Bio-Chemical Nutritional Individuality Part 2

Essential Nutritional Categories: towards an understanding of which nutritional supplements should be taken, how many and for how long. Part Two

Let’s survey different categories of essential nutrition:

1. Monosaccharides:

What are they? Monosaccharides are natural plant sugars. Eight have been identified as essential to optimal cellular needs and are utilized by the body in the battle against health issues. Monosaccharides are the newest class of recognized essential nutrients.

Glycosylation can be described as the course of action which involves the essential monosaccharides and is the beginning and end of cellular health without exception! In fact, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Review, February 2003, “If you don’t have glycosylation, you don’t have life.” Glycosylation is the adding of a polysaccharide (chain of sugars) to a polypeptide (chain of amino acids) in order to make a glycoprotein. Each of the essential biologically active sugars are needed by the body to make specific glycoproteins which coat every cell surface in our body, enabling the immune system to function by creating the cellular antenna on each cell surface. These cell surface antennas allow the cells to communicate with each other using a unique cellular alphabet.

Because of the importance of the glycosylation process and the role monosaccharides play in this process, many doctors, health practitioners and nutritionists are now calling monosaccharide technology the “operating system” of the human body. This is why I have this category listed first.

The Eight Monosaccharides:

• Glucose provides a potent fast-energy source, enhances memory and stimulates calcium absorption and can be found in many fruits and vegetables, sorghum, dates, raisins and pineapples
• Galactose enhances wound healing, increases calcium absorption and triggers long-term memory formation and is found in milk
• Mannose is vital to proper cellular function and can positively affect the body’s immune response to pathogens. Mannose may also have anti-inflammatory and blood sugar-lowering capabilities and can be found in seeds, plant saps, cacti and aloe
• Fucose plays a vital role in developing a healthy immune response in infants and can be found in flaxseed, gum, algae and certain seaweeds
• Xylose Like other essential saccharides, xylose helps fights microbial invaders such as fungus and bacteria and may also support weak immune systems. It has been featured in allergy nasal spray products due to its ability to discourage the binding of allergens to mucous membranes and can be found in husks of grains, such as wheat, rye oat and barley
• N-acetylglucosamine can be very helpful for the proper maintenance of joints, and can reverse or prevent cartilage and joint damage and inflammation and is found in some seeds and plant saps
• N-acetylgalactosamine plays an important role in promoting proper function of and communication between cells. There is evidence that it can help improve the immune system and is found in milk
• N-acetylneuraminic acid can have a significantly healthy effect on the immune and nervous systems of the newborn and is found in milk

These eight monosaccharides have been identified in Harper’s Biochemistry, chapter 56, of the 1996 and following editions. Only two, glucose and galactose are common in the modern diet.

A combination of green harvesting, processing, over cooking of foods and different eating habits account for the loss of these vital nutrients from the modern diet. If lacking any of these necessary sugars, it is prudent to supplement the missing ones. There is an ongoing scholarly debate regarding a healthy individual’s body and its ability to manufacture the missing ones from the two still common in our diets.

In regards to glycosylation, it should be noted that some cells are replaced in the body on a daily basis. Others cells are replaced weekly, monthly and, in the case of bone cells, may take a year or more to be replaced with new ones. The glycosylation process is ongoing and does not happen overnight and has the utmost bearing on the question of how long someone should supplement.

It should be noted that it is impossible to know which cells will receive the necessary requirement of monosaccharides, or how many cells will get the monosaccharides they need. The cells that die are being replaced by cells, which also need to be glycosylated and you may or may not have sufficient monosaccharides available at that moment to get that job done.

Many glycoproteins have a short life of 10 days or less. Keeping your body supplied with an adequate amount of monosaccharides seems prudent to be used for new glycoprotein synthesis process. It is also important to note that monosaccharide absorption, which is the beginning of the glycosylation process, depends upon the necessary enzyme, vitamin and mineral co-factors being present. Having the necessary co-factors is of huge importance. In fact, if you do not have the necessary co-factors, the vital nutrients will simply pass through your body and be eliminated in the waste.

To Your Health,

Jack Kettler

Certified Wellness Consultant (DSHEA Certified) (Diplomat in Nutritional Education and Health)

Extended Bio

Mr. Kettler is an ordained Presbyterian Elder and the owner of Undergroundnotes.com where his theological, philosophical and political articles can be read. He has worked in corporate America for over 30 years and is now realizing his dreams as a successful home business entrepreneur. Permission is hereby granted to reprint this article as long as my web site is retained in the biographical information. Mr. Kettler can be contacted by e-mail at: jack@kettlerwellness.com