Cellular Vitality

Promoting cellular functions is the most upstream intervention in health care.  We can literally predict disease cascades and define someone’s resilience by their cellular function.  We understand pathways that were previously unknown, and how to up-regulate them can change our probable predictable future.  Working on cellular vitality can help us live longer and healthier.

Cytoprotection
The new term for these cellular enhancing approaches is cytoprotective.  We have now discovered that there are genes dedicated to our survival.  We can up-regulate these genes with herbs and nutrients from our plants.  These pathways become quite complicated; however understanding the basics can help us literally live longer and healthier.

NrF2/ARE Influences:
Antioxidant Response Element (ARE) is switched on by Nrf2 pathway. Current research has identified several important involvements in how the NrF2 pathways influences health maintenance and disease prevention

• Health aging and longevity
  
• Preventing cancer buildup
  
• Radiation protection
  
• Reducing oxidative stress and inflammation
  
• Potential benefit in diseases resulting from accumulated toxins
  

NrF2/ARE Influences:
All tissues express NrF2, but it is higher in detoxifying organs like the liver and kidneys.  NrF2 activates more than 200 known genes, enhancing DNA repair, heme metabolism, toxin transport mechanisms and glutathione synthesis.  It activates detoxification, stabilizes proteins, strengthens cellular integrity and reduces inflammatory activity and overgrowth. 

Old Antioxidant theory

• When we metabolize we create free radical called Reactive oxygen species ROS
• Take antioxidants that will neutralize free radical
• Holes started appearing in the theory
• Antioxidants can become pro-oxidants…in wrong environment can accelerate damage. An Example:
• Green tea is beneficial on its own
• Green tea after acetaminophen made liver damage

A new perspective on Antioxidants with the Nrf2 pathway:

• Nrf2 ARE (antioxidant Response Element) pathway are better in long lived animals
• Nrf2 activates more than 200 genes
• Key phase II enzymes are also induced
• Priming the pathway of Nrf2 creates up-regulation of cellular glutathione (a key antioxidant)
• Key antioxidant enzymes are induced
• NRf2 pathway switches on super oxide dismutase (SOD) inside the cells
• SOD will quench 2 billion free radicals per second vs. antioxidant 1 per 1 free radical in old theory
• Switching on this pathway has profound implications
• Will help pull toxins and heavy metals

The primary concerns of cellular vitality are: membrane electronics, heat shock protein optimization, mitochondrial enhancement, membrane integrity and composition, and promoting optimal genetic influence and transcription.
More information on these ideas will be posted soon.

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