Download AHS Glossary - A Healing System

AHS Glossary
This glossary was copied, in its entirety, from the book A Healing System.
Acidic ash food - A4This is food whose post-digestion byproduct, ash, has a pH below 7.0,
which means it is acidic.
Acid - A substance having a pH less than 7.0
Alkali - A substance having a pH greater than 7.0
Alkaline ash food - A4This is food whose post-digestion byproduct, ash, has a pH above
7.0, which means it is alkaline.
Allergy - 18An allergy is a hypersensitivity-disorder of the immune system. Allergic
reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless
substances from the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an
allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid. Allergy is one of four
forms of hypersensitivity and is formally called type I (or immediate) hypersensitivity.
Allergic reactions are distinctive because of excessive activation of certain white blood
cells called mast cells and basophils by a type of antibody called Immunoglobulin E
(IgE). The reaction results in an inflammatory response which can range from
uncomfortable to dangerous.
Ash -
A4It
is the metabolic residue left after food has been digested and assimilated.
Alzheimer Disease - 52AD is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the
disease (new data in the works, google Dr. Mary Newport), which worsens as it
progresses, and eventually leads to death. It was first described by German psychiatrist
and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was named after him.
Bacillus Thuringiensis - 120Bacillus thuringiensis (or BT) is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling
bacterium, commonly used as a biological pesticide
Bacteria - 19Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are a large domain of prokaryotic
microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of
shapes, from spheres to rods and spirals. Bacteria are present in most habitats on
Earth, growing in soil, acidic hot springs, radioactive waste, water, and deep in the
Earth's crust, as well as in organic matter and the live bodies of plants and animals.
They provide outstanding examples of mutualism in the digestive tracts of humans,
termites and cockroaches.
Bacteria live in our gut and perform numerous important functions.
Balanced diet - A balanced diet is one where the body is given an adequate and sufficient
daily volume of assimilatable nutrients. See the term Nutrients in this glossary.
Bile - See Liver bile
Bile ducts - 2Long, tube-like structures that carry bile, which is excreted from the liver for
delivery to the intestine and gallbladder. It is used to help digest food. A network of bile
ducts branches throughout the liver.
Bones - 70Like other connective tissues, bone consists of cells, fibers, and ground
substance, but, in addition, the extracellular components are impregnated with minute
crystals of calcium phosphate in the form of the mineral hydroxyapatite. The
mineralization of the matrix is responsible for the hardness of bone. It also provides a
large reserve of calcium that can be drawn upon to meet unusual needs for this element
elsewhere in the body. The structural organization of bone is adapted to give maximal
strength for its weight-bearing function with minimum weight.
BT - See Bacillus Thuringiensis
Buffering pH - The process, usually controlled by homeostatsis, that corrects a pH
imbalance. Buffering is a way for the body to make something less acidic or less
alkaline. For instance if the body manufactures a substance that is too acidic, like
chyme (stomach contents sent to the small intestine), then the body must protect its
tissues from the acid by increassing the pH of the offending substance. When the body
is unable to correct the pH, or correct it enough, then it usually secretes mucus to
encase the offender. This is the situation with chyme. However, buffering is neither fast
nor complete. For example, it is possible to eat enough alkaline or acidic ash to raise or
lower urine pH sufficiently to cause a burning sensation during urination.
Carbohydrates - Complex sugars that the digestive tract breaks down into simple sugars
for assimilation.
Cholesterol - 82It is an organic chemical substance classified as a waxy steroid of fat. It is
an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes and is required to
establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. It also serves as a precursor for
the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D. Cholesterol is the
principal sterol synthesized by animals; in vertebrates it is formed predominantly in the
liver. Small quantities are synthesized in other cellular organisms (eukaryotes) such as
fungi. It is almost completely absent among prokaryotes (i.e., bacteria). Although
cholesterol is important and necessary for human health, high levels of cholesterol in
the blood have been linked to arterial damage and cardiovascular disease.
Chyle - 123A turbid white or pale yellow fluid taken up by the lacteals from the intestine
during digestion. It consists of lymph and finely emulsified fat, is alkaline in reaction
and coagulates, outside the body, into fibrin and serum.
Chyme - 20Also known as chymus, it is the semi-liquid substance found in the stomach
that is passed through the pyloric valve and into the duodenum. It results from the
mechanical and chemical breakdown of an ingested mass and consists of partially
digested food, water, hydrochloric acid, and various digestive enzymes. Chyme slowly
passes through the pyloric sphincter into the duodenum (start of the samll intestine),
where the extraction of nutrients begins.
Cleansing - 100An act performed by the body to remove unwanted substances, such as
toxins, from tissues and fluids. Another common term used in place of cleansing is
detoxification or detox.
