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GLOSSARY
B.I.D.:
Twice a day
ACTH:
A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates
the secretion of cortisone and other hormones by the adrenal gland. ACTH is also
called
adrenocorticotropin,
corticotropin.
ADHD:
Abbreviation for
Attention
Deficit
Hyperactivity
Disorder.
ADHD Medication:
Medication prescribed for
Attention
Deficit
Hyperactivity
Disorder.
Common medications are Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall and Strattera.
ADRENAL:
The adrenal glands (also
known as suprarenal glands) are
the triangle-shaped endocrine gland that sit on top of the kidneys; their name
indicates that position (ad-, "near" or "at" + -renes, "kidneys").
They are chiefly responsible for regulating the stress response through a
chemical reaction. Adrenaline is a "fight or flight” hormone, and plays a
central role in the short-term stress reaction. It is released from the adrenal
glands when danger threatens or in an emergency. Cortisol is also produced in
the adrenal gland. It is a vital hormone
that is often referred to as the “stress hormone” as it is involved in the
response to stress. It increases blood
pressure, blood sugar levels and can suppress the efficiency of the immune
system.
AGITATION:
Excitement or emotional
disturbance.
ALDEHYDE OXIDASE SUBSTRATE:
An
enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.
ALKALINE:
Something that is alkaline contains an alkali or has a pH
value of more than 7. Your body needs a
balance between acid and alkali for good health.
When your pH levels are too low, it means acid is too high
in our bodies. Our bodies are alkaline by design and acid by function.
Maintaining proper alkalinity is essential for life, health, and vitality.
Simply put — an imbalance of alkalinity creates a condition favorable to the
growth of bacteria, yeast and other unwanted organisms. All leading biochemists
and medical physiologists have recognized pH (or the acid-alkaline balance) as
the most important aspect of a balanced and healthy body.
AMINO ACID:
Any of a large group of chemical compounds
that join together in various ways to form different proteins that are necessary
for all life.
AMINE:
A chemical compound
containing nitrogen. Amines are
derived from ammonia. The name "amine" was derived from the word "ammonia."
Nitrogen: a colorless,
odorless, tasteless gas that is biologically important. It makes up nearly four
fifths of the air around the earth, and is found in all living things. Nitrogen
is a constituent of protein and is present in all living cells.
ANTIOXIDANT:
Any substance
that reduces oxidative damage (damage due to oxygen) such as that caused by
free radicals. Here's how
oxidation works. As oxygen interacts with cells of any type — an apple slice or,
in your body, the cells lining your lungs or in a cut on your skin — oxidation
occurs. This produces some type of change in those cells. They may die, such as
with rotting fruit. In the case of cut skin, dead cells are replaced in time by
fresh, new cells, resulting in a healed cut. Oxidation reaction can produce
free radicals, which start chain
reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by
removing free radicals, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized
themselves. Well-known antioxidants include a number of enzymes and other
substances such as vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene (which is converted to
vitamin A) that are capable of counteracting the damaging effects of oxidation.
Free radicals are highly reactive
chemicals that attack molecules by capturing electrons and thus modifying
chemical structures.
Free
radicals: are atoms
or molecules with unpaired electrons. These unpaired electrons are usually
highly reactive, so radicals are likely to take part in chemical reactions. When
free radicals are on the attack, they don't just kill cells to acquire their
missing molecule. The problem is free radicals often injure the cell, damaging
the DNA, which creates the seed for disease. Free radicals trigger a damaging
chain reaction. Free radicals are dangerous because they don't just damage one
molecule. One free radical can set off a whole chain reaction. When a free
radical oxidizes a fatty acid, it changes that fatty acid into a free radical,
which then damages another fatty acid. It's a very rapid chain reaction.
ASSIMILATE:
To take something in and make it part of oneself; absorb.
AUDIOGENIC
SEIZURES:
Seizures
caused by loud sounds and noises.
AUTONOMIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM:
That part of the nervous system specifically concerned
with the involuntary, seemingly automatic, activities of organs, blood vessels,
glands and a variety of other tissues in the body.
The autonomic nervous system breaks down into two subordinate systems
that work in conjunction with one another: the craniosacral and thoracolumbar.
See Craniosacral and Thoracolumbar in
glossary.
BASKET CASE:
Someone not doing well emotionally,
very nervous and upset.
BASAL METABOLIC RATE:
Your basal metabolic rate is the rate
at which your body uses energy when it is at rest.
BENZODIAZEPINE PROTRACTED WITHDRAWAL:
Withdrawal effects from a
benzodiazepine that have gone on longer than is normal.
BIOCHEMISTRY: The science
dealing with the chemistry of plant and animal life.
BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER: A
protective network of blood vessels and cells that filters blood flowing to the
brain.
BLOOD BRAIN
BARRIER (BBB)
A mechanism that controls the passage of substances from the blood into the
cerobrospinal fluid ( a clear, colorless fluid that bathes the entire surface of
the central nervous system and cushions the brain and spinal cord against
concussion or violent changes of position) and thus into the brain and spinal
cord.
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) lets essential metabolites, such as oxygen and
glucose, pass from the blood to the brain and central nervous system (CNS) but
blocks most molecules that are more massive. This means that everything from
hormones and neurotransmitters to viruses and bacteria are refused access to the
brain by the BBB.
Key functions of the BBB are:
-
Protecting the brain from "foreign substances" (such as viruses and
bacteria) in the blood that could injure the brain.
-
Shielding the brain from hormones and neurotransmitters in the rest of the
body.
-
Maintaining a constant environment (homeostasis) for
the brain.
BRAIN ZAPS:
“Brain zaps" are a withdrawal symptom experienced
during discontinuation (or reduction of dose) of SSRI and SNRI (see definition
SSRI, SNRI in this glossary) antidepressant drugs.
They may also be experienced while the person is actually taking the
prescribed medication, and can continue for years after withdrawal from the
medication.
The experience is hard to describe if you've never had one, but brain zaps
basically feel like a sudden "jolt," or an electric shock, which is followed by
a few minutes of light-headedness and disorientation. Physiologically, a "brain
zap" is a wave-like electrical pulse that quickly travels across the surface of
the brain. Brain zaps only occur when withdrawing from SSRI and SNRI
antidepressants that have an extremely short elimination half-life; that is,
they are more quickly metabolized by the liver and leave the general circulation
faster than longer half-life antidepressants. This attribute of abruptness
leaves the brain a relatively short time to adapt to a major neuron chemical
change when the medication is stopped, and the symptoms may be caused by the
brain's attempt at readjust.
