Why Are We Ill?

Obviously, neither I nor anyone else can submit an answer to that question that would be satisfactory for every situation, but according to the last report that I read on illness in the United States submitted by the U.S. Surgeon General, approximately 68% of all of our illness could be linked to improper nutrition in our diets. That is an alarmingly high percentage, and we should be asking why. Why is it that the richest, most technologically advanced nation in the world has a population that is basically malnourished?

Just drive practically anywhere in the United States, and you will see farmlands that stretch for miles in all directions, and they are rich with produce. Are they really? There are reports that indicate just the opposite. The produce might be plentiful, but the nutritive value is quite poor. I read one report that stated that of the sixty or so nutrients that we should be acquiring from the foods we eat, a closer scrutiny would reveal a number nearer sixteen-not sixty. The main reason the nutrients are not in the food is because they are not in the soil. Needless to say, if the vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals are not in the soil, then they cannot be absorbed and assimilated by the plant.

To make matters even worse, many of the foods that we eat have been processed or treated in a manner that destroys many of the existing nutrients. On top of that, we take that same food and cook it, thereby destroying most of what is left. Let’s face it, about the only way we really get nutrition from food today is by eating wild, raw, organically grown fruits and vegetables. How many of us really do this on a regular basis?

Now, assuming that we are not getting the nutrition that we need from our food, what are the possible repercussions? I like to use the analogy of a carpenter building a building. We will say that the carpenter is the body’s innate ability to assemble itself in proper proportion and function. The building materials for the building we will compare with the nutrients that are supposed to be in the soil. The walls, facilities and other structures of the building we will compare to the cells, tissues, organs and systems that make up our physical body. Even without explaining any of this, you can probably see where this analogy will take us. Just for an example, what kind of building do you think your carpenter or builder could build for you if you gave him sticks instead of two by fours, sand instead of concrete, and straw instead of shingles? Even if he is an expert builder, what he would build for you would, I guarantee, be a far cry from what you would want to live in. Its structural integrity will be compromised, and it will soon begin to fall apart, It will become an unfit dwelling place.

In the same manner, if we do not give the body the essential vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, phytonutrients, carotenoids, amino acids and enzymes necessary for the proper assembly of our cells, tissues, organs and systems, we will get a body that might look like a body, but it will be one that probably will not weather the test of time.

One of the goals of this site is to provide individuals with enough simply stated information to insure them the ability to build strong, healthy, resistant bodies that will give them a life time of pleasure and the ability to enjoy life to its fullest. Please feel free to post any questions that you have concerning nutrition. If we do not have the answer for you immediately, we will try to find it for you as soon as possible. May your life be blessed with abundance.

michael

MY THEORY

Upon deciding that I had, and especially after being diagnosed as having Parkinson’s disease, I started asking “why”. I didn’t ask “why me”, just “why”. After finding out that my body was responding to a lack of dopamine, I wanted to know why the lack was there. I was told that either my dopamine producing cells were dying, or they just were not producing dopamine any more. Naturally, I wanted a reason. “We are not sure,” was the reply, “but we think that it has something to do with stress and environmental toxins.” Well, now we were getting somewhere. This was at least a place to begin my studying and research.

It didn’t take long to recall a particular event that took place around 1990. I was cleaning my shower with a liquid household bleach. Before I realized what was happening, my eyes were burning, my nose was running, my chest was hurting, and my breathing was labored. My sense of smell was completely destroyed. For the next two years I experienced bronchitis at least once each month. Those particular years were also extremely stressful due to other circumstances in my life. Now my querry was “What exactly happened, and can it be rectified or reversed?”

I have been formulating a theory over the past several years, and I will attempt to explain why I have arrived at the point where I am today. So far, each arrival point has ended up being another point of departure.

As a child, I had the “normal” childhood diseases, such as, mumps, measles, chicken pox, and tonsilitis that resulted in a tonsillectomy. Aside from that, from my teenage years until my early 40’s I was about the healthiest, most energetic person I knew. I was so healthy that I didn’t even have a family doctor. As a young, French-Irish, American, male, I was stubborn, and I was convinced that whatever was wrong with me would eventually go away. Secretly, however, I felt that if something didn’t change I would be dead within a few years. I only told this to one person.