Colon - 17The colon includes the ascending colon, transverse colon, and descending colon.
The colon, cecum and rectum make up the large intestine.
Common bile duct - 1The common bile duct (ductus choledochus) is a tube-like anatomic
structure in the human gastrointestinal tract. It is formed by the union of the common
hepatic (liver) duct and the cystic duct (from the gallbladder). It is later joined by the
pancreatic duct to form the ampulla of Vater. There, the two ducts are surrounded by
the muscular sphincter of Oddi.
When the sphincter of Oddi is closed, newly synthesized bile from the liver is forced into
storage in the gallbladder. When open, the stored and concentrated bile exits into the
duodenum. This conduction of bile is the main function of the common bile duct. The
hormone cholecystokinin, when stimulated by a fatty meal, promotes bile secretion by
increased production of hepatic (liver) bile, contraction of the gallbladder, and relaxation
of the Sphincter of Oddi. In other words, fats trigger the body to release bile from the
gallbladder into the small intestine via the common bile duct.
Complex carbohydrates - 23Complex carbohydrates may refer to: oligosaccharides, a
saccharide polymer containing a small number (typically three to ten) of component
sugars (monosaccharides, also known as simple sugars), or polysaccharides, polymeric
carbohydrate structures, formed of repeating units (either mono- or di-saccharides)
joined together by glycosidic bonds.
In short, complex carbohydrates (as in potatoes) are chains of simpler carbohydrates.
They require more digestive-system work than does simpler sugars like fructose, but not
nearly as much work as other substances like proteins.
Dairy - 23For the purposes of this book, dairy refers to on-human milk and milk
byproducts, such as cheese, butter, gee, kefir and yogurt.
Diabetes Type 1 - 79Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when insulinproducing beta cells within the pancreas are gradually destroyed and eventually fail to
produce insulin. Type 1 accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all diagnosed diabetes in the
United States. While it is most often diagnosed in children and teens, it is not
uncommon for adults to be diagnosed later in life. Type 1 diabetes diagnosed in
adulthood may be a form of slowly-progressing diabetes called latent autoimmune
diabetes (LADA), or type 1.5 diabetes.
Diabetes Type 2 - 80People with type 2 diabetes are still able to produce insulin at
diagnosis. However, the insulin they produce is unable to perform its primary job —
helping the body's cells use glucose for energy. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95
percent of all diabetes cases in America. These diagnosed cases were once limited to
adults, but the number of children diagnosed with type 2 is increasing as sedentary
lifestyles and obesity continue to rise.
Diabetes Type 3 - 81It is regarded as "brain" specific diabetes. It is a dangerous diabetes
hybrid that was first discovered in 2005. A study, which was conducted at Brown
University Medical School, suggests the brain produces insulin in a way that's similar to
the pancreas. A problem with insulin production in the brain is thought to result in the
formation of protein "plaque"---not unlike that which is found among suffers of Type 1
(insulin-dependent) and Type 2 diabetes (insulin-resistant). But in the case of diabetes
Type 3, plaque appears in the brain and leads to memory loss and problems forming
memories.
Diet - The foods and liquids we ingest, how they are prepared, combined, and timed with
each meal and other events of our lives.
Digestion - 10The mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components
that are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream, for instance. Digestion is a form of
catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules into smaller ones.
When food enters the mouth, it's digestion starts by the action of mastication, a form of
mechanical digestion, plus the contact of saliva. Saliva, which is secreted by the
salivary glands, contains salivary amylase, an enzyme which starts the digestion of
starch. After undergoing mastication and starch digestion, the food will now be in the
form of a small, round mass, called a bolus. It will then travel down the esophagus and
into the stomach by the action of peristalsis. Gastric juice in the stomach starts protein
digestion. Gastric juice mainly contains hydrochloric acid and pepsin. As these two
chemicals may damage the stomach wall, mucus is secreted by the stomach, providing
a slimy layer that acts as a shield against the damaging effects of the chemicals. At the
same time protein digestion is occurring, mechanical mixing occurs by peristalsis,
which are waves of muscular contractions that move along the stomach wall. This
allows the mass of food to further mix with the digestive enzymes. After some time
(typically an hour or two in humans, 4–6 hours in dogs, somewhat shorter duration in
house cats), the resulting thick liquid is called chyme. When the pyloric sphincter valve
opens, chyme enters the duodenum where it mixes with digestive enzymes from the
pancreas, and then passes through the small intestine in which digestion continues.
When the chyme is fully digested, it is absorbed into the blood. 95 percent of
absorption of nutrients occurs in the small intestine.
