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.

---

Hypertension -Twelve Simple Things You Can Do To Lower Your Blood Pressure

Headlines:Nearly a quarter of American adults just got diagnosed with... Read More

Food Intolerance

Many people experience unpleasant reactions to foods they have eaten... Read More

Childhood Epidemic Rises 6,000% What Can Be Learned About Autism?

The latest tallies show that over three million people in... Read More

The Benefits of Healthy Eating

These are questions we have to ask ourselves? because after... Read More

Brain Foods Make You Think Differently for Back-to-school

Students might start thinking a little differently, once they learn... Read More

What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming is the production of food using all natural... Read More

How Do You Know Your Nutrition is Working for You?

Please feel free to comment, so that the article may... Read More

Turning an Addictive Snack into a Complete Meal

The proliferation of fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and vending... Read More

Fructose Short-Circuits Glycolysis

First some terminology.Fructose ... a five carbon sugar that occurs... Read More

The Best Protein Powder

What is the best protein powder to buy? I get... Read More

Heart Friendly Foods

Heart disease results when plaque builds up inside the arterial... Read More

Cranberry Juice To The Rescue

Cranberry juice was first made by American settlers in 1683.... Read More

Benefits of a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables

We know we need to eat a minimum of 5... Read More

Vegetarian Lifestyle

Being vegetarian is one of the greatest things in the... Read More

What You Need To Know About Inflammation

Inflammation is not a disease.Inflammation is best described as a... Read More

Functional Foods: What They Are And How They Work

In the brain, a typical protein can live for approximately... Read More

High Acid Levels Lead to Cardiovascular Disease

THE RISKWhen you consume food that's high in acid or... Read More

Helping Your Immune System Win The War Against Disease

Just as our country is currently engaged in a war... Read More

Healthy Eating Myths Shattered

Salt does Not Cause High Blood Pressure. Some things you... Read More

Vitamin D - The Sunshine Vitamin!

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E.... Read More

How Can I Uncover Hidden Sugar And Prevent Carb Creep?

Many low carb dieters fall victim to "carb creep," which... Read More

Beans - The Perfect Food?

Beans. Legumes. Pulses. Whatever you call this plant group, they... Read More

A Healthy Diet Means Avoiding Trans-Fat as well as Saturated Fat

We all need fat in our diet on a daily... Read More

Death, Aging, Rejuvenation (Part 4)

Biological clockObviously you need biological clock to time and alarm... Read More

The Face of the Waters

The story of creation begins with water. Water is an... Read More