By January of 1994, I had developed a slight twitch in my great, left toe. I ignored it. It wasn’t that big of a deal...right? By April of that same year, the twitch had become a tremor and had claimed more territory. It had staked a claim in my left foot and my left hand. By this time, I was convinced that whatever this creature was, it had crawled into my brain where it was slowly but methodically wielding its evil sword at will now, cutting a path that grew wider and deeper. With sword brandished, the imposing thief would thrust and sweep and successfully parry each counter attack with skill and precision as it stole my digity one piece at a time. On its vesture was written “Paralysis Agitans”, “Shaking Palsy”, “Parkinson’s Disease”. Although its face was unfamiliar to me, its reputation was quite well known.

I made a decision to make a stand against this invasive interloper who would, without compassion, trade MY dignity, MY health, MY pride, MY relationships, and MY accomplishments for its demented pleasures. I determined in my heart that I would be as relentless as this devilish opponent, and I,in the end, would be the victor and possessor of the spoils. I would remove the sword from that twisted hand, and with it I would remove the head from this beast, and I would stand atop its writhing, dying remains and would declare to those who stood watching through covered eyes, “See now the beast that was but is no more.” I humbly submitted myself to God and His leadership, and then I took the first step of this challenging journey. I prayed.

I had experienced, through the eyes and emotions of family and friends, several disappointments concerning doctors and hospitals in the past, so I determined not to put my confidence in their abilities at this time. I do not have anything against doctors, but I do think that they are overrated. They possess a license to “practice” medicine, and it has been my viewpoint that too much time, energy, and money are put into dealing with treating symptoms instead of addressing the root of a problem. However, if you asked me about that subject when my medication is wearing off I would say, “God bless those wonderful doctors who prescribed this medicine for me.” Still, I began to seek the answers to my questions through nutritional means. That search has led me to try many products with hope that “this will be the one that cures me.”

One of the first products that I tried was affectionately known as Super blue-green algae by those who harvested it and by those who consumed it. It’s scientific name is Aphanizomenon flos aquae. Although I was not cured by it, the benefits that I received from it were quite remarkable. I could actually feel a difference within 3 hours after taking the first capsule. The following day I worked for 12 hours, and after I got home I started looking for something else to do. That had not been the norm for me for the past 2 years. On the morning after the third day of consuming this algae, I awoke from a wonderful night’s sleep, sat up in bed, looked around the room, and announced aloud, “Something is different.” Every thing looked brighter, and I felt very alive and happy for the first time in a very long time. It was at that point that I realized how depressed I must have been for the past 2 years.

Within 2 weeks, a digestive problem that I had been having for several years cleared up. Within one month I had lost 2 inches in my waist without dieting or exercising. Wrinkles around my eyes began to disappear, and many of my friends and relatives wanted to know why I was beginning to look younger. Some even said that I looked 10 years younger. My wife made the comment that I was getting obnoxiously happy. Joint pains in my knees had disappeared, and my cognitive skills had improved so much that it was practically unbelievable. I thought that I was getting well, but some of those nagging little symptoms refused to go away. The creature continued to eat inside my brain. Even though I was feeling so much better, I knew that I was getting worse. I figured that if the algae helped me so much, then maybe other supplements would help me some more. The search was on.

I developed an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and then I discovered the Internet. After many frustrating hours of trial and error, I became very comfortable navigating through literally thousands of pages of documents. Most of them said the same things. The symptoms were listed, and the theories were proposed, but the words, “There is no known cure,” began to echo through my mind. I had to know more. I began to dig deeper. There were hundreds of questions to ask, but with each answered question, there seemed to be at least three more that would take my inquiring mind through a miriad of possible solutions. A pathway seemed to be developing, so I followed it with enthusiasm as it twisted in a maze-like fashion through the seemingly endless facets of the human body. I became glued to the computer screen.

