martes, 25 de octubre de 2011

How nerves work part 1

Cholinesterases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid.
This reaction necessary to allow a neuron to return to its resting state after activation.



Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter be be identified. It was discovered by Henry Hallett Dale in 1914 and its existence was later confirmed by Otto Loewi. Both individuals were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1936 for their discovery.

The development of acetylcholinesterase (AChe) inhibitor drugs has followed the finding that pathways in the cerebral cortex and basal forebrain are compromised in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). 


There is a resultant cholinergic deficit which contributes to the cognitive impairment of patients with this disease.  


An interesting article can be found on "How Stuff Works" about how Acetycholine receptors work (and how nicotine is implicated in this process).


Although many believe this ‘cholinergic hypothesis’ to be important, others feel it represents a less significant component of the disease process. Many other neurotransmitters are affected in AD, and the relative importance of each in relation to clinical findings has not been fully elucidated.

jueves, 20 de octubre de 2011

Heart Warming Terms

More evidence about traditional ingredients and their positive effects on health is gathering.  Here at InnOrbit we thought we'd update you on a couple of terms we've seen recently which may help in understanding.

Cardiac Hypertrophy:


Cardiac hypertrophy is a thickening of the heart muscle (myocardium) which results in a decrease in size of the chamber of the heart, including the left and right ventricles. A common cause of cardiac hypertrophy is high blood pressure (hypertension).


Telomere:

telomere is a region of repetitive DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration. The telomere regions deter the degradation of genes.

Telomere Attrition:
Telomeres–the terminal caps of chromosomes–become shorter as individuals age. There is significant interest in determining what causes telomere "attrition" or shortening since this process may play a role in biological aging. One hypothesis is that telomere attrition is due to inflammation, exposure to infectious agents, and other types of oxidative stress, which damage telomeres and impair their repair mechanisms.



Cardiac Mycocyte Apoptosis:  
Mycocytes: There is a portion of the heart muscle known as the SA Node.  This is located in the right atrium of the heart. It is made up of a group of cells (myocytes) positioned on the wall of the right atrium, at the center of the heart and near the entrance of the superior vena cava. These cells contract at a rate of about 70-80 times per minute, which make up the natural heart beat.
Myocyte apoptosis may be a causal mechanism of heart failure.  Remember Apoptosis is programmed cell death - sometimes this is a good thing (e.g. differentiation of cells) and sometimes bad.





miércoles, 20 de julio de 2011

NO - Molecule of the year 1992 - they're having a laugh?

Each year Science, the prestigious science journal, awards a prize for the most significant development in scientific research. Originating in 1989 as the Molecule of the Year.






In 1992 Nitric Oxide (No, not laughing gas - that's Nitrous oxide N2O) was awarded the prize.  So what's the fuss about Nitric Oxide.  Turns out it is produced in the body during biochemical processes in extremely small amounts but can be detected by cells and cell recognition processes to initiate and control important interactions - that is - an important cellular messenger molecule.  And it's important in maintaining the human species!













Some interesting and relevant functions

  • Nitric oxide is also known as the endothelium-derived relaxing factor, or EDRF. The endothelium (inner lining) of blood vessels uses nitric oxide to signal the surrounding smooth muscle to relax, thus resulting in vasodilation and increasing blood flow.
  • Nitric oxide (NO) inhibits vascular smooth muscle contraction and growth, platelet aggregation, and leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Humans with atherosclerosis, diabetes, or hypertension often show impaired NO pathways.
  • Nitric oxide is also generated by monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils as part of the human immune response. 
  • Nitric oxide secreted as an immune response is toxic to bacteria.  In response, however, many bacterial pathogens have evolved mechanisms for nitric oxide resistance. 
  •  Nitric oxide may serve as an indicator for inflammation in conditions such as asthma. There has been increasing interest in the use of exhaled nitric oxide as a breath test in diseases with airway inflammation. 
  • Reduced levels of exhaled NO have been associated with exposure to air pollution.
  • Nitric oxide is elevated in populations living at high altitudes, which helps to avoid inadequate oxygen supply by aiding the cells in the lungs to dilate.



Check out this article HERE on how Nitric Oxide can be used to deliver more oxygen in the blood to tissue.

jueves, 14 de julio de 2011

Materiabio: for Health and Vitality / Para Salud y Vitalidad



Hoy he visitado Materiabio en la Roca del Vallés.





La propietaria, Eva-Ruth González, no es sólo una entusiasta de las terapias naturales, sino también una experta en cómo el cuerpo reacciona ante las emociones. Eva-Ruth incluso ha creado un tratamiento novedoso llamado Terapia de alineación emocional (TAE) que centra la atención en cómo el cuerpo reacciona ante ciertos tipos de estrés y emociones. Su conclusión es que mente, cuerpo y emociones pueden ser tratados como un todo y que cada persona puede recibir una ayuda personalizada.