Carbohydrate: All carbohydrates are made up
of sugars. There are a number of different types of sugars, but in the body all
carbohydrate metabolism converts sugar to glucose, our body's preferred energy
source. Glucose is the main sugar present in many foods, but some contain
different sugars, such as fructose in fruit, lactose in mild, as well as others.
Most sugars are digested and absorbed and converted to glucose, some cannot be
digested, and we call this fiber.
Complex Carbohydrate:
What are complex carbohydrates?
Complex carbohydrates or starch are simply sugars bonded
together to form a chain.
Because they have fiber in them digestive enzymes have to work much harder to
access the bonds to break the chain into individual sugars for absorption
through the intestines. For this reason digestion of complex carbohydrates takes
longer. The slow absorption of sugars provides us with a steady supply of energy
and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat and stored. Some examples of
complex carbohydrates are
vegetables, whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, and legumes.
Simple Carbohydrate:
Simple
carbohydrates are digested
quickly. Many simple carbohydrates contain refined sugars and few essential
vitamins and minerals. Examples include fruit juice, milk, honey, white bread,
white rice, molasses and sugar.
CATCH 22:
If you describe something as a catch 22
you mean it is an impossible situation because you cannot do one thing until you
do another thing, but you cannot do the second thing until you do the first
thing.
CELLULAR
SUPPORT:
Anything that helps and supports the cells at a cellular
level.
CHANGE: To make or become
different in some way.
CHEMISTRY: The chemistry
of an organism is the chemical substances that make it up and the chemical
reactions that go on inside of it.
CHLOROPHYLL:
The green coloring matter in plants;
sunlight causes it to change carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates that
are the food of the plant.
CIRCADIAN RYHTHMS:
Pertaining to a
period of about 24 hours. Applied
especially to the rhythmic repetition of certain phenomena in living organisms
at about the same time each day. Circadian rhythms are regular
changes in mental and physical characteristics that occur in the course of a day
(circadian is Latin for "around a day"). Most circadian rhythms are
controlled by the body’s biological "clock.”
Disruption to rhythms
usually have a negative effect. Many travelers have experienced the condition
known as jet lag, with its associated symptoms of fatigue, disorientation and
insomnia.
The rhythm is linked to the
light-dark cycle.
Light and dark cycles being daytime and night time and how they affect
the body.
CIRCUMVENTRICULAR ORGAN:
The
circumventricular organs are regions of the brain where the blood-barrier
barrier is weak. These regions allow substances to cross into brain tissue more
freely and thereby allow the brain to monitor the makeup of the blood.
See also Blood Brain Barrier for more information.
COGENTIN:
A drug
Benztropine mesylate: benzatropine
mesilate; marketed as Cogentin).
It
is used in patients to reduce the side effects of antipsychotic treatment
COLD TURKEY:
To stop taking drugs or alcohol without
any gradient, stopping quickly or abruptly.
COMPOUND:
is a substance of two or more elements.
COMPOUNDING PHARMACY:
Pharmacy: is regarded as the science of
compounding and dispensing medication; also, an establishment used for such
purposes. Modern pharmaceutical practice includes the dispensing,
identification, selection, and analysis of drugs.
Compounding pharmacies are on
the rise and physicians, medical institutions and patients are realizing more
than ever the importance of tailoring an individuals medications to specifically
meet their needs. A majority of the pharmacists that are going back to
compounding are doing so for the love of the science and interest in the
patients well being. Being able to be in the role of a problem solver opens the
doors to creativity and genius.
CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID (CLA):
Is an unsaturated
omega-6 fatty acid.
CONSTANT LEVEL: Is to maintain a
level of a supplement in the body to a degree where it never drops below a
certain point.
CONTRA:
Contra means in opposition to; against.
CONTRASURVIVAL:
Means opposition to or against survival.
CORTISOL:
A
hormone produced in the adrenal gland.
It is a vital hormone that is often referred to as the "stress hormone"
as it is involved in the response to stress.
It increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels and can reduce the
efficiency of the immune system. The synthetic form of cortisol is referred to
as hydrocortisone.
CORTISOL LEVELS:
Your levels of cortisol can be too high
or too low each one causing problems within the body and the balance of
hormones.
COUMADIN:
Coumadin is an anticoagulant
(blood thinner). It reduces the formation of blood clots. It works by blocking
the synthesis of certain clotting factors. Without these clotting factors, blood
clots are unable to form. Coumadin is used to prevent heart attacks, strokes,
and blood clots in veins and arteries.
CRANIOSACRAL:
Pertaining to the craniosacral system
that part of the nervous system that is mainly concerned with handling the
body’s everyday function of excreting waste products.
Most active during sleep, it acts to slow heart rate and to stimulate the
organs of the digestive system because the nerves of this system originate from
the cranial (cranial meaning of the skull) and sacral regions (sacral meaning in
the area of the sacrum, a bone at the lower end of the spine, forming the back
portion of the pelvis).
CUMULATIVE EFFECT:
If a series of events have a cumulative
effect, each event makes the effect greater.
CYP PATHWAY:
An enzyme pathway the
body uses to metabolize substances such as drugs.
For more information see intermediate metabolizer.
CYP 2D6:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize
substances such as drugs.
CYP 2C19:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize
substances such as drugs..
CYP 3A:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize
substances such as drugs.
DAILY JOURNAL:
An account on which you write your
daily activities.
DETOXIFICATION:
The act of removing all the poisonous
or harmful substances from something.
DEVIATION:
Doing something that is different from
what people consider to be normal or acceptable.
DISCONTINUATION SYMPTOMS:
The side effects or reactions people get when stopping a drug.
DHA: (Docosahexanoic)
Docosahexaenoic acid
commonly known as DHA; it is an omega-3 essential fatty acid. Essential fatty
acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that cannot be constructed within an organism
from other components (generally all references are to humans) by any known
chemical pathways; and therefore must be obtained from the diet. The term refers
to those involved in biological processes, and not fatty acids which may just
play a role as fuel.