One day it dawned upon me that I had only met one other person in my entire life who had Parkinson’s disease, but I never saw him experiencing what I was experiencing. He had made a comment about freezing and not being able to move again until someone would touch him. This is not at all what I was experiencing. How could the same disease present itself so differently? It was then that I discovered an entire cyber community of people with Parkinson’s disease. Nearly every person seemed to have a unique set of symptoms. Why was this the case? This seemed to be a very important question, and I didn’t see it being addressed except when the doctors were trying to find the right combination of drugs that would alleviate the symptoms without bringing on side effects that were worse than the disease. I quickly grew dependent on this wonderful cyber community filled with caring, understanding people.

Nutrition in a Nutshell

In 1992 my life was packed full with stressful situations which, I feel, caused a major weakening of my immune system. It was at this time that I sustained an over exposure to chlorine gas from a liquid household bleach. My lungs were burned, my sense of smell disappeared, and for the next two years I had bronchitis at least once each month. My energy level began to plummet, and my body became increasingly stiff and full of joint pain. Realizing that something was definitely wrong, I began searching for answers. As my symptoms increased, so did my search. By late 1994-early 1995 I realized that I surely had a neurological disorder and that it was probably Parkinson’s disease. This was later confirmed by a neurologist. I began to research this disease as to its causes and eventual outcome. The horizon looked pretty dismal. In my searching I have come across many products that I feel have in some way or another brought a positive impact on my quality of life. What follows might be a bit lengthy, but I feel that it is worth your consideration.

There are many varieties of blue-green algae. Most of them are not edible, but a few are. The two varieties that I have tried are spirulina and aphanizomenon flos-aquae. Harvested spirulina is usually grown in a controlled environment, while aphanizomenon flos-aquae(afa) grows wild in only several lakes world wide. Both contain approximately the same substances. Blue-green algae naturally contains most of the vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, phytonutrients, carotenoids, chlorophyll, assimilable protein, enzymes, essential fatty acids and other beneficial substances, and it possesses characteristics of plant, animal and bacteria. This is one of the most nutrient dense organisms on the planet.

This product can be obtained at most health food stores and over the internet. The approximate cost per individual is about $30 per month.

Some of the benefits that one might experience from using this product are: 1) increased energy, 2) an overall sense of well being 3) better digestion, 4) better elimination, 5)less joint stiffness, 6) restoration in skin elasticity, 7)increased cognitive ability, and 8)the list goes on.

Obviously, pd patients who are experiencing fatigue, joint pains, depression, cognitive deterioration, and intestinal problems would benefit from this product. It also contains substances vital to the growth, regeneration, and proper functioning of the body’s billions of cells. It helps to oxygenate the blood, cleanse the blood, and it aids in detoxifying the entire body. This is definitely a thumbs-up product in my opinion.

Nicatinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrogen(nadh) is another beneficial product that can be obtained from health food stores or on the internet. The cost of this product, if taken in the right amount to affect pd symptoms, can be as much as $42 per individual per month. Nadh has been shown to stimulate the production of dopamine in the brain, while it also is used in the production of ATP which is used by the cellular mitochondria in the brain for energy to manufacture many substances necessary for establishing and perpetuating neurological pathways. While using this product one might notice an increase in energy and an increased amount of “on-time”. Other pd symptoms might decrease in intensity. This is also considered to be a coenzyme.

A complex of digestive enzymes, in my opinion, is a must-take supplement if you are not getting enough enzymes in your food. How can you tell? If you are, like most people are, eating processed and/or cooked food, you are probably not getting a good supply of these vital enzymes. Processing and cooking usually destroy them. These enzymes play a very important role in the proper digestion of food, and they break down food into its many nutritive components. Undigested or partially digested food can make its way into the blood stream as larger molecules that often cannot escape. This can cause serious problems, one of which is candida albicans. If food is not properly broken down an eventual strain on the liver and pancreas occurs. This strain can also cause many other problems. Also, if the proper components are not made available to our cells many vital substances cannot be produced in proper form or amounts to insure that the body continues to function the way it was designed to function. The result could be devastating.

There are those who feel that many diseases, including some neurological diseases, have their beginnings in the intestines. Maintaining a healthy digestive system is, therefore, essential to our health and well being. The intestines should contain beneficial bacteria that control the build up of waste materials. Unfortunately, there are many things that can affect the bacterial flora in the intestines. Some of these are : pollution, antibiotics, chemicals in our drinking water, smoking, and environmental toxins. It is vital that as these friendly bacteria die they should be replaced. In order to insure their presence it is sometimes necessary to supplement our diets. A broad spectrum of probiotics can be purchased over the internet or from a nutrition center. Two of these friendly bacteria are acidophilus and bifidus. They serve several purposes.

