive lifestyle changes, we can support healthy metabolism and healthy biochemistry vital to healthy aging.
Free radicals are unstable, reactive molecules with one missing electron. Free radicals are associated with inflammation, aging and many of the health issues of our time. Free radicals pervade every aspect of our lives and are the reason why leaves turn colors in the fall, iron turns to rust, and the elasticity and fluidity of our skin, tissues, and cells wane with age. Antioxidants are nature’s way of countering the oxidative effects of free radicals, which are generated by pollution, rancid oils in foods, and even normal metabolism. Antioxidants are crucial in supporting optimal cellular function and health. Replenishing the body with antioxidants is one of the most important steps anyone can take to support healthy aging.
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Blood Sugar Balance
Many people will agree that our modern “on the go” diet of processed unnatural foods is overwhelming our bodies. Drastic increases in refined carbohydrates and sugars have led to health concerns unheard of even a generation ago. Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels within the normal range is important to optimal health. Blood sugar—also known as blood glucose—is a key to energy generation in our cells. We get blood sugar in two ways: from the carbohydrates that we eat or from the liver’s production of glucose. Blood sugar affects energy storage, the efficient production and use of insulin, immune functions and overall cellular health. Excess consumption of carbohydrates and sugar increases blood glucose, which can contribute to excess body weight. When this weight is stored around the midsection, as visceral adipose tissue or VAT, inflammatory chemicals called cytokines are secreted and inflammatory signals are heightened, which can affect our cellular health. Keeping our blood sugar levels balanced is a great step toward healthy weight management, maintaining healthy insulin and metabolic inflammation response in the normal range. We can support this process with appropriate nutrients and plant compounds.
Your brain stimulates glands to produce hormones, which travel through your blood to lock onto the membranes of appropriate cells. Hormones carry important messages to the nucleus of the cell where DNA codes for the proteins and enzymes needed to maintain healthy cellular function. With age, cellular function can become less efficient. This can lead to a multitude of challenges associated with aging. By using nutritional supplementation to proactively support hormone-related metabolic processes, you are using powerful tools to support a healthy, active lifestyle.
Liver & Detox
Your liver is critically important to your long term health. The liver is your chemical factory, producing detoxifying enzymes, cholesterol (which at normal levels is vital for brain health and cell membrane integrity), and glucose. And the liver is your cleanup crew, helping your body detoxify and eliminate harmful waste products. The liver routinely helps deal with unwanted compounds and pollutants in your air, water and food. Its importance is magnified in our modern environment where the air we breathe, the water we drink, and food we eat have often been found to contain chemical pollutants, pesticides and hormones. Consequently, it’s a good idea to support your liver with powerful and effective nutrients to maintain optimal health.
You may not know it, but there is a lot you can do beyond a good exercise program to support your cardiovascular system. Nutritional supplementation can be a powerful tool in your favor. Your heart must contract without missing a beat every second of your life. Your blood needs to flow freely. Cardiovascular science has come a long way in the last twenty years. Appropriate nutrients and plant components can support your cardiovascular system in ways you may not have imagined.
Neural & Cognitive
The function of your brain and nervous system is dependent on healthy neuronal function. Your neurons send and receive messages in the form of a very large volume of electrical impulses. Proper neuron function depends on critically important nutrition and energy availability. Your brain and nervous system may constitute less than two percent of your body by weight, but they consume 20 percent of your body’s total energy. To transmit this amazing volume of electrical messaging, your nerve cell membranes need large quantities of phospholipids and specialized chemicals called neurotransmitters. Science has shown that brain function is supported by the right quantity and array of nutrients.
Your immune system is made up of cells and biochemicals located primarily in your blood stream and gastrointestinal tract. Your white blood cells have the unique and almost miraculous ability to identify vast numbers of life forms as belonging or not belonging in your body and respond with strategies to maintain homeostasis. This ability to maintain a healthy balance displays the brilliant, deep level of biological intelligence our bodies provide. You can significantly support the functionality of your amazing immune system with appropriate nutrition, carefully chosen supplements and lifestyle modifications.
Your digestive tract is the place where the outside world meets your cellular, microscopic inside world. Your digestive tract may be up to 30 feet long and has distinctly different environments along its path, like the acidity of your stomach versus the alkalinity of your duodenum. Relatively few people understand how interrelated the immune and digestion systems are or the important roles of good flora (bacteria). Digestive enzyme supplementation can support your food breakdown process. Probiotic supplements can help maintain the good intestinal flora. While the most important part of digestion is the food you eat, there remains much you can do to support your overall digestive health.
Structure & Tissue
Our bodies contain a stunning array of connective tissues. Bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments hold our bodies upright. Joints give us mobility. Our skin says a lot about our overall health while it protects our body’s mass and connects us to our outside environment. With a proper lifestyle and nutritive care, our bones and joints can be strong, flexible, and active well into old age. With a proper lifestyle and nutritive care, our skin can be maintained in its best possible state.