Water and minerals are
reabsorbed back into the blood in the colon (large intestine). Some vitamins such as
biotin and vitamin K (K2MK7) produced by bacteria in the colon are also absorbed into
the blood from the colon. Waste material is eliminated during defecation.
Digestive tract - 9The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine,
and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. (The "digestive system"
is a broader term that includes other structures, including the accessory organs of
digestion).
In an adult male human, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is 5 metres (20 ft) long in a live
subject, or up to 9 metres (30 ft) without the effect of muscle tone, and consists of the
upper and lower GI tracts. The tract may also be divided into foregut, midgut, and
hindgut, reflecting the embryological origin of each segment of the tract.
Duodenum - The first of three sections of the small intestine.
Electrolytes - 8In physiology, the primary ions of electrolytes are sodium (Na+), potassium
(K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), chloride (Cl−), hydrogen phosphate (HPO42−),
and hydrogen carbonate (HCO3−). The electric charge symbols of plus (+) and minus (−)
indicate that the substance is ionic or cationic in nature and has an imbalanced
distribution of electrons, the result of chemical dissociation. Sodium is the main
electrolyte found in extracellular fluid and is involved in fluid balance and blood
pressure control.
All known higher lifeforms require a subtle and complex electrolyte balance between the
intracellular and extracellular environments. In particular, the maintenance of precise
osmotic gradients of electrolytes is important. Such gradients affect and regulate the
hydration of the body as well as blood pH, and are critical for nerve and muscle
function. Various mechanisms exist in living species to keep the concentrations of
different electrolytes under tight control.
Electromagnetic Field - This is the magnetic field, abbreviated EMF, surrounding any
device that uses electricity or magnets.
Electromotive Force - It is the origin of voltage in electrical devices. It can be abbreviated
EMF.
Electromagnetic Pollution - Excessive EMF or EMR, where either is hazardous to life.
These would include powerful transformers, high power lines, cell phones and their
towers, and more.
Electromagnetic Radiation - This is transmitted electromagnetic energy, or EMR, that we
know as radio waves and comes in many forms: cell phones, wireless routers, satellites,
TV, and of course radio. 103It is a form of energy emitted and absorbed by charged
particles, and exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space. EMR has both
electric and magnetic field components, which stand in a fixed ratio of intensity to each
other, and which oscillate in phase perpendicular to each other, and perpendicular to
the direction of energy and wave propagation. In a vacuum, electromagnetic radiation
propagates at a characteristic speed, the speed of light.
EMF - See Electromagnetic Field and or Electromotive Force
EMR - See Electromagnetic Radiation
Endocrine system - 24The endocrine system is the system of glands, each of which
secretes a type of hormone, directly into the bloodstream, to regulate the body. The
endocrine system is in contrast to the exocrine system, which secretes its chemicals into
ducts, not the bloodstream.
A number of glands that signal each other in sequence are usually referred to as an
axis, for example, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Endocrine organs and secreted hormones:
Hypothalamus
Pineal body (epiphysis)
Pituitary gland (hypophysis)
Anterior pituitary lobe (adenohypophysis)
Posterior pituitary lobe (neurohypophysis)
Thyroid
Alimentary system
Stomach
Duodenum
Liver
Pancreas
Kidney
Adrenal glands
Adrenal cortex
Adrenal medulla
Reproductive
Testes
Ovarian follicle and corpus luteum
Placenta (when pregnant)
Uterus (when pregnant)
Calcium regulation
Parathyroid
Skin
Miscellaneous
Heart
Bone marrow
Adipose tissue
Epidemiology - This is the study of the distribution and patterns of health-events, healthcharacteristics and their causes or influences in well-defined populations. It is the
cornerstone method of public health research and practice, and helps form public policy
decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets
for preventive medicine.
Eustress - 7A term coined by Dr. Hanse Selye, the father of stress. It means stress that is
good for the body, such as proper exercise, or weight lifting which builds muscle
strength.
Exercise Physiology - 53It is the study of the acute responses and chronic adaptations to a
wide-range of physical exercise conditions. In addition, many exercise physiologists
study the effect of exercise on pathology, and the mechanisms by which exercise can
reduce or reverse disease progression. Accreditation programs exist with professional
bodies in most developed countries, ensuring the quality and consistency of education.
An exercise physiologist's area of study may include but is not limited to biochemistry,
bioenergetics, cardiopulmonary function, hematology, biomechanics, skeletal muscle
physiology, neuroendocrine function, and central and peripheral nervous system
function. Furthermore, exercise physiologists range from basic scientists, to clinical
researchers, to clinicians, to sports trainers.
Many universities have PhD programs in exercise physiology. These PhDs often train
our Olympic athletes.