As partially digested food moves into the intestines for further digestion, absorption of nutrients into the blood stream, and eventual disposal, it has a tendency to collect on the sides of the intestinal walls. If this is not tended to it will eventually harden and become impacted. From that point it will begin to decay and release toxic gases. If not removed, these toxins will eventually enter the blood stream and poison the body. The intestinal walls must stay clean so that proper absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream is allowed. This is one of the functions of acidophilus and bifidus. Many other diseases and even death can occur if this waste is not removed. Also, if the body were unable to absorb these nutrients, it would be like asking a carpenter to build a house with sticks instead of 2 x 4’s. The house might get built, but I seriously doubt that it would weather the test of time.

The human body was designed to remove any toxins that enter it. Toxins are removed from the body via several different avenues. The excretory system removes excess solid and liquid waste materials. Substances are also removed by way of sweat glands and nasal passages. As chemical changes occur in the body free radicals are formed. These free radicals move throughout the body destroying or damaging cells, tissues, DNA, and other structures. These free radicals must be removed. This often cannot occur until these by- products are changed into other products. This is a job for antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that can easily give up an electron to a free radical . There should be a wide array of antioxidants available for use in the body’s effort to remove free radicals from the body. It is also important at this point to stress the importance of providing the body with sufficient clean drinking water. Since a large percentage of our bodies is composed of water, it is necessary that we maintain that level in order to insure the proper functioning of all of our cells, tissues, organs and systems. Without this liquid we would quickly die. Water also plays a vital role in the elimination of toxins from the body. As antioxidants do their job, water is used to flush these damaging substances from our bodies.

There are many substances that are considered to be antioxidants. Two of the most common that we are familiar with are vitamins C and E. Some that we are not very familiar with are the tocopherols, tocotrienols, lipoic acid and gamma oryzanol. Many of these are much more powerful than vitamins C and E. Each, however, plays an important role in detoxifying our bodies.

I have been consuming a product called “Risotriene” for a couple of years now. This product contains over 70 known antioxidants along with most vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids and other nutrients. Made entirely from rice, this superfood has alleviated the rigidity and pain in my back and legs, calmed that internal tremor and corrected several postural problems. All of these problems are the result of Parkinson’s disease. This is a pleasant tasting whole food that can be purchased over the internet for about $30 per month. I highly recommend it.

Hopefully, I have given each of you enough information here to provide you with a basic understanding of the importance of nutrition in each of our lives. This is by no means comprehensive data, but I believe that it can guide each of us in the proper direction. Those of us who have been engaged in warfare with this devastating disease need to maintain our health as long as possible, and in doing so, hopefully, we will also maintain an acceptable quality of life so that we are not merely existing in this world. It is much better that we enjoy the remainder of our lives(however long that might be) with exuberance, maintaining our functionality in society.

Have an enjoyable and blessed life.

michael

I've been doing a lot of research since finding out that I have pd. It has been nearly 5 years since the diagnosis. I must have been in a pretty advanced stage, because it only took one 15 minute visit to get a diagnosis. Since that time my research has been seemingly scattered in many directions without a clear pathway(remember that term)to follow. I have looked at vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, raw food, certain foods, amino acids, medications, exercise, meditation, acupuncture, herbal treatment, sound therapy, vibration therapy, magnetic therapy, surgical procedures, whole super foods, prayer for healing, positive attitude, different delivery systems for medication, types of tea, etc., and there is still so much more out there to research.

Tonight I was researching enzymes, and I cannot tell you how important I think that information is. I learned so much about how dopamine is made in the brain. The process is so delicate that it is a wonder that everyone does not suffer from pd. I am reminded of the portion of Scripture that says "...I am fearfully and wonderfully made...". The intracasies of the human body are so amazing.

