Health Glossary

  • Adaptogen - substances that produce suitable adjustments in the human body. Adaptogens tend to regulate body functions and when the job is completed, they are eliminated from the body without side effects.
  • Allergy - a reaction anywhere in the body's tissue caused by a specific foreign substance.
  • Alzheimer's disease - a disease of the middle-aged and elderly characterized by progressive dementia and loss of nervous tissue in the brain.
  • Amino acids - organic acids containing nitrogen, that are the building block of proteins in the body. Eight of the twenty-two known amino acids are considered essential and must be obtained from dietary sources because they can not be synthesized by the body.
  • Anemia - a condition resulting from an unusually low number of red blood cells or too little hemoglobin in the red blood cells.
  • Antioxidant - a substance that slows oxidation. Examples include vitamins A, C and E, the minerals selenium and germanium, superoxide dismutase (SOD), coenzyme Q10, and some amino acids.
  • Arthritis - joint inflammation due to infectious, metabolic, or constitutional diseases of the body.
  • Bacteria - microscopic germs. Some bacteria are harmful to the human body and can cause disease, while other bacteria protect the body from harmful invading organisms.
  • Bioavailable - the degree and rate at which a substance is absorbed into the human body.
  • Bioflavonoid - any group of colored flavones (crystalline compounds) found next to the peel in many fruits. Essential for the stability and absorption of ascorbic acids.
  • Cardiovascular - pertaining to the heart and the system of passages that carry blood to and from the heart.
  • Carotene - converted to vitamin A in the body derived from a yellow pigment that has several forms (ie. Alpha-, beta-).
  • Cartilage - elastic tissue found in joints, respiratory passages, and the inner ear.
  • Cell - the basic building block of all living tissues. Cells contain a nucleus, cytoplasm, and a cell membrane.
  • Cellulose - a nondigestible carbohydrate found in the outer layers of fruits and vegetables.
  • Cholesterol - a crystalline substance, consisting of various fats, that is naturally found in animals and humans. Cholesterol is widely distributed and manufactured in the body and facilitates the transport and absorption of fatty acids.
  • Chondroitin - an amino acid bonded polysaccharide found to be a primary constituent of cartilage and connective tissue.
  • Coenzyme - a heat stable molecule that must be associated with another enzyme for the enzyme to perform its function in the body.
  • Collagen - an insoluble fibrous protein found in connective tissue and bone.
  • Detoxification - the process of reducing the body's toxic build-up of various poisonous substances.
  • Electrolyte - a chemical substance with an available electron in its structure that enables it to transmit electrical impulses when dissolved in fluids.
  • Enzymes - specific proteins that assist the body in performing various necessary chemical reactions.
  • Essential fatty acids - fat based substances that the body can not manufacture and therefore must be supplied in the diet.
  • Essential nutrient - any single substance of the forty-five different nutrients needed by the body for building and repair.
  • Fatty acids - nutritional substances found in nature, which include cholesterol, triglycerides, prostaglandins, and other fatty based acids.
  • Free radical - an atom or group of atoms that has at least one unpaired electron. Because another element can easily pick up this free electron and cause a chemical reaction, these free radicals can effect dramatic and destructive changes in the body.
  • Free radical scavinger - a substance that removes free radicals from the body.
  • Gland - an organ that excretes materials and manufactures substances not needed for its own metabolic function.
  • Glucosamine Sulfate - an amino acid and glucose based substance that when supplemented in the diet assists the body in repairing connective tissue, cartilage, and bone.
  • Hormone - an essential substance produced by the endocrine glands that regulates many bodily functions.
  • Hypertension - high blood pressure
  • Immune system - a combination of cells and proteins that assists in the host's ability to fight foreign substances such s viruses and harmful bacteria.
  • Lecithin - a mixture of phospholipids that is composed of fatty acids, glycerol, phosphorus, and choline or inositol. Lecithin can be manufactured in the body and a major component of all major cells in the body.
  • Lipid - fat or a fatty substance.
  • Lipoprotein - a conjugated protein that, with lipids forms an integral part of a molecule. Lipoproteins act as agents of lipid transport in the lymph and blood.
  • Lymph - a clear fluid that flows through lymph vessels and is collected from the mph tissues throughout the body. Lymph is the major immune system fluid.
  • Lymph glands - located in the lymph vessels of the body, these glands trap foreign materials and produce lymphocytes.
  • Metabolism - the chemical processes of living cells in which energy is produced in order to replace and repair tissues and maintain a healthy body.
  • Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) - naturally occurring sulfur compound found within our bodies that assists in our body's growth and repair processes.
  • Neurotransmitter - any chemical that results in the transmission of nerve impulses between neurons in the brain and nerves.
  • Nutraceutical - scientifically designed supplements derived from phytochemicals that have proven medical benefits.
  • Nutrients - substances needed by all living cells to maintain life.
  • Osteoporosis - softening of the bones in the human body.
  • Oxidation - a chemical reaction that occurs when oxygen is added, resulting in a chemical transformation.
  • Peptide bonded - a bond formed between a carbon and a nitrogen that creates a highly bio-available nutrient.
  • Phytochemical - a chemical found in plant life.
  • Proprietary - pertaining to a product or service that is unique and for which there are exclusive legal rights and/or a patents.
  • Protein - complex compounds formed from nitrogen and amino acids, found in all animal and vegetable tissues.
  • RDA - recommended daily allowance of vitamins or other nutrients as determined by the Food and Drug Administration.
  • Stroke - a sudden severe attack, usually caused by arteriosclerosis, that results in brain damage.
  • Synergistic - pertaining to interactions where the combined effect is greater than the individual effects.
  • Toxicity - a poisonous reaction in the body that impairs bodily functions and/ or damages cells. Caused from ingesting an amount of a substance that is higher than ones tolerance for that substance.
  • Toxin - a poison to the body that impairs bodily functions.
  • Triglyceride - a compound consisting of glycerol and a fatty acid. Triglycerides are fat storage molecules and are the major lipid component of the diet.
  • Vitamin - approximately fifteen essential nutrients that the body can not manufacture and that need to be supplied for life and health. Vitamins are found in a healthy diet consisting of adequate fruits and vegetables.