DNA:
Deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA) DNA contains the genetic
information for the reproduction of life. DNA
is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions
used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some
viruses. The main role of DNA molecules
is the long-term storage of information. DNA is often compared to a set of
blueprints or a recipe, since it contains the instructions needed to construct
other components of cells, such as proteins. The DNA segments that carry this
genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural
purposes, or are involved in regulating the use of this genetic information.
DOUBLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS:
Double-blind:
Term used to described a study in which both the investigator or the participant
are blind to (unaware of) the nature of the treatment the participant is
receiving. Double-blind trials are thought to produce objective results, since
the expectations of the researcher and the participant about the experimental
treatment such as a drug do not affect the outcome.
DRUG/DRUG INTERACTION:
The interaction between one drug and
another drug and the effect it creates.
DRUG INSERTS:
This material, called package inserts,
provides information on the usage and risks of medications — including warnings,
side effects, contraindications and interactions with other drugs. The FDA says
it is concerned that the old format plus information overload mean that some of
the information may not be getting through to doctors and consumers, resulting
in thousands of "preventable adverse events" every year.
DRUG/SUPPLEMENT INTERACTIONS:
The interaction between a drug and a
supplement and the effect it creates.
ELECTROLYTE BALANCE:
Electrolyte
is a "medical/scientific" term for salts, specifically ions. The term
electrolyte means that this ion is electrically-charged and moves to either a
negative
or
positive
electrode.
Electrolytes
are important because they are what your cells (especially nerve, heart, muscle)
use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical
impulses (nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other
cells. Your kidneys work to keep the electrolyte concentrations in your blood
constant despite changes in your body. For example, when you exercise heavily,
you lose electrolytes in your sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These
electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your
body fluids constant.
Levels of
electrolytes in your body can become too low or too high. That can happen when
the amount of water in your body changes. Causes include some medicines,
vomiting, diarrhea, sweating or kidney problems. Problems most often occur with
levels of sodium, potassium or calcium.
ELECTRONICS:
The branch of physics that deals with
electrons in motion.
EMOTIONAL:
Emotional
means concerned
with feelings and emotions.
ENDOCRINE:
The endocrine system is the system of
glands that produce hormones.
Endocrine glands
release hormones (chemical messengers) into the bloodstream to be transported to
various organs and tissues throughout the body.
EPA:
Eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) is an omega-3 fatty acid.
ESTROGEN:
Estrogen is a female hormone produced by the ovaries.
Estrogen deficiency can lead to osteoporosis (a condition in which your bones
lose calcium and become more likely to break).
Estrogen is produced primarily in
the ovaries. Some estrogens are also produced in smaller amounts by other
tissues such as the liver, adrenal glands, and the breasts. These secondary
sources of estrogen are especially important in postmenopausal women.
EXACERBATE:
If something exacerbates a problem, it
makes it worse.
EXTENSIVE METABOLIZER:
Approximately half of all Americans have
genetic defects that affect how they process drugs. There are four different
types of metabolizers, and we all fall into one of these categories for the
variable pathways in Cytochrome P450 (this Cytochrome is responsible for
creating the enzymes that process chemicals of all kinds through our bodies.)
The easiest way to understand this is to picture a two lane highway.
If you are the first type which is the
norm, you would be an
EXTENSIVE metabolizer. Both lanes of the highway are open and moving.
Medications prescribed in normal doses will be metabolized by your body.
EXTREME:
To the greatest degree; very
great; excessive. 2. farthest away 3.
far from what is usual.
FEEDBACK LOOP:
Feedback is both a
mechanism, process and signal that is looped back to control a system within
itself. This loop is called the feedback loop. A control system usually has
input and output to the system; when the output of the system is fed back into
the system as part of its input, it is called the "feedback.
In a feedback loop, increased amounts of a substance—for example, a
hormone—inhibit the release of more of that substance, while decreased amounts
of the substance stimulate the release of more of that substance.
FLAT LINED:
A flatline is an electrical time
sequence measurement that shows no activity and therefore when represented,
shows a flat line instead of a moving one. It almost always refers to either a
flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no electrical activity, or to
a flat electroencephalogram, in which the brain shows no electrical activity
(brain death). Both of these specific cases are involved in various definitions
of death. Some consider one who has flatlined to have been clinically dead,
regardless of their eventual resuscitation or lack thereof, whereas others
insist that one is alive until the moment of brain-death. This is mostly used in
the medical industry when a person's pulse has stopped, indicating a flat line
on the heart monitor. Flat-lined in this
book is used figuratively to mean having no emotion or feeling.
FRAY:
fight, battle, or
skirmish; a noisy quarrel or brawl.
FREE-RADICAL: Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that attack
molecules by capturing electrons and thus modifying chemical structures.
Free radicals: atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons. These unpaired
electrons are usually highly reactive, so radicals are likely to take part in
chemical reactions. When free radicals are on the attack, they don't just kill
cells to acquire their missing molecule. The problem is, free radicals often
injure the cell, damaging the DNA, which creates the seed for disease. Free
radicals trigger a damaging chain reaction. Free radicals are dangerous because
they don't just damage one molecule. One free radical can set off a whole chain
reaction. When a free radical oxidizes a fatty acid, it changes that fatty acid
into a free radical, which then damages another fatty acid. It's a very rapid
chain reaction.
FMO:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize
substances such as drugs.
GLUCOSE:
Glucose
(Glc), a monosaccharide (or simple sugar) also known as grape sugar, is an
important carbohydrate. The living cell uses it as a source of energy. Glucose
is one of the main products of photosynthesis (Photosynthesis is the
conversion of light energy into chemical energy by living organisms) and starts
cellular respiration (Cellular
respiration — the reactions and processes that take place in a cell or across
the cell membrane to release energy from nutrients and then release waste
products). The name comes from the Greek word glykys (γλυκύς),
meaning "sweet", plus the suffix "-ose" which denotes a sugar.
Glucaronic acid:
An
acid, formed by the oxidation of glucose, found combined with other products of
metabolism in the blood and urine.
GLUCURONIDATION:
A phase II detoxification pathway occurring
in the liver in which glucuronic acid is joined together with toxins.
It effectively detoxifies the majority of commonly prescribed drugs.
This, glucuronidation represents a major means of converting most drugs,
steroids, and many toxic substances to metabolites that can then be excreted
into the urine or bile.