I am not a super intelligent guy, so there is a lot of what I read tonight that I did not understand. My neurologist told me on my first visit that pd happens due to a decrease or cessation of production of dopamine in the brain. She did not, or maybe could not, explain to me why. I think tonight it all started coming together.

There are a myriad of enzymes involved in the functioning of the human body, and each of them has a specific capacity. Don't worry, I am not going to try to explain it all here and now, but I would like to post one aspect at a time on different nights for your information. I hope that many of you read the posts, because I feel that enzymes, or the lack thereof, hold a key to this whole pd mystery.

Also, I will be finding out this week whether or not I will be sponsored in a special research project that I requested from a Dallas, Texas based company. It looks very hopeful. They are already engaged in an alzheimer study, and I asked them to add on a Parkinson's disease study as well since some aspects are similar.

May God bless you and give you grace.

michael

I will attempt to keep these posts as short as possible, and I will attempt to keep the language understandable. Some of the terminology used in the reading sources are not easily understandable. The following information is obtained from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Macropedia, volume 6, pg. 896: "Enymes comprise an important group of proteins that make possible the chemical reactions that constitute metabolism. They are efficient and specific--that is, they accelerate the rate of one kind of chemical reaction of one type of compound, and they do so far more efficiently than man-made catalysts. They act as biological catalysts, or accelerators, of the thousands of successive complex biochemical reactions that take place in all living things. Enzymes are controlled by activators and inhibitors that initiate or block reactions. All cells contain enzymes, which usually vary in number and composition, depending on the cell type; an average mammalian cell, for example, is about one one-billionth ... the size of a drop of water and contains about 3,000 enzymes."

Metabolism is chemical or physical processes that are on going in living cells and organisms. It consists of two types- anabolism and catabolism.

Anabolism is the process in a plant or animal by which food becomes living tissue.

catabolism is the process in a plant or animal by which the living tissue is changed into simpler compositions consisting of energy and waste products.

Well, that is a very brief beginning. There will be much, much, much more to follow. I'll try to be more descriptive from now on. God bless you and give you grace.

michael

Since the advent of the extensive use of chemical fertilizers in our country, we have seen a prolific agricultural outburst. I use the word "Outburst" to connotate something that is obnoxious as opposed to glorious. YES, we do have the most agriculturally productive country in the world, and YES, we do feed a multitude of hungry, starving people in this world. It is not a moral atrocity that I'm refering to. It is rather a gross error in judgment that was probably due to a lack of knowledge at the time.

Ideal soil for growing crops should contain approximately 60 vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals. The latest report that I read, however, revealed a horrible lack in our American soil. An analysis of soils throughout the U.S. showed that most agribusiness farms contained no more than 16 of the 60 nutrients that it takes to make our fruits and vegetables not only look good but taste good as well. You've got to admit(that is if you are old enough to remember)that tomatoes, corn, potatoes, etc. do not quite taste the way they used to. Well, as long as we get full eating it, what does it matter? It matters in that most nutritionists today will tell you that we are literally what we eat. To take it one step further, we are literally what we absorb. This is the case whether we eat good food or poisoned food look-a-likes.

The human body was designed to function on the nutrients obtained from soil, water, air, and sunlight. Look at what we are now obtaining. We get chemical fertilizer, pesticides, herbacides, carbon monoxide and thousands[and I do mean thousand(s)] of other environmental toxins.

When we speak of finding a cure for Parkinson's disease and innumerable other diseases, we need to address the need to practice the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." For our sakes and the sakes of our children, we need to start here, at the root of the problem, if we are to solve it.

I have discovered in my research that in every cell in the human body there are approximately 3000 enzymes, and they are all necessary for the proper functioning of that cell and and every other function of the body. What is alarming is the fact that these enzymes are supposed to be created from the nutrients that we get(or do we?)from our food(can we call it that?). Did you know that there are enzymes, coenzymes, and other cofactors involved in the production and transmission of dopamine in our brains? ---to be continued---

May God bless you and give you grace.

michael

I'm trying to understand the significance of the "sodium pump" as it relates to the re-uptake of dopamine into receptor sites. Would a delay in the re-uptake allow for greater than normal dissipation and/or greater than normal enzymatic action toward the change of dopamine into noradrenaline? No this is not a trick question. I'm trying to understand how dopamine is created, how it is stored, how it is activated for use and what happens to it after that activation. I have located most of this information, but for now my brain cannot seem to comprehend it. I've emailed several biology departments dealing with neurology, but so far only one emailed back and said that they could not help. They gave me a suggestion for further study, however. Who said, "Knowledge is power"? Let's get Power over PD.