Fermentation - 25Fermentation is the process of extracting energy via the oxidation of
organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, using an endogenous electron acceptor,
which is usually an organic compound. In contrast, respiration is where electrons are
donated to an exogenous electron acceptor, such as oxygen, via an electron transport
chain. Fermentation is important in anaerobic conditions when there is no oxidative
phosphorylation to maintain the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) by
glycolysis. There should be no fermentation in the small intestine, only digestion.
Fiber - See Roughage.
Food combining - Food combining is also known as trophology. It is a controversial, and
inadequately-studied nutritional and colon-health approach to food consumption. It is
the eating of foods in such a combination that 1) the required digestive enzymes do not
cancel or interfer with each other, which can reduce nutrient assimilation and cause
constipation as well as unwanted putrefication in the bowel, and 2) foods that digest at
very different rates do not cause one to go bad while the other is still in process with an
39 Proper food combining can also heal some bowel
unhelpfully different enzyme.26
disorders.
Food pH - This is the pH value of food on your plate, which is not the same as the pH of a
food's ash, which can be quite different.
Gallbladder - 2A pear-shaped organ that stores bile (or gall) until the body needs it for
digestion. The gallbladder lies under the liver in the upper abdomen and is connected
to the liver and the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) by the biliary tract.
The gallbladder is a storage unit for liver bile. For additional detail see the Common
Bile Duct in this glossary.
A1
Gallstones - 6A gallstone is a crystalline concretion formed within the gallbladder by
accretion of bile components. These calculi are formed in the gallbladder, but may pass
distally into other parts of the biliary tract such as the cystic duct, common bile duct,
pancreatic duct, or the ampulla of Vater. A2They are mostly cholesterol and pigment,
consisting of a mixture of cholesterol, bilirubin and protein.
Genetically Modified Organism - 86A genetically modified organism (GMO) or engineered
organism (GEO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic
engineering techniques. These techniques, generally known as recombinant DNA
technology, use DNA molecules from different sources, which are combined into one
molecule to create a new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into an organism,
giving it modified or novel genes. Transgenic organisms, a subset of GMOs, are
organisms that have inserted DNA from a different species. GMOs are the constituents
of genetically modified foods. Most GMO foods are transgenic.
Authors take on GMOs: GMOs are living organisms (foods) that have had their genes
modified by splicing gene segments from other species. Two different species cannot
mate, therefore a GMO is one that by definition cannot exist in nature. The human
digestive track may not recogonize this hybrid-like organism and may not react
appropriately to it.84
GMO - See the glossary entry 'Genetically Modified Organism'.
Gut - A term for the digestive tract.
Homeostasis - 56It is that property of a system that regulates its internal environment and
tends to maintain a stable, constant condition of properties, such as temperature or pH.
It was defined by Claude Bernard and later by Walter Bradford Cannon in 1926, 1929
and 1932. Typically used to refer to a living organism, the concept came from that of
milieu intérieur that was created by Claude Bernard and published in 1865. Multiple
dynamic equilibrium adjustment and regulation mechanisms make homeostasis
possible.
Keytone - Any of a class of organic compounds containing the carbonyl group, CdbondO,
whose carbon atom is joined to two other carbon atoms, i.e., with the carbonyl group
occurring within the carbon chain.
Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers. © 2007 by Saunders,
an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lactase - 63Lactase (also known as lactase-phlorizin hydrolase, or LPH), a part of the βgalactosidase family of enzymes, is a glycoside hydrolase involved in the hydrolysis of
the disaccharide lactose into constituent galactose and glucose monomers. Lactase is
present predominantly along the brush border membrane of the differentiated
enterocytes lining the villi of the small intestine. In humans, lactase is encoded by the
LCT gene.
Lacto-vegetarian - A lacto-vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, fish, fowl, eggs or
anything containing their essence. However, dairy would be on the diet, such as milk,
cheese (not aged with rennet), butter, cream, yogurt, etc. Some taboo foods would
include chicken, beef, pork, salmon, BBQ, mayonaise (eggs), anything containing
gelatine (non-plant gelatine), Worstechire sauce (anchovies), and bakery goods (eggs).
Lactose - 64Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is
formed from galactose and glucose. 119Lactose makes up around 2 to 5 percent of milk
(by weight), although the amount varies among species and individuals.
Large intestine large intestine.
17The
colon (three sections) plus the secum and rectum make up the
Lipid - 83Lipids constitute a broad group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats,
waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), monoglycerides,
diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The main biological functions of
lipids include energy storage, as structural components of cell membranes, and as
important signaling molecules.