GLUTATHIONE:
Glutathione,
or GSH, is a naturally occurring protein that protects every cell, tissue, and
organ from toxic free radicals and disease. It is a tripeptide of three amino
acids - glycine, glutamate (glutamic acid), and cysteine (tripeptide is a
peptide consisting of three amino acids). These precursors (precursors are
substances from which something else is formed) are necessary for the
manufacture of glutathione within the cells. Glutathione has been called the
"master antioxidant", and regulates the actions of lesser antioxidants such as
vitamin C, and vitamin E within the body.
Peptide: A molecule consisting
of 2 or more amino acids. Peptides are smaller than proteins, which are also
chains of amino acids. Molecules small enough to be synthesized from the
constituent amino acids are, by convention, called peptides rather than
proteins.
GUT:
The stomach or belly.
HALF-LIFE:
If you draw a graph of drug levels in
the blood, you will see that they rise quickly after a dose is taken, then fall
off over time until the next dose. When this blood level drops by 50% that would
be half-life.
HAMILTON
ANXIETY SCORE:
The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS or HAMA) is a 14-item test
measuring the severity of anxiety symptoms. It is also sometimes called the
Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS).
The score would be the results of the test with a number value.
HAVING YOUR
CAKE AND EATING IT TOO: To wish to have one's cake
and eat it too or simply have one's cake and eat it (sometimes eat one's cake
and have it too) is to want more than one can handle or deserve, or to try to
have two incompatible things.
HAY FEVER:
Allergy caused by the pollen of ragweed,
trees, grasses, and other plants, characterized by itching and running eyes and
nose and fits of sneezing.
HEAVY METAL
CHELATING: The
introduction of certain substances into the body so that they will chelate, and
then remove, foreign substances such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and other heavy
metals. Chelation therapy can also be used to reduce or remove calcium-based
plaque from the linings of the blood vessels, easing the flow of blood to vital
organs and tissues.
Chelation is a chemical process by which a larger molecule or group of
molecules surround or enclose a mineral atom. One source defines "heavy metal"
as common transition metals, such as copper, lead, and zinc. These metals are a
cause of environmental pollution (heavy-metal pollution) from a number of
sources, including lead in petrol, industrial waste, and leaching of metal ions
from the soil into lakes and rivers by acid rain.
HEPATIC 3A:
Hepatic
means having to do
with the liver, see
CYP 3A.
HOMEOSTASIS:
The tendency to maintain, or the maintenance of,
normal, internal stability in an organism by coordinated responses of the organ
systems that automatically readjust for environmental changes
HORMONES:
Essential
substances produced by the endocrine glands that regulate bodily functions; A
regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids
such as blood to stimulate cells or tissues into action.
Hormones are chemicals released by cells
that affect cells in other parts of the body. Only a small amount of hormone is
required to alter cell metabolism. It is also a chemical messenger that
transports a signal from one cell to another.
HPA: The
Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the key parts of the human
endocrine system. As its name suggests, it comprises three endocrine glands, the
hypothalamus, the (anterior) pituitary, and the adrenal gland cortex.
What is the HPA axis?
The hypothalamus is the control center for most of body’s hormonal systems.
Follow figure 1 as I explain this.
Cells in hypothalamus produce hormone corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in
humans in response to most any type of stress physical or
psychological.
The hypothalamus secretes CRF, which in turn binds to specific receptors on
pituitary cells, which produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).
ACTH is then transported to its target the adrenal gland.
The adrenal gland then stimulates the production of adrenal hormones
which increase the secretion of cortisol.
The release of cortisol initiates a series of metabolic effects aimed at
alleviating the harmful effects of stress through negative feedback to both the
hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary, which decreases the concentration of
ACTH and cortisol in the blood once the state of stress subsides.
HYPER:
A prefix meaning over, more than
normal, too much.
HYPERAGGRESSION:
Too much aggression.
HYPERKINESIAS:
An abnormal increase in muscular activity,
hyperactivity, especially in children.
HYPER METABOLIZER:
Someone that metabolizes too much.
HYPERTHERMIA:
Unusually high body temperature.
HYPOTHALAMUS:
The hypothalamus links the nervous
system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus is
located below the thalamus, just above the brain stem. It is also responsible
for the motivation of what has been called the "Four F's"(feeding, fighting,
fleeing, and sexual reproduction (fertility).
The hypothalamus controls body
temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, anger, and circadian cycles.
HYPOTHALAMUS-PITUITARY-ADRENAL AXIS:
See HPA
IMMUNE SYSTEM:
A complex
system that depends on the interaction of many different organs, cells, and
proteins. Its chief function is to identify and eliminate foreign substances
such as harmful bacteria that have invaded the body. The liver, spleen, thymus,
bone marrow, and lymphatic system all play vital roles in the proper functioning
(picture following.)
INDUCER:
An
inducer is a molecule that
starts gene expression. Gene expression is the process by which
inheritable information from a
gene,
such as the
DNA
sequence, is made into a functional
gene
product, such as
protein.
INFLAMMATORY:
Inflammation of the
body. Inflammation is a localized physical condition with heat, swelling,
redness and usually pain especially as a reaction to injury or infection.
INHIBITOR DRUGS:
A drug which
restrains or retards physiological, chemical, or enzymatic action.
INSOMNIA:
Inability to
sleep; abnormal wakefulness.
INSULIN:
A protein
hormone formed in the pancreas and secreted into the blood, where it regulates
carbohydrate (sugar) metabolism.
INTERLUEKIN:
Interleukins
are a group of cytokines (secreted signaling molecules) that were first seen to
be expressed by white blood cells (leukocytes, hence the -leukin) as a
means of communication (inter-). It has since been found that
interleukins are produced by a wide variety of bodily cells. The function of the
immune system depends in a large part on
interleukins.
INTERLUEKIN 6
(IL-6):
Interluekin-6 (IL-6) is a type of
protein made by the body that helps regulate the immune system. It can
also serve as a liver cell growth factor. IL-6 is needed in the body however,
too much IL-6 will promote inflammation and has been shown to be a direct link
to chronic depression.
INTERLUEKIN
2(IL-2):
Interleukin-2 is a type of protein found in the
immune system , that is instrumental in the body's natural response to
microbial infection and in discriminating between foreign and self.
