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Glossary

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Term Description
Absorption A process by which food molecules enter cells after digestion.
Acesulfame potassium Acesulfame K, sold commercially as Sunette® or Sweet One®, was approved by the FDA in 1988 as a sugar substitute in packet or tablet form, in chewing gum, dry mixes for beverages, instant coffee and tea, gelatin desserts, puddings and nondairy creamers.
Acid indigestion Abdominal discomfort, such as bloating or a sense of uncomfortable fullness, burping or heartburn.
Acidophilus A bacterium that helps restore a positive balance in the intestine. Imbalance can be caused by disease or antibiotics, which may cause an overgrowth of yeast. Acidophilus is found in live-culture yogurt or as a supplement.
Acidosis A medical condition in which the blood and other body fluids have a higher than normal acidity level.
Acupuncture A therapy for easing pain that has been common for thousands of years in China, but in recent years has also become a mainstream therapy in the West. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently acknowledged that the use of acupuncture needles is no more "experimental" than that of surgical scalpels or hypodermic syringes. Acupuncture employs needles to unblock a path of "vital energy" (known as "qi"-pronounced "chee"-in Chinese) that practitioners believe flows through the whole body. When this flow gets blocked or unbalanced, illness occurs. To ascertain where to place needles, acupuncturists rely on a "map" of invisible channels - or meridians - through which the qi flows. By stimulating any of the roughly 365 dots, called acupuncture points, on this map, acupuncturists rebalance the flow of qi. It can boost standard therapies for many other conditions, including those for addiction, Stroke rehabilitation, headache, facial and neck pain, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, pain and Inflammation from osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and sports injuries as well as kidney pain and menstrual cramps.
Adaptations Special characteristics that make an organism well suited for a particular environment.
Additives Substances, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), intentionally added to foods to improve taste, color, texture or shelf life.
Adrenal glands Two glands, each lying atop a kidney, that regulate the removal of water from the body and the body's response to stress. The glands' outer layer, or cortex, produces steroid hormones such as cortisol (the stress hormone); the inner core, or medulla, produces the hormones epinephrine (or adrenaline) and norepinephrine.
Adrenaline More commonly known as epinephrine, this hormone is secreted by the medulla or inner core of the adrenal glands, and is known as the "fear hormone." As a part of the "flight-or-fight response," the adrenals release epinephrine and norepinephrine, which in turn trigger a series of body changes. Hearing and vision become more acute, bronchi dilate to allow more air into the lungs, heart rate accelerates to pump more oxygen throughout the body, digestion halts and perspiration increases to cool the skin. In addition, endorphins are released to relieve pain in case of injury and blood cell production increases. These almost instantaneous changes provide the heightened reflexes and strength necessary in a crisis situation.
Allergic reaction (allergy) A condition caused by a reaction of the body's Immune system to what it identifies as a foreign substance.
Allopurinol A drug that is used to treat gout.
Amino acids A large group of organic compounds that are the end product of protein metabolism, in turn used by the body to rebuild protein. Many amino acids are necessary to maintain life.
Amylase An enzyme that hydrolyzes amylose (a form of starch), amylase breaks down carbohdrates in the bloodstream into smaller molecules of sugar that can be absorbed and used by the body's cells.
Androgens Male sex hormones produced by the testes in men and by the adrenal glands in both men and women.
Anemia Literally defined as "too little blood," anemia is any condition in which too few red blood cells are present, or the red blood cells are immature, too small or contain too little hemoglobin to carry the normal amount of oxygen to the tissues. Anemia is not a disease itself but can be a symptom of many different diseases.
Angina pectoris A pain in the center of the chest, which may also travel into the neck, jaw and arms (especially the left arm). Angina, as it is more commonly known, is usually described as a crushing, heavy or gripping pain and is sometimes associated with breathlessness. It usually follows exercise, but may also be triggered by emotion, digestion of a heavy meal or going out in a cold wind. Angina is similar to a muscle cramp experienced during vigorous exercise and is caused by the heart muscles being deprived of adequate oxygen necessary for the task. One reason may be narrowing of the blood vessels, which supply the heart muscles with oxygen. Age is the primary cause for narrowing of blood vessels, but cigarette smoking accelerates this process.
Angioplasty Corrective surgery performed on arteries or veins to improve blood flow.
Anorexia nervosa An eating disorder characterized by a refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight as a result of a distorted perception of body shape and weight. It is most common in teenage girls and young women.
Antibodies Molecules produced by the body as a defense against foreign objects. Antibodies bind to specific antigens.
Antigens Proteins on a foreign object such as food or a chemical that stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies. They, in turn, neutralize the impact of the foreign substance, protecting the body against illness.