Liver - 2The largest internal organ in the body. It lies in the right upper half of the
abdomen. The liver performs many vital functions:
 Processes and stores many of the nutrients absorbed from the intestine
 Makes some of the clotting factors needed to stop bleeding from a cut or injury
 Secretes bile into the intestine to help nutrient absorption, which is part of the
digestion process
 Removes toxic wastes from the body
Liver bile - 21Bile or gall is a bitter-tasting, dark green to yellowish brown fluid, produced
by the liver of most vertebrates, and aids the process of digestion of lipids in the small
intestine. In many species, bile is stored in the gallbladder and upon eating is
discharged into the duodenum. Bile is a composition of the following materials: water
(85%), bile salts (10%), mucus and pigments (3%), fats (1%), inorganic salts (0.7%) and
cholesterol (0.3%).
Lymphatic System - 122The adjective used for the lymph-transporting system is
"lymphatic." Lymphatic comes from the Latin word lymphaticus, meaning "connected to
water."
The lymphatic system has multiple interrelated functions:




It is responsible for the removal of interstitial fluid from tissues
It absorbs and transports fatty acids and fats as chyle from the digestive system
It transports white blood cells to and from the lymph nodes into the bones
The lymph transports antigen-presenting cells (APCs), such as dendritic cells, to
the lymph nodes where an immune response is stimulated.
The study of lymphatic drainage of various organs is important in diagnosis, prognosis,
and treatment of cancer. The lymphatic system, because of its physical proximity to
many tissues of the body, is responsible for carrying cancerous cells between the
various parts of the body in a process called metastasis. The intervening lymph nodes
can trap the cancer cells. If they are not successful in destroying the cancer cells the
nodes may become sites of secondary tumors.
The lymphatic system can be broadly divided into the conducting system and the
lymphoid tissue.

The conducting system carries the lymph and consists of tubular vessels that
include the lymph capillaries, the lymph vessels, and the right and left thoracic
ducts.

The lymphoid tissue is primarily involved in immune responses and consists of
lymphocytes and other white blood cells enmeshed in connective tissue through
which the lymph passes. Regions of the lymphoid tissue that are densely packed
with lymphocytes are known as lymphoid follicles. Lymphoid tissue can either be
structurally well organized as lymph nodes or may consist of loosely organized
lymphoid follicles known as the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT).
As can be seen from the above information, the lymphatic system is important to bodily
health. It is an important member of the immune system. It moves health-critical
substances around the body. From the point of view of the System: we are interested
primarily in the drainage function of the lymphatic system. Cellular waste is dumped
into the lymphatic system, which is everywhere in the body, connected to all organs.
Humans pump lymphatic fluid with deep breathing and muscle movement.
Metabolic Acidosis - 68Metabolic acidosis is a condition in which there is too much acid in
body fluids; either the body makes too much acid, or there is not enough base to buffer
the acidic condition, or the 50body ingests too much acidic ash foods. 68The body
compensates in four ways:
1. Sodium and Bicarbonate buffering system
2. Intracellular buffering by absorption of hydrogen atoms by various molecules,
including proteins, phosphates and carbonate in bone.
3. Respiratory compensation
4. Renal compensation
Metabolites - 69These are the intermediates and products of metabolism. The term
metabolite is usually restricted to small molecules. Metabolites have various functions,
including fuel, structure, signaling, stimulatory and inhibitory effects on enzymes,
catalytic activity of their own (usually as a cofactor to an enzyme), defense, and
interactions with other organisms (e.g. pigments, odorants, and pheromones).
Micronutrients - 54They are nutrients required by humans and other living things in small
quantities to orchestrate a whole range of physiological functions, but which the
organism itself cannot produce. For humans, they include dietary trace minerals in
amounts generally less than 100 milligrams/day - as opposed to macrominerals which
are required in larger quantities. The microminerals or trace elements include at least
iron, cobalt, chromium, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium, zinc and molybdenum.
Micronutrients also include vitamins, which are organic compounds required as
nutrients in tiny amounts by an organism.
Mono-meals - Meals that consist of only one food, such as, carrots, bread, corn, or peas.
Mono-meals would not include dishes like lasagna, pizza, or eggs benedict.
Mucus - 55It is a highly viscous material generated by the body to protect tissue and safely
remove toxic substances such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, spicy hot foods, and more.
The average human produces about a litre of mucus per day.
Nocebo effect - 16A self-induced disease resulting from having taken a placebo; getting
worse for no reason; illness contracted because of a personal belief system or strong
desire.
Nutrients - 22There are seven major classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, dietary fibre,
minerals, protein, vitamins, and water.
These nutrient classes can be categorized as either macronutrients (needed in relatively
large amounts) or micronutrients (needed in smaller quantities). The macronutrients
are carbohydrates, fats, fibre, proteins, and water. The micronutrients are minerals and
vitamins.