INTERMEDIATE METABOLIZER:
Research shows that of
all the clinical factors such as age, sex, weight, general health and liver
function that alter a patient's response to drugs, genetic factors are the most
important. This information becomes even more crucial when you consider the fact
that adverse reactions to prescription drugs are killing about 106,000 Americans
each year — roughly three times as many as are killed by automobiles.
Approximately half of all
Americans have genetic defects that affect how they process these drugs. There
are four different types of metabolizers, and we all fall into one of these
categories for the variable pathways in Cytochrome P450 (this Cytochrome is
responsible for creating the enzymes that process chemicals of all kinds through
our bodies.) The easiest way to understand this is to picture a two-lane
highway.
If
you are the second type, you would be an INTERMEDIATE metabolizer. This means
that one lane of that highway is open and moving and the other lane is not,
causing you to metabolize the medications more slowly. In this case you will
need a lower dosage, and there is a chance of medications building up in your
system causing adverse effects. It is especially important to monitor
medications if you are in this category.
INTESTINAL
3A: Is an enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize
substances such as drugs.
INTRACELLULAR:
Intra means occurring within;
intracellular means occurring within the cell.
IONIC BALANCE:
(or electrolyte balance)
Balance of fluid in the body fluid compartments; total body water, blood
volume, maintained by processes in the body that regulate the intake and
excretion of water and electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium.
ION: an atom or group of atoms
having a charge of positive or negative electricity.
IONIC CALCIUM:
Ionic means
pertaining to ions. Ionic calcium would be calcium that is electrically
charged. This is the type of calcium
that fizzes when you put it in water.
The body breaks down calcium and will turn it ionic through the process
of absorption. Using ionic calcium
bypasses this action of the body.
IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME
(IBS):
Irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS) is a bowel disorder characterized by mild to severe abdominal
pain, discomfort, bloating and alteration of bowel habits. In some cases, the
symptoms are relieved by bowel movements.
JOURNAL:
A daily record of events.
KRILL:
Krill are small, shrimp-like fish that swim
in the seas.
LECITHIN:
Lecithin is a fatlike substance. It is
produced daily by the liver if the diet is adequate. It is needed by every cell
in the body and is a key building block of cell membranes; without it, they
would harden. Lecithin protects cells from oxidation and largely comprises the
protective sheaths surrounding the brain. It is composed mostly of B vitamins,
phosphoric acid, choline, linoleic acid and inositol.
LIFE:
1. The quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body
or inanimate matter (Webster’s Dictionary).
LIGHT/DARK CYCLES:
see Circadian Rhythms.
LIMBIC SYSTEM:
The limbic system is a term for a
set of brain structures that support a variety of functions including emotion,
behavior and long term memory. The structures of the brain described by the
limbic system are closely associated with the sense of smell structures. The
term "limbic" comes from Latin limbus, meaning "border" or "belt."
LYMPH SYSTEM:
Part of the
immune system with lymph nodes and tissues.
The role of tissue fluid is to deliver the
groceries to the cells. The
role of lymph is to take out
the trash that is left behind and to dispose of it.
As lymph continues to circulate between the cells it collects waste products
that were left behind including dead blood cells, pathogens, and cancer cells.
This clear fluid also becomes protein-rich as it absorbs dissolved protein from
between the cells.
MACROECONOMICS:
Macro
is added to words that refer to things that are large in size or broad in scope.
Macroeconomics means relating to the major, general features of a
country’s economy such as unemployment and interest rates.
MAJOR CHANGE:
A change that is significant.
MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS:
An improvement that is significant.
MAJOR POSITIVE CHANGE:
A change that is significant and for
the better.
MEDICATION INDUCED SIDE EFFECTS:
Side effects caused by medication.
MELATONIN:
A
hormone produced by the pineal gland, melatonin is intimately involved in
regulating the sleeping and waking cycles, among other processes. Melatonin
supplements are sometimes used by people who have chronic insomnia. Always see
your doctor before taking melatonin, as it is not recommended for all patients
with sleep problems.
MEMBRANE:
A thin layer of tissue which covers a surface or divides a
space or organ.
METABOLIZING ROUTE:
An enzyme pathway used to metabolize
something in the body.
MINERALS:
An inorganic substance required by the body in small quantities.
MUCUS LINING:
The moist lining
of a body cavity or structure, such as the mouth or nose.
NARCOTICS:
Are drugs such as opium or heroin which
make you sleepy and stop you feeling pain.
NATUROPATH:
A health care practitioner that uses
diet, herbs and other natural methods and substances to cure illness.
The goal is to produce a healthy body state without the use of drugs by
stimulating innate defenses.
NEURAL TISSUE:
Neural means pertaining to a nerve or to the nerves.
Neural tissue is specialized for the
conduction of electrical impulses that convey information or instructions from
one region of the body to another. About 98% of neural tissue is concentrated in
the brain and spinal cord, the control centers for the nervous system.
NORMAL
METABOLIZER:
See
extensive
metabolizer.
NUCLEI:
Plural of nucleus
NUCLEUS:
The small mass at the center of most
living cells.
NUTRIENT:
A substance that is needed by the body
to maintain life and health.
OLFACTORY SYSTEM:
The
olfactory system is the sensory system used for the sense of smell
OPIATES:
A remedy containing or derived from opium;
also any drug that induces sleep.
OSMORECEPTER:
A specialized sensory nerve ending sensitive
to stimulation giving rise to the sensation of odors.
OVLT:
The organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT) is
one of the circumventricular organs of the brain .Circumventricular organs are
so named because they are positioned at distinct sites around the margin of the
ventricular system of the brain. The ventricular system is a set of structures
in the brain continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord.
See Circumventricular
organs.
PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM: The
part of the autonomic nervous system originating in the brain stem and the lower
part of the spinal cord that, in general, inhibits or opposes the physiological
effects of the sympathetic nervous system, as in
tending to stimulate digestive secretions, slow the heart, constrict the pupils,
and dilate blood vessels. The Sympathetic Nervous System is a branch of the
autonomic nervous system. It is always active and becomes more active during
times of stress. Its actions during the stress response are the opposite of the
parasympathetic system which is to expand pupils, accelerate heart beat, inhibit
digestion and relax the bladder. The autonomic nervous system acts as a control
system, maintaining balance in the body.