Antihistamine A pharmaceutical, over-the-counter drug or natural agent that opposes the action of histamine, which is released by the body in response to an allergic reaction, causing dilated capillaries, decreased blood pressure, increased gastric secretion and constriction of bronchial tubes.
Antioxidant A chemical or other agent that inhibits or retards oxidation, whose by-products can cause premature aging, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and other diseases. Antioxidants are known to reverse, prevent or limit free-radical damage.
Antioxidant capacity The amount of antioxidant contained in a given food, measured by the antioxidant score.
Antioxidant score The measurement of a food's ability to deactivate free-radical damage. To ascertain this, a sample of a food or a supplement (such as Vitamin C) is put in a test tube to measure how well and for how long it neutralizes Free radicals.
Arrhythmia A disturbance in the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat, arrhythmia can be symptomatic of a serious disorder. However, it is usually of no medical significance except in the presence of additional symptoms. The heart's rhythm is controlled by an electrical impulse generated by the sinoatrial node, often referred to as the heart's natural pacemaker, which then travels to the atrioventricular node and then to the ventricles. An arrhythmia may be abnormally fast (tachycardia) or abnormally slow (bradycardia); some, such as ventricular fibrillation, make the heart Flutter.
Artery A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart.
Arthritis An Inflammatory joint condition characterized by pain, swelling, heat, and redness and restricted movement. There are various types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Approximately 350 million people worldwide have arthritis.
Ascorbic acid Also known as Vitamin C, this water-soluble vitamin is an antioxidant that has been shown to play a role in boosting the immune system. The recommended daily allowance (RDA is 60-75mg per day, but Linus Pauling and other complementary practitioners recommend considerably higher doses for preventing the common cold). Sources of vitamin C include strawberries, peaches, plums, tomatoes, celery, onions and cabbage.
Aspartame An artificial sweetener composed of two amino acids (phenylalanine and aspartic acid) that tastes 160 to 220 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame, made from genetically modified bacteria waste, is marketed as NutraSweet® and Equal®. Aspartame has been linked to a number of diseases, can impair the immune system, and is even known to cause cancer.
Asthma A Respiratory disorder characterized by difficulty breathing due to Inflammation and swelling of the airways. Other symptoms include coughing and excessive bronchial mucous. Examples of irritants include allergens, cold air, tobacco, pollution or smoke, as well as emotional stress or vigorous exercise (dehydration).
Atherosclerosis The slow, progressive buildup of hardened deposits called plaques on the inner walls of arteries, cutting down on the flow of oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to the heart. It is a major cause of coronary artery (heart) disease. Plaques are deposits of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other cellular sludge carried in the blood. Atherosclerosis is also typically a byproduct of poor health habits. When the level of cholesterol in the blood is high, there's a greater chance that it will be deposited on artery walls. High blood pressure, high Insulin levels, smoking, obesity and physical inactivity also contribute to the risk of atherosclerosis, and thus, coronary artery disease. Some research also suggests that certain types of bacteria, such as Chlamydia pneumoniae, may play a role in narrowing coronary arteries. Atherosclerosis can also occur in the arteries that carry blood to the brain, increasing the risk of a stroke.
Atrial fibrillation A form of sustained Irregular heartbeat that affects about two million Americans every year. The atria (the heart's upper chambers) send rapidly firing electrical signals that cause them to quiver, rather than contract normally, resulting in an abnormally fast and irregular heartbeat. Blood may pool in the atria, increasing the risk of blood clot formation, which in turn can cause a stroke.
Autoimmune disease A condition in which an individual's Immune system mistakenly attacks itself, targeting the body's own cells, tissues and organs. (The word "auto" is Greek for self.) The immune system is a complicated network of cells and cell components or molecules that normally work to defend the body and eliminate infections caused by bacteria, viruses and other invading microbes. When the immune system is constantly challenged, it may become "trigger happy" and cannot distinguish between invading organisms and its own tissues. Autoimmune diseases include Multiple Sclerosis, in which the autoimmune reaction is directed against the brain; Crohn's Disease, where it is the gut; and Thyroiditis, where it is the thyroid. In other autoimmune diseases such as systemic Lupus Erythematosus (lupus), affected tissues and organs may vary among individuals. One person with lupus may have affected skin and joints; another may have affected skin, kidneys and lungs. Ultimately, damage to certain tissues by the immune system may be permanent. Autoimmune disease has also been linked to vaccinations.
Ayurveda A traditional Hindu system of using certain foods and herbs, as well as meditation, massage and yoga to stimulate the body to heal itself.
Ayurvedic medicine A holistic, integrated, physiotherapeutic medical system that originated in India and is based upon balancing the elements (air, fire, water and earth). It is believed that when one or more of these elements is out of balance because of improper diet or lifestyle, various diseases and mental disturbances occur.