The macronutrients (excluding fibre and water) provide structural material (amino acids
from which proteins are built, and lipids from which cell membranes and some signaling
molecules are built), and energy. Some of the structural material can be used to
generate energy internally, and in either case it is measured in Joules or kilocalories
(often called "Calories" and written with a capital C to distinguish them from little 'c'
calories). Carbohydrates and proteins provide 17 kJ approximately (4 kcal) of energy
per gram, while fats provide 37 kJ (9 kcal) per gram, though the net energy from either
depends on such factors as absorption and digestive effort, which vary substantially
from instance to instance. Vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water do not provide energy,
but are required for other reasons. A third class dietary material, fiber (i.e., nondigestible material such as cellulose), seems also to be required, for both mechanical
and biochemical reasons, though the exact reasons remain unclear.
Organic - 27Organic matter is matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable
of decay or the product of decay, or is composed of organic compounds.
Organic food - 27Food produced from organic farming methods and often certified organic
according to state-wide standards. Currently California has the most comprehensive set
of organic farming standards.
Organic mineral - For the purposes of this book, an organic mineral is one that exists as a
comopound containing carbon and is generally more easily assimilated by the human
body. A good example is sodium, which in table salt is inorganic and which the body
does not assimilate well. Sodium in celery is organic and the body can make good use
of it. It is considered an electrolyte and as such it has a number of well defined
functions. One such function, outside of cells, is to buffer acid as part of the body's
first-stage buffering system.
Osteoporosis - 28Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of
fracture.
In osteoporosis the bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced, bone
microarchitecture deteriorates, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is
altered. Osteoporosis is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a bone
mineral density that is 2.5 standard deviations or more below the mean peak bone mass
(average of young, healthy adults) as measured by DXA, the term "established
osteoporosis" includes the presence of a fragility fracture.
Ovo-lacto-vegetarian - A person who does not eat meat, fish, fowl or anything containing
their essence. Taboo foods would include chicken, beef, pork, salmon, BBQ, anything
containing gelatine (animal based), and Worstechire sauce (has anchovies). Dairy and
eggs are allowed.
Pancreas - 2A 6-inch-long gland located in the abdomen behind the stomach. The
pancreas is composed of three parts: the head, body and tail. It produces and releases
insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream to keep blood sugar levels within a normal
range. The pancreas also plays a key role in nutrition. As food enters the intestine, the
pancreas produces enzymes to aid in the digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Pancreatic juice - 29Pancreatic juice is a liquid secreted by the pancreas, which contains a
variety
of
enzymes,
including
trypsinogen,
chymotrypsinogen,
elastase,
carboxypeptidase, pancreatic lipase, and amylase.
Pancreatic juice is alkaline in nature due to the high concentration of bicarbonate ions.
This is useful in buffering the acidic gastric acid, allowing for effective enzymic action.
Pancreatic juice secretion is regulated by the hormones secretin and cholecystokinin,
which is produced by the walls of the duodenum upon detection of acidic foods, such as
most proteins. Pancreatic secretion consists of an aqueous bicarbonate component
from the duct cells and enzymatic component from the acinar cells.
Paradigm - 30The historian of science Thomas Kuhn gave paradigm its contemporary
meaning when he adopted the word to refer to the set of practices that define a scientific
discipline at any particular period of time. For example Newtonian physics and
Einsteinian physics are different physics paradigms from different periods of history.
Peristalsis - 61It is a radially symmetrical contraction and relaxation of muscles which
propagates in a wave down a muscular tube, in an anterograde fashion. In humans,
peristalsis is found in the contraction of smooth muscles to propel contents through the
digestive tract.
pH - 31In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure
water is neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at 25 °C (77 °F). Solutions with a pH less than 7
are said to be acidic, and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline. pH
measurements are important in medicine, biology, chemistry, agriculture, forestry, food
science, environmental science, oceanography, civil engineering and many other
disciplines.
In a solution, pH approximates but is not equal to p[H], the negative logarithm (base 10)
of the molar concentration of dissolved hydronium ions (H3O+); a low pH indicates a
high concentration of hydronium ions, while a high pH indicates a low concentration of
hydronium ions.
Phosphoric acid - 32Phosphoric acid, also known as orthophosphoric acid or phosphoric(V)
acid, is a mineral (inorganic) acid having the chemical formula H3PO4. Orthophosphoric
acid molecules can combine with themselves to form a variety of compounds which are
also referred to as phosphoric acids, but in a more general way.
Phosphoric acid is a byproduct of protein digestion and is eliminated in the kidneys,
after buffering.