PATHWAY:
A particular course of action;
medical
The sequence of enzymatic steps in the process by which something is
metabolized in the body.
P450 (CYP) ENZYMES:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to
metabolize substances such as drugs.
P-gp:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to
metabolize substances.
PHASE II
LIVER DETOX GENES: A detox diet needs to do a few
things to be effective. First and foremost, a detox diet must increase the phase
II of the liver. The liver uses two phases to breakdown chemical toxins.
Phase I:
At the end of phase I the liver has
accumulated the toxins but they are now in their raw state. This is the stage
where your body is the most exposed to toxins. The liver is now holding the
toxins in their most toxic state.
Phase II:
The liver passes the toxins over to the
phase II process. If the phase II process is not functioning properly, the
toxins will not be removed and the raw toxins may be dumped back into the body.
Phase II is where the toxins are carried out of the body. It is vital during a
liver detox that phase II is fully activated.
It is also during phase II that glutathione comes into play. Glutathione
being activated is every bit as vital during the phase II process of a detox.
There are
probably as many viewpoints about how to detox as there are products being sold
to handle a detox. However, it does come down to only two items within the
liver, phase I and phase II, the breaking down of toxins and moving them out of
the body.
There are 3 genes that regulate the phase II of the liver.
The gene names are: GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1. The G does stand for Glutathione.
At least 50% of the population will have 1 or more of these genes with a
variation. For the people with a variation in their detox genes, they will have
a more difficult time removing toxins and will need help making glutathione
within the liver.
PHOSPHOLIPIDS:
Phospholipids are the building blocks of every
cell in the human body and that includes nerve cells, tissues, blood
vessels, and skin. Phospholipids protect the body from free-radical attack and
toxic injury.
PHYSICAL
STRESSORS:
Physical Stressors result from
internal physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomach problems, etc. and
external physical stressors, such as heat, cold, excessive noise, etc.
PLATELETS:
A circular oval disk found in the blood
which is concerned with coagulation (clotting the blood to stop bleeding of a
wound).
POOR
METABOLIZER:
Approximately half of all Americans have genetic defects
that affect how they process these drugs. There are four different types of
metabolizers, and we all fall into one of these categories for the variable
pathways in Cytochrome P450 (this Cytochrome is responsible for creating the
enzymes that process chemicals of all kinds through our bodies). The easiest way
to understand this is to picture a two lane highway.
If you are the first type which is the norm, you would be an EXTENSIVE
metabolizer. Both lanes of the highway are open and moving. Medications
prescribed in normal doses will be metabolized by your body.
The third type is
a POOR metabolizer. In this
case both lanes of the highway would be stopped. There is a possibility that
alternate routes can be found, but this type of
metabolizer is potentially
very dangerous, as there is a great chance for the medication to build up in
your system making you very sick, or even killing you.
For example, a poor metabolizer of phenytoin, a common anti-seizure medication
would not be able to process the drug and would actually have an increased
rather than decreased risk of seizure if prescribed this drug.
POSTREMA:
The area postrema is a part of the
brain that controls vomiting. The area postrema detects toxins in the blood and
acts as a vomit inducing center.
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER:
(PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can
develop after exposure to one or more terrifying events in which grave physical
harm occurred or was threatened. It is a severe and ongoing emotional reaction
to an extreme psychological trauma.
This stressor may involve someone's actual death or a threat to the
patient's or someone else's life, serious physical injury, or threat to physical
and/or psychological integrity, to a degree that usual psychological defenses
are incapable of coping. In some cases
it can also be from profound psychological and emotional trauma, apart from any
actual physical harm. Often, however, the two are combined.
PRE-TAPER:
Pre means before and taper means to
gradually reduce in size or amount. Pre-taper is something you do before a
taper.
PROPRIETARY:
Owned by a person or company, as under
a patent, trademark or copyright.
PROSURVIVAL:
Pro means to support; be in favor of;
for. Prosurvival means to support or be
in favor or survival.
PROTOCOL:
Is a course of treatment for someone
who is ill or has an addiction.
PROTRACTED:
When something has gone on longer than
is usual or expected, usually something unpleasant.
PSYCHOACTIVE MEDICATIONS:
A
psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts
primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function,
resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior.
PSYCHOSIS:
Is a
psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of
contact with reality." People suffering from it are said to be psychotic.
People experiencing psychosis may report hallucinations or delusional beliefs,
and may exhibit personality changes and disorganized thinking. This may be
accompanied by unusual or bizarre behavior, as well as difficulty with social
interaction and impairment in carrying out the activities of daily living.
A wide variety of central nervous system diseases, from both external toxins,
and from internal physiologic illness, can produce symptoms of psychosis.
PSYCHOTROPIC:
Having an altering effect on perception, emotion, or
behavior. Used especially of a drug.
PHYSIOLOGY:
The scientific study of how people’s
and animal’s body function and how plants function.
PREBIOTICS:
Indigestible carbohydrates that stimulate the
growth and activity of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) of the intestinal flora.
PROBIOTICS:
Your body contains
billions of bacteria and other microorganisms. The term "probiotics" refers to
dietary supplements or foods that contain beneficial, or "good," bacteria that
are similar to those normally found in your body. Although you don't need
probiotics to be healthy, these microorganisms may provide some of the same
health benefits that the bacteria already existing in your body do — such as
assisting with digestion and helping protect against harmful bacteria.
PTSD:
See Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
QUANDARY:
State of being uncertain; dilemma
REACH:
1. To extend out. 2. To touch or to seize 3. To communicate with.
RECEPTORS:
Nerve endings in your body which react
to changes and stimuli and make your body respond in a particular way.
RELAPSE:
To fall back into an earlier condition.
RENAL EXTRACTION:
The term “renal” refers to the kidneys.
You are taking
something out of the kidneys. Look at and view what amount of drug is staying in
the body and what is not. This would be
testing what waste comes out of your body to see how much of a drug or substance
was left in the body.
RETICULAR FORMATION:
The reticular
formation is a part of the brain that is involved in actions such as
awaking/sleeping cycle, and lying down. It is essential for governing some of
the basic functions of higher organisms, and is one of the oldest portions of
the brain. A network of nerve fibers and cells in
parts of the brainstem, important in regulating consciousness or wakefulness.