 Eva-Ruth utiliza determinados aceites esenciales sobre puntos concretos del cuerpo para desbloquear y reequilibrar a 3 niveles: emocional, físico y energético.







Tiene la suficiente información y pruebas como para explicarme cómo, gracias a su sistema único y novedoso, es posible sentirse en paz con uno mismo, y que las emociones y la mente pueden ser alineadas correctamente para poder vivir en armonía con nosotros mismos.

En su herboristería, Materiabio, en La Roca del Vallés- también pude ver una gran variedad de productos altamente nutritivos hechos con ingredientes tradicionales y naturales. Estos productos pueden ayudar a mantenerse sanos y a tratar una variedad de afecciones y desórdenes, gracias al consejo del experimentado equipo de Materiabio. El establecimiento está bien surtido de productos como aceites esenciales y tratamientos florales (Flores de Bach), entre otros.





"Materiabio también ha escogido las bebidas ayurvédicas de InnOrbit, y una selección y muestras de bebidas están ya disponibles"




Today I visited Materiabio in Roca de Vallés.  
The owner, Eva-Ruth Gonzalez, is not only an enthusiastic practitioner of natural therapies but also an expert in how the body reacts to emotion.  Eva-Ruth has even developed a novel treatment called Emotional Alineation Therapy that taps into how the body reacts to certain types of stresses and emotions.  Her conclusion was that the mind, body and emotions can be treated as an integrated one and that every person can be helped in this respect on an individual basis.


Eva-Ruth uses determined essential oils on certain points of the body to unblock and re-equilibrate on 3 levels – emotional, physical and energetic.

She had plenty of evidence to tell me how, using her unique and novel system, it is possible to feel at one and that emotions and mind can be aligned correctly and we can learn to live in harmony with ourselves.

In her herbalist, Materiabio in Rocal Vallés, I also saw a wide range of highly nutritional products made with traditional and natural ingredients.  With advice from the team at Materiabio these products can be used to stay healthy and to treat a variety of ailments and conditions.  The shop is well-stocked with products like essential oils and flower remedies (Bach Flowers), amongst others.

Materiabio have also kindly selected InnOrbit ayurvedic drinks and a selection of drinks and samples are currently available.

martes, 12 de julio de 2011

Understanding some Heart changing terms

We recently have written articles about research taking place on the cardiovascular improving properties of certain traditional ingredients.  Traditional ingredients like Cardamom, amongst others, are key ingredients in the Ayurvedic beverages produced by InnOrbit and can have positive health benefits on heart and blood health.






There are a couple of terms that probably need some extra explanation and that are implicated in Cardiovascular health.


1. Fibrinogen is explained very well by Dr Jeremy Kaslow here and summarised below:


Fibrinogen is:
  • a protein found in the blood that plays a key role in clotting.  
  • a sticky coagulant that appears to significantly increase the risk of experiencing one of the leading causes of death and disability - stroke.
  • a powerful predictor of a "stroke" (when measured in the blood).


"Fibrinogen's association with increased mortality is probably directly related to its ability to promote thromboses, or clots, by causing platelets to clump inside blood vessels.  This is one of the main mechanisms underlying ischemia and heart attack. Exercise, quitting smoking, and certain medications have been shown to lower fibrinogen in the short term." Dr J. Kaslow


2. Fibrinolysis is the  the process by which a fibrin clot (the product of coagulation) is broken down. The enzyme plasmin hydrolyses the fibrin mesh at various places, leading to the production of circulating fragments that are cleaved by other proteases and eliminated.



Fibrinolytic drugs are often given after a heart attack to dissolve the plaque blocking the coronary artery.

Antifibrinolytics, such as aminocaproic acid (ε-aminocaproic acid) and tranexamic acid are used as inhibitors of fibrinolysis. Their application may be beneficial in patients with hyperfibrinolysis because they arrest bleeding rapidly if the other components of the haemostatic system are not severely affected.



"There are a number of assay for measuring fibrinogen levels in plasma  although in practice most laboratories use the Clauss method - A functional assay based upon the time for fibrin clot formation"

Check out the excellent Khan Academy tutorial on how the heart works and how heart attacks and heart failure occurs...at THIS LINK.

domingo, 3 de julio de 2011

Spread the message!

InnOrbit tries its Best to add value to the Small Family Farmers we buy our Herbs and Spices from …


They work hard and often its the younger members of the family who may suffer with a lack of a good education.




How:  Through sales of InnOrbit drinks and products we sponsor girls through 10 years of education.



If you would like to learn more, or can help us to place these young girls in schools any quicker, please contact us via the founder of InnOrbit:  Ketan Joshi at  Ketan@InnOrbit.com.



Alternatively, buy our products and tell your friends and families of these products so they too will want to buy them … and with everyone buying these products, we will be able to add more and more girls to our cause faster …
Spread the message !