• water= all of the substances needed to take care of a cells needs(nutrients)
• pump= the system(s) through which nutrients flow
• watering trough= the storage areas for nutrients
• buckets= enzymes
• line= the path established for the flow of nutrients
• People passing water= axon
• People receiving water= dendrite
• space between people= synapse
• building= each cell of our body combining to form tissues, organs and systems.
• fire= that which calls our attention to the need of the cell.
• runners= stimuli which inform the brain whether or not a particular part of us needs attention.

Since wildthing brought up the subject of food enzymes, let's talk about them. Wildthing was absolutely correct when he said that food enzymes are important. They are extremely important. These enzymes go to work immediately when we put food into our mouth. Even in our saliva there are enzymes that get busy breaking down our food into its various nutritive constituents. Carbohydrates, fats, protein, etc. are broken down into even smaller parts and are used by the body to manufacture the necessary products for its proper functioning.

Have any of you ever had indigestion? What is indigestion? It is exactly what it says- in(not) digestion. We get it when our food is not broken down properly, and an over abundance of acid is produced. What do we usually do for it? Antacid tablets and powders and liquids attack the acid and attempt to absorb it so that it can be disposed of by the body. Acid blockers actually shut down the openings through which acid is secreted. Do you think this solves the problem? Does this digest your food? I don't think so. Actually, without that acid to provide a hostile environment for unfriendly bacteria matters can, and often do, get worse. My dad lived on antacid tablets, and they weakened his stomach lining so much that when he had surgery the tube they inserted in his throat caused his stomach lining to rupture, and he bled internally and died. I had indigestion every day for 5 years, and I always had a pack of antacid tablets with me. I began taking digestive enzymes in 1996, and I have had indigestion maybe 6 or 7 times in the past 31/2 years. My dad might be alive today if he would have been told to eat enzymes instead of antacid tablets. - - - to be continued.

May God bless you and give you grace.

michael

I feel that we need to get a clear picture of the necessity of acquiring proper nutrition in our diets. If we were building a house we would surely want the building materials to be of at least good quality. We would not want the building contractor to use sub standard concrete for the foundation, and we definitely would not want him to set that foundation over swampy terrain. We would expect the walls to be straight and sturdy, the wiring to meet or exceed building codes, the plumbing to do the same, and we would want that house to bear up under weather and storm for many years to come. When we do not give our body the proper raw materials, it is like asking a contractor to build a house with sticks instead of 2 x 4's. It would also be like giving him a tree an telling him to make his own lumber when we do not provide digestive enzymes for our body. These enzymes are used to break down our food into the many materials that the body needs to manufacture metabolic enzymes which act as catalysts for every bodily function. Energy is provided so that our various cells, tissues, organs and systems can work together in forming pathways along which one material is transformed into another and into another and into another until every part of the body receives what it needs for life, repair and longevity..........to be continued......

May God bless you and give you grace.

michael

My brain is fried. I have hit the wall and can't break through. The deeper I got into my research, the more I realized that I might just have to go back to school in order to grasp an understanding of the enormous amount of information concerning enzymes. I am, however, totally convinced that a breakdown in our enzymatic pathways is a major factor in the cause of Parkinson's disease as well as a multitude of other diseases. These tiny catalysts are necessary for practically all, if not ALL, of the enumerable functions of our bodies. There is a specific enzyme partially responsible for the production, transfer and halt of production of every substance created in our bodies. This includes dopamine.