ROLLED A SEVEN:
To get luck by chance.
SCENARIO:
If you talk about a likely or possible
scenario, you are talking about the way in which a situation
may or has developed.
SCORED:
“Tablets are scored” If you score
a surface with something sharp, you cut or scratch a line in it.
SELF MEDICATE:
Self-medication is the use of drugs to treat a perceived or real malady.
Over-the-counter drugs are a form of self medication. The buyer diagnoses
his/her own illness and buys a specific drug to treat it. The World
Self-Medication Industry (WSMI) define self-medication as the treatment of
common health problems with medicines especially designed and labeled for use
without medical supervision and approved as safe and effective for such use.
A person may also self-medicate by taking more or less than the recommended dose
of a drug.
SET-POINT:
An
arbitrary point for each individual and within each individual’s body. The
various hormones and endocrine etc. will have their own point of reference that
is ideal for that body.
7 RATING:
A rating on how you are doing that you
keep in your journal on The Road Back Program.
A 7-10 rating is a rating that you are doing well.
You are rating how you feel, your energy, appetite, mood and exercise.
SHORT CHAIN FATTY ACIDS:
Short
chain fatty acids are taken up directly to the portal vein (a large vein that
carries blood from the digestive tract to the liver) during digestion of fat.
Short chain fatty acids are produced when dietary fiber is fermented in
the colon.
SIDE
EFFECTS:
Problems
that occur when treatment goes beyond the desired effect or problems that occur
in addition to the desired therapeutic effect.
Example —A hemorrhage from the use of too much anticoagulant
(such as heparin) is a side effect caused by treatment going beyond the desired
effect.
Example — The common side effects of cancer treatment
including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss, and
mouth sores are instances of side effects that occur in addition to the desired
therapeutic effect.
Drug manufacturers are required to list all known side
effects of their products.
SLEEP MEDICATION:
A drug that puts you to
sleep.
SLOW METABOLIZER:
See poor metabolizer.
SNRI:
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake
inhibitors (SNRIs) are a class of antidepressant used in the treatment of major
depression and other mood disorders. They are also sometimes used to treat
anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and chronic neuropathic pain).
SOLUBLE:
That can be dissolved in a liquid.
SSRI:
(Selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors SSRIs, are a class of antidepressants used in the treatment
of depression, anxiety disorders, and some personality disorders. They are also
typically effective and used in treating premature ejaculation problems as well
as some cases of insomnia
STAGE 1 DETOXIFICATION:
You have completed Stage 1
Detoxification by coming off the medications.
STAGE 2 DETOXIFICATION:
Is the process of removing the
remaining toxins from the body.
There will be drug toxins still in the body as well other toxins we pick up from
living on planet earth.
STAGE 2 SLEEP:
In this stage,
(the beginning of "true" sleep), the person's electroencephalogram (EEG) will
show distinctive wave forms. About 50% of sleep time is stage 2 sleep.
Electroencephalography
(EEG) is the measurement of electrical activity produced by the brain.
STEADY STATE:
A constant level or a level of action
that allows a balance between two or more substances.
SUPER FOODS:
Highly nutritious supplements
considered to have a complete array of all vitamins, minerals and amino acids
the human body may need.
SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEUS:
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is a region of the brain,
located in the hypothalamus that is responsible for controlling from within the
body circadian rhythms (see circadian rhythms). The neuronal and hormonal
activities it generates regulate many different body functions over a 24-hour
period. The suprachiasmatic nucleus of
the hypothalamus (SCN) contains a master circadian pacemaker. Biological rhythms
are synchronized by light and darkness.
SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM:
Sympathetic Nervous System
is a branch of the autonomic nervous system. It is always active and becomes
more active during times of stress. Its actions during the stress response are
the opposite of the parasympathetic system which is to expand pupils, accelerate
heart beat, inhibit digestion and relax the bladder. The autonomic nervous
system acts as a control system, maintaining balance in the body.
SYSTEMATIC:
Something that is done
according to a fixed plan, in a thorough and efficient way.
SYSTEMIC:
Having to do with the body as a whole.
Systemic chemicals or drugs are absorbed into the whole of the body
rather than being applied to one area.
TAPER: To gradually become
reduced in amount, number or size until it is greatly reduced.
TESTOSTERONE:
A white crystalline steroid hormone, produced primarily in
the testes and responsible for the development and maintenance of male secondary
sex characteristics. It is also produced synthetically for use in medical
treatment.
THERMORECEPTOR:
Sensory
receptor that responds to heat and cold.
Sensory
receptors account for our ability to see,
hear, taste, and smell, and to sense touch, pain, temperature, and body
position. They also provide the unconscious ability of the body to detect
changes in blood volume, blood pressure, and the levels of salts, gases, and
nutrients in the blood.
These specialized cells are exquisitely adapted for the detection of particular
physical or chemical events outside the cell. They are connected to nerve cells,
or are themselves nerve cells.
THORACOLUMBAR:
Pertaining
to the throacolumbar system that part of the nervous system mainly concerned
with preparing the body for action particularly during times of stress,
excitement or fear. It acts to stimulate such functions as heart rate, sweating
and blood flow to the muscles while at the same time decreasing the activity of
the digestive system. It is called the
thoracolumbar system because the nerves of this system originate from two
regions of the spine: the thoracic (meaning of the thorax, that area of the body
between the neck and the abdomen; chest) and the lumbar (meaning of the lower
part of the back below the thorax).
THYROID:
Your thyroid gland is a small gland,
normally weighing less than one ounce, located in the front of the neck. It is
made up of two halves, called lobes that lie along the windpipe (trachea) and
are joined together by a narrow band of thyroid tissue, known as the isthmus.
The
thyroid is situated just below your "Adams apple" or larynx. During development
(inside the womb) the thyroid gland originates in the back of the tongue, but it
normally migrates to the front of the neck before birth. Sometimes it fails to
migrate properly and is located high in the neck or even in the back of the
tongue (lingual thyroid) This is very rare. At other times it may migrate too
far and ends up in the chest (this is also rare).
The function of the thyroid gland is to take iodine, found in many foods, and
convert it into thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body which can absorb iodine. These
cells combine iodine and the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4. T3 and T4
are then released into the blood stream and are transported throughout the body
where they control metabolism (conversion of oxygen and calories to energy).