Placebo - 141. A placebo is a substance or treatment given to a patient to make them
feel better psychologically rather than for any physical effect. 2. It is a substance
or treatment that has no medicinal effect, used as a control in testing new drugs.
Placebo effect - 151. This is a self-induced cure resulting from having taken a placebo. 2.
Healing for no reason. 3. Healing occurring because of a personal belief system or
strong desire.
Plant-based whole foods diet - B1A diet consisting of "whole, minimally refined, fruits,
vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes."
Probiotics - 37Probiotics are live microorganisms thought to be beneficial to the host
organism. According to the currently adopted definition by FAO/WHO, probiotics are:
"Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health
benefit on the host". Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria are the most common
types of microbes used as probiotics; but certain yeasts and bacilli may also be used.
Probiotics are commonly consumed as part of fermented foods with specially added
active live cultures, such as in yogurt, soy yogurt, or as dietary supplements.
38It
is generally accepted that ingesting milk products is a poor method of infusing the
body with good bacteria because they do not survive the acidity of the stomach. Health
food stores now have an excellent variety of products that guarantee live post-stomach
delivery.
Promoter gene - 115A promoter gene either activates or deactivates the creation or
replication of a particular trait. It is like an on/off switch. In genetics, a promoter is a
region of DNA that initiates transcription of a particular gene. Promoters are located
near the genes they transcribe, on the same strand and upstream on the DNA (towards
the 3' region of the anti-sense strand, also called template strand and non-coding
strand). Promoters can be about 100–1000 base pairs long. For the transcription to
take place, the enzyme that synthesizes RNA, known as RNA polymerase, must attach to
the DNA near a gene. Promoters contain specific DNA sequences and response elements
that provide a secure initial binding site for RNA polymerase and for proteins called
transcription factors that recruit RNA polymerase. These transcription factors have
specific activator or repressor sequences of corresponding nucleotides that attach to
specific promoters and regulate gene expressions.
Putrefy - The breaking down of high protein foods in the gut (mainly meat), which can
cause bowel inflammation and ulcers.
Red meat - 13In gastronomy, red meat is darker-colored meat, as contrasted with white
meat. The exact definition varies by time, place, and culture, but the meat of adult
mammals such as cows, sheep, and horses is invariably considered red, while chicken
and rabbit is invariably considered white. The meat of young mammals such as milkfed veal calves, sheep, and pigs is traditionally considered white, while the meat of duck
and goose is considered red. Game is sometimes put in a separate category altogether
(French viandes noires 'black meats').
Red meat does not refer to how well a piece of meat is cooked. Nor does it refer to its
coloration after it has been cooked.
Nutritional: The main determinant of the nutritional definition of the color of meat is the
concentration of myoglobin. The white meat of chicken has under 0.05 percent; pork
and veal have 0.1-0.3 percent; young beef has 0.4-1.0 percent; and old beef has 1.5-2.0
percent.
According to the USDA all meats obtained from livestock are red meats because they
contain more myoglobin than chicken or fish.[4]
For a detailed explanation of the health risks of red meat, please see the Wikipedia
web-page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_meat. Scroll down to the heading 'Health
Risks'.
Roughage - 13It is also known as dietary fiber, the indigestible portion of plant foods having
two main components:
 Soluble (prebiotic, viscous) fiber that is readily fermented in the colon into gases
and physiologically active byproducts, and
 Insoluble fiber that is metabolically inert, absorbing water as it moves through the
digestive system, easing defecation.
It acts by changing the nature of the contents of the gastrointestinal tract and by
changing how other nutrients and chemicals are absorbed. Soluble fiber absorbs water
to become a gelatinous, viscous substance and is fermented by bacteria in the digestive
tract. Insoluble fiber has bulking action and is not fermented. Lignin, a major dietary
insoluble fiber source, may alter the fate and metabolism of soluble fibers.
Advantages of consuming fiber are the production of healthful compounds during the
fermentation of soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber's ability (via its passive hygroscopic
properties) to increase bulk, soften stool, and shorten transit time through the intestinal
tract. Fiber also helps generate peristalsis in the digestive tract, an important function
that moves contents.
Small intestine - 12The small intestine is that part of the gastrointestinal tract following
the stomach and followed by the large intestine, and is where much of the digestion and
absorption of food takes place. The primary function of the small intestine is the
absorption of nutrients and minerals found in food. The small intestine is divided into
three structural parts:
1. Duodenum
2. Jejunum
3. Ileum
Smog - 101A type of air pollution experienced in too many major cities where the air can
become visibly brown. The degree of severity is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 and +. When
a rating of 4-6 is expected to occur, the general public is warned and unhealthy people
are asked to stay indoors with their windows and doors closed.