I am not advocating here that we all become "health food nuts", but I am recommending that we all begin to supply our bodies with as many of the substances necessary for life(and that more abundantly) as we can find. We need the vitamins. We need the minerals and trace minerals. We need the amino acids(protein building blocks). We need the digestive enzymes and the phytonutrients. We need the elements,such as chlorophyll, to cleanse and detoxify our bodies. We need clean water for drinking and clean air for breathing. Until we start giving our bodies what they need and refrain from giving them poisons, I do not believe that a true cure for our ailment will be accomplished. Obviously, prevention will be the ultimate cure. I also believe that for many of us a reversal of our disease can be accomplished, but it will take time and a lot of effort on the part of each individual. We need to begin for the sake of our children and grandchildren. I really don't want my kids to go through what all of us are going through.

michael

ENZYME EDUCATION-PART 5

ENZYME ACTION

ENZYME EDUCATION-PART 1

ENZYME EDUCATION-PART 2

ENZYME EDUCATION-PART 3

ENZYME EDUCATION-PART 4

ENZYMES-VERY COMPLICATED>

Each of the above links is part of a series of posts that I have written concerning enzymes. I now feel that it is time to take this series one step farther. Each progressive step that I have taken has taken me deeper into the intricacies of enzyme production and function, and it has reinforced my belief that they are important factors involved in a probable cascade of events that lead to the development of most neurodegenerative diseases. Let’s delve deeper.

There are six classifications of enzymes. Those classifications are as follows: 1) Oxidoreductases, 2) Transferases, 3)Lyases, 4) Hydrolases, 5) Isomerases, and 6) Ligases or Synthetases. I will attempt to discuss each of these classifications separately, and I will also attempt to explain how each classification is capable of being involved with toxins and the development of one or more neurodegenerative diseases.

At first I thought about posting this in the toxic earth thread, but since all of the other enzyme posts were separate, I decided to make the rest of them separate. Please bear with me. I have PD. lol After all of the enzyme posts are finished, I will post the links in the toxic earth thread.

Let’s look first at Oxidoreductases. These are enzymes that are involved in catalyzing redox reactions. Redox is a chemistry term that stands for Oxidation-Reduction. These enzymes are classified as the group of hydrogen or electron donors, and are given the name Hydrogenase or Oxidase, with Hydrogenase being the more prominent. There are numerous enzymes in this class, and if you wish to examine them more closely, here is a site where you may do so.

Enzyme Nomenclature

Oxidoreductase enzymes are extremely vital to the production of neurotransmitters. I have chosen to look at the chemical, Rotenone and how it might interact with our enzymes, because it has shown up in at least two places along the dopaminergic pathway. Unfortunately, my ability, at this time, to decipher all of the scientific terminology into an understandable language is not adequate. I have solicited assistance from a bioelectrochemistry professor, and I await his response.

Stay tuned.

michael

VOCABULARY:

VOCABULARY:

"redox= oxidation-reduction reaction= A chemical reaction in which an electron is transferred from one molecule to another. The electron-donating molecule is the reducing agent or reductant; the electron-accepting molecule is the oxidizing agent or oxidant. Reducing and oxidizing agents function as conjugate reductant-oxidant pairs or redox pairs(lehninger, principles of biochemistry, 1982, p471)

chemical reaction-A process in which one or more substances are changed chemically into one or more different substances.

oxidizing agent- A reactant that accepts eletrons from another reactant. The oxidizing agent is the species getting reduced.

reducing agent- A molecule that donates and electron in an oxidation-reduction reaction.

conjugate- refers to an acid and a base which can convert to each other by the gain or loss of a proton(a hydrogen nucleus)which together are called a conjugate acid-base pair."

(Online Medical Dictionary)

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT ROTENONE

In the news recently, a chemical pesticide/herbicide named rotenone caused quite a stir. It has now definitely been linked to Parkinson’s disease. In Nov. 2000, it made the news as a possible link to PD. Then in 2001 it made the news again as a definite single-chemical link to PD along with mention of chemicals which pair up and cause PD.

Rotenone and Parkinson's disease in the news Rotenone in the news

To my knowledge, rotenone has not been pulled off of the shelves.

Rotenone may enter the body in three ways:

Entrance into the Body

Inhalation (particularly hazardous), dermally (absorbed through the skin), or orally (ingested through the mouth). Rotenone is a biologically active isoflavonoid which is derived from the Derris root. It is the most potent among six isoflavonoids obtained from this root.