Every cell in the body depends upon thyroid hormones for regulation of their
metabolism. The normal thyroid gland produces about 80% T4 and about 20% T3,
however, T3 possesses about four times the hormone "strength" as T4.
The thyroid gland is under the control of the pituitary gland, a small gland the
size of a peanut at the base of the brain. When the level of thyroid hormones
(T3 & T4) drops too low, the pituitary gland produces Thyroid Stimulating
Hormone (TSH) which stimulates the thyroid gland to produce more hormones. Under
the influence of TSH, the thyroid will manufacture and secrete T3 and T4 thereby
raising their blood levels. The pituitary senses this and responds by decreasing
its TSH production. One can imagine the thyroid gland as a furnace and the
pituitary gland as the thermostat. Thyroid hormones are like heat. When the heat
gets back to the thermostat, it turns the thermostat off. As the room cools (the
thyroid hormone levels drop), the thermostat turns back on (TSH increases) and
the furnace produces more heat (thyroid hormones).
The pituitary gland itself is regulated by another gland, known as the
hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is part of the brain and produces TSH Releasing
Hormone (TRH) which tells the pituitary gland to stimulate the thyroid gland
(release TSH). One might imagine the hypothalamus as the person who regulates
the thermostat since it tells the pituitary gland at what level the thyroid
should be set.
The thyroid gland, a part of the
endocrine (hormone) system, plays a major role in regulating the body’s
metabolism.
Hypothyroidism is a decreased activity of the thyroid gland which may affect all
body functions. The rate of metabolism slows causing mental and physical
sluggishness. Hypothyroidism can be caused by a problem with the thyroid itself
(primary), or by the malfunction of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus
(secondary).
THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE:
When the
level of thyroid hormones (T3 & T4) drops too low, the pituitary gland produces
Thyroid Stimulating
Hormone (TSH) which stimulates the thyroid gland to produce more hormones.
TITRATING
MEDICATION:
To continuously
measure and adjust the balance of a drug dosage.
TRAUMATIC STRESS:
One or more terrifying events in
which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. This stressor may involve
someone's actual death or a threat to the patient's or someone else's life,
serious physical injury etc.
TREPIDATION:
Trepidation
(from Lat. trepidus, "anxious") is a term meaning, in general, the fear
or trembling.
TSH:
See Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.
2A6:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to
metabolize substances.
2B6:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to
metabolize substances.
2E1:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to
metabolize substances.
UGT1A1:
This
gene encodes an enzyme of a pathway that transforms small molecules, such as
steroids, excreted bile, hormones, and drugs, into water-soluble, excretable
substances that have been metabolized.
Lack of UGT1A1 in a newborn liver is the major cause of jaundice in newborns.
This jaundice is generally caused by the natural breakdown of fetal blood cells
which produces bilirubin that cannot be cleared if UGT1A1 is expressed at low
levels or is absent. This type of jaundice can remedied by UV light exposure.
UGT1A3, UGT1A4, UGTIA6, UTGIA9:
Are
human genes used in metabolizing substances in the body. Each gene encodes an
enzyme of a pathway that transforms small molecules, such as steroids, excreted
bile, hormones, and drugs, into water-soluble, excretable substances that have
been metabolized.
UGT2B15:
Is
a human gene. The UGTs are of major importance in the joining and subsequent
elimination of potentially toxic compounds.
UGT2B7:
(UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase-2B7)
is a phase II metabolism enzyme found to be active in the liver, kidneys, cells
of the lower gastrointestinal tract and also has been reported in the brain.UGT2B7
is the major enzyme for the metabolism of morphine.
UNDENATURED:
Undenatured means not having its
nature or structure changed. In a
natural state not changed in any way.
VAGUS:
The vagus
nerve, or cranial nerve X, is a part of the autonomic nervous system, which
controls functions of the body that are not under voluntary control, such as
heart rate and digestion.
The vagus nerve
is the only nerve that starts in the brain stem and extends down below
the head, to the neck, chest and abdomen.
The medieval
Latin word vagus means literally "Wandering" (the words vagrant, vagabond,
and vague come from the same root).
VASOCONSTRICTION:
Vasoconstriction is the narrowing
of the blood vessels resulting from contracting of the muscular wall of the
vessels. When blood vessels constrict, the flow of blood is restricted or
slowed. Factors causing vasoconstriction
are called vasoconstrictor, also vasopressors or simply pressors.
Vasoconstriction usually results in an increase of the blood pressure.
Vasoconstriction may be slight or severe.
Vasoconstriction in the penis can disable males from maintaining an
erection (erectile dysfunction). It may result from disease, medication, or
psychological conditions. Medications that cause vasoconstriction include
antihistamines, decongestants, methylphenidate (commonly used for ADHD), cough
and cold combinations, pseudoephedrine, and caffeine.
VASOPRESSIN
SECRETION:
Arginine vasopressin
(AVP), also known as vasopressin, argipressin or antidiuretic hormone (ADH), is
a hormone found in most mammals, including humans. The primary effect of
vasopressin is to increase water re-absorption in the kidneys.
VITAMIN:
One of approximately fifteen
organic substances that are essential in small quantities for life and health.
Most vitamins cannot be manufactured by the body and so need to be
supplied in the diet.
WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN:
Isolate
means to separate (a
substance) in pure form from a combined mixture.
Whey is the watery part
of milk that separates from the curds, as in the process of making cheese.
What is whey protein?
Whey protein is a pure, natural, high quality protein from cow's milk. It is a
rich source of the essential amino acids needed on a daily basis by the body. In
its purest form, as whey protein isolate, it contains little to no fat, lactose
or cholesterol.
WITHDRAWAL SIDE EFFECTS:
The reactions that occur in your body
when you withdraw the use of a drug.
WILLY NILLY:
1.
Whether desired or not: After her boss
fell sick, she willy-nilly found herself directing the project.
2. Being or
occurring in a disordered or haphazard fashion: Willy-nilly
zoning laws.
2A6:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to
metabolize substances.
2B6:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to
metabolize substances.
2E1:
An enzyme pathway the body uses to
metabolize substances.
7 RATING:
A
rating on how you are doing that you keep in your journal on The Road Back
Program. A 7-10 rating is a rating that
you are doing well. You are rating how
you feel, your energy, appetite, mood and exercise.
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