Spinal Column Stressology - SCS is a health system devised by Dr. Lowell Eugene Ward
of Long beach, California, in the 1980s, with the assistance of Dr. James Said of Grants
Pass, Oregon. In this system, four full-spine X rays are taken: weight-baring lateral
and A/P, and sedentary lateral and A/P. Numerous measurements are made on the
films.
From these measurements, a person's health can be determined; i.e.,
degenerative diseases, physical abuse, being gay, some level of metal health and more.
A simple example is the angle of the atlas and occiput. If they differ by more than about
five degrees, the patient is psychologically struggling within themselves─their heart and
their head want to take different paths.
A system of exercises was devised, based on X ray measurements, to get the body's
cranial/spinal/pelvic unit back into alignment.
Diseases often disappeare when
alignment is achieved. Migrains, scoliosis, and cancer are examples of SCS successes.
Spleen - 5The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals. Similar in
structure to a large lymph node, the spleen acts primarily as a blood filter. The spleen
plays important roles in regard to red blood cells (also referred to as erythrocytes) and
the immune system. In humans, it is located in the upper left quadrant of the
abdomen.
Starch - 11Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose
units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as
an energy store. It is the most common carbohydrate in the human diet and is
contained in large amounts in such staple foods as potatoes, wheat, maize (corn), rice,
and cassava.
Pure starch is a white, tasteless, and odorless powder that is insoluble in cold water or
alcohol. It consists of two types of molecules, the linear and helical amylase and the
branched amylopectin. Depending on the plant, starch generally contains 20 to 25
percent amylase and 75 to 80 percent amylopectin by weight. Glycogen, the glucose
store of animals, is a more branched version of amylopectin.
Starch is processed to produce many of the sugars in processed foods. Dissolving
starch in warm water gives wheatpaste, which can be used as a thickening, stiffening or
gluing agent. The biggest industrial nonfood use of starch is as adhesive in the
papermaking process.
Stomach - 36The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the digestion system which
functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including
vertebrates, echinoderms, insects (mid-gut), and molluscs. It is involved in the second
phase of digestion, following mastication (chewing).
The stomach is located between the esophagus and the small intestine. It secretes
protein-digesting enzymes and strong acids to aid in food digestion. These enzymes and
acids are sent to the stomach via oesophageal peristalsis, through smooth muscular
contortions (called segmentation) before sending partially digested food (chyme) to the
small intestines.
Stress - 35Stress is a physical or psychological action that causes a set of biochemical
responses, largely predefined and, first identified by the father of stress, Dr. Hans Selye,
endocrinologist at McGill University in Montreal where he started researching the issue
of stress in 1936. In 1945 he joined the Université de Montréal where he had 40
assistants.
Sulfuric acid - 33Sulfuric acid (alternative spelling, sulphuric acid) is a highly corrosive
strong mineral acid with the molecular formula H2SO4. The historical name of this acid
is oil of vitriol.
It is a colorless to slightly yellow viscous liquid and is soluble in water at all
concentrations. It is a diprotic acid. The corrosiveness of it is mainly due to its strong
acidic nature, strong dehydrating property, and if concentrated strong oxidizing
property.
It is a byproduct of protein digestion and is eliminated in the kidneys, after buffering.
Tofu - 3Tofu, also called bean curd, is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then
pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is the third most mucus forming
food humans ingest, after dairy and red meat.
Toxin - 35A toxin is a poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms. Manmade substances created by artificial processes are thus excluded. The term was first
used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919).
For a toxic substance not produced within living organisms, "toxicant" and "toxics" are
the terms sometimes used.
Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, or proteins that are capable of causing disease
on contact with, or absorption by, bodily tissues. They can interact with biological
macromolecules such as enzymes or cellular receptors. Toxins vary greatly in their
severity, ranging from usually minor and acute (as in a bee sting) to almost immediately
deadly (as in the botulinum toxin).
Trophology - 112This science addresses food-combining for maximum health. The pH of
foods and the pH of their digestive enzymes are primary considerations because an acid
will cancel a base thus negatively impacting digestion and gastrointestinal health.
Vegan - 4A vegan is a person who practices veganism. Pronounced vee'-gan.
Veganism - 4It is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products. Ethical
vegans reject the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any
purpose, while dietary vegans (or strict vegetarians) eliminate animal products from
their diet only. Another form, environmental veganism, rejects the use of animal
products on the premise that the industrial practice is environmentally damaging and
unsustainable.
Vegetarian - In general, this means a person who does not eat animal products. In reality
the term must be explained when used. It can mean anything from no animal products
to someone who simply does not eat meat, and then the term meat must be defined.
Meat can mean only red meat, or red and white, like beef and pork. The term meat
might even include poultry and fish, though not often.