Rotenone has been used for hundreds of years. Someone stated earlier that Parkinson’s disease was here long before the use of pesticides. Maybe we need to rethink that now.

History of Rotenone

Rotenone inhibits oxidative phosphorylation by inhibiting electron transport at complex 1 in the mitochondria. It remains unchanged in this process which allows it to go on to complex 2 and engage in another chemical process there, which inevitably affects the ability of the intercellular ion pumps to work effectively. This eventually inhibits the transfer of dopamine from the cell to the receptor site. Therefore, the firing of the nerve impulse is also affected, thereby causing tremor. This is just the beginning of the cascade.

Oxidative Phosphorylation Inhibitor

Did I say that rotenone products are still on the shelves?

Rotenone Shampoo

michael

Why i feel that Parkinson's disease and other neurological diseases are becoming more prevalent.

Two important things happened in the 1940's that would prove to greatly impact our diet and our health. Those two things were: 1)stockpiles of certain chemicals at the end of world war 2 and a move toward using additives in massive amounts to enhance agricultural soils and 2) the beginning of the acceptance of fast foods as a major part of our diet.

Resulting from these two actions were and are several other cascades of ongoing, progressive changes: 1)a slow decline in the vitamin/mineral content of agricultural soils. 2) a corresponding weakening of the immune systems of our crops leading to the need to use more and stronger pesticides and herbicides, leading to the manufacture of more potent synthetics.(use more-need more, use more-need more). 3) To a great degree, our present-day diet does not provide enough live enzymes or pro-biotics to sufficiently support our digestive systems. Even if we were capable of pulling every nutritious molecule out of the fast, overcooked, practically nutrient-stripped food that we eat, it would not be enough. Animal model studies indicate that this type of diet will eventually lead to sterility somewhere between the 7th and 10th generation. Illness is eminent.

Due to the depletion of vital nutrients being received by the plants, there was and is a corresponding depletion of vital nutrients reaching us, and a corresponding generational weakening of the human immune system has been and is ocurring. We, in turn, are also adding more and more chemicals to our bodies in the form of pharmaceuticals and synthetic vitamins, preservatives, artificial scents, etc. (use more-need more, use more-need more).

Each successive generation suffers more and more structural abuse due to the insufficient and sub-standard building blocks of our physical being ( I won't take time here to name the many vital nutrients). We are becoming houses built of straw instead of bricks, so to speak.

At the same time, insult has been added to injury by the bombardment of our bodies with man-made chemicals which our already weakened immune system cannot deal with or identify. The body attempts to eliminate what cannot be metabolized or further broken down and prepared for use by and for the body's billions of hungry and thirsty cells, but it is not always successful in its attempt. That which remains is stored or roams around inside of us looking for another substance to 'hook up' with ( a marriage and quick divorce so to speak). The damage is done, and the molecular molester moves on to destroy again. It might mimic an enzyme or break up an already existing union or cause damage or death some other invasive way( this is where i would discuss mitochondrial mahem, or respiratory interference, or energy drain or neurotransmitter displacement or some such event that would eventually lead to an untimely death of our cells).

As more and more cells die and more and more energetic pathways are blocked, and energy transfers are denied, corresponding mechanisms and interchanges are adversely affected. The cascade continues.

Vital checks and balances are no longer in play, and therefore certain lines of communications are no longer open or incorrect information is being received. The quantitative matrix that regulates and coordinates supply and demand is no longer coded properly ( we could discuss DNA and severed RNA, and genetic breakdown or mutation here).

Dis-ease begins to show up in our bodies in the form of symptoms that we group together and define as disease. Some have a group of symptoms that we have named ALS or MS or PD or PKU or PSP or MSA or some other grouping of convenient letters. Our symptoms are categorized, and we become a statistic.

In the meantime, back on the farm, we have allowed our chemicals to be washed from the farm and into the wild where the same scenario will occur among the populus of other species of plants and animals.

The web of life begins to unravel. Biodiversity is slowly destroyed ( several hundred species per year now)

This becomes our children's inheritance, and so the next generation adds to the injury, more insult.

Do you think we will become wise before we die, or do you think we will ignore the truth forever? To say we can do nothing is really to say,"WE CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING."

Michael Boyle