Disease
Disease can be described as the presence of abnormally functioning systems causing the manifestation of undesirable symptoms. Many elaborate mechanisms exist to protect against this deviation from homeostasis but initiation and progression of disease are also complex. The body must be provided with sufficient recourses to guard against disease on multiple levels. If not kept in tight control and equipped with disease fighting nutrients the systems in place to combat disease can potentially aid in the destruction of tissue and a further divergence from balance.
The process of disease occurs in response to cellular damage caused initially by adverse contact with varying chemicals and pathogens. The body is continuously exposed to an array chemicals often referred to as toxins which have the capability to interact with and alter normal metabolic function. Chemicals can come from the external environment and are found in air pollution, water pollution, alcohol, skin products, drugs, pesticides and processed foods. They can also be made in the body. These chemicals are by-products of normal metabolic reactions. This means that vital metabolic pathways, such as the production of energy, synthesizing new tissue and destroying old tissue, will produce chemicals that can harm the body. The word toxin is mostly used to describe harmful chemicals from the external environment but it is important to recognize that the body produces its own destructive chemicals as well. Many of these internally produced toxins only become destructive when their concentrations are not kept within normal ranges. What unites these toxins is the way in which they interact with tissue, cells and DNA. Many of these chemicals act as, or stimulate, the production of free radicals. A free radical is a chemical molecule that is very unstable and highly reactive. To neutralize itself it reacts with stable molecules within cells and DNA. This interaction not only damages the cell but initiates the exponential propagation of more free radicals and continuous damage.
A further complication that can arise from free radicals is damage to the DNA. If DNA is unable to be repaired within a certain cell all the following daughter cells will also have mutated DNA. Other chemicals can innervate into the DNA and form what's called an adduct. These two undesirable chemical interactions inhibit the ability of the DNA to transcribe the protein coded in the damaged gene. If the protein is not correctly transcribed it will be unable to perform its function. For example, if an adduct occurs on a gene that codes for a DNA repair protein, that protein will not be synthesized and the cell will be unable to repair any future DNA damage. All the following cells that are produced from this parent cell will carry the identical DNA error. If anyone of these cells suffers another damaging event it will not have the capability to repair itself. This is dangerous because if an injury occurs to a gene that codes for proteins involved with slowing replication (making new cells), it will increase the risk for tumor proliferation. Because these cells are unable to repair themselves, due to the initial DNA damaging event, they may begin to reproduce at an accelerated rate with each new cell carrying the same mutated DNA sequence. The aggressive propagation of these mutated cells begin to form tumors within the local tissue and eventually can spread throughout the body.
The body is also under constant attack from viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. These opportunistic microbes infect the cells in varying ways. Viruses insert themselves into the DNA and are reproduced and spread throughout the body. This strategy allows for the virus to spread and mutate the functionality of the body's own cells. Bacteria, fungi and parasites utilize cellular recourses to live and reproduce within the host. These microbes utilize the body's resources in a non-symbiotic manner leading to cellular damage.
To address the cellular damage from microbes, tumor cells and chemicals the immune system activates the inflammatory response. This bodily reaction works by stimulating vasodilation (dilation of the blood vessels), pain, swelling and heat within the infected area. The vasodilatation allows for immunoprotiens, proteins that will help repair the cells and attack invading species, to have access to the damaged area. This action gives rise to the characteristic redness and edema. In some instances pain is associated with the inflammatory response. The swelling, caused by the inward flow of fluid, applies pressure on pain receptors giving the sensation of pain. However, not all tissue is innervated with pain receptors and often times inflammation goes undetected. Pain is uncomfortable and even excruciating but its evolutionary role is vital. It's purpose is to signal a warning to initiate an appropriate response to alleviate the ailment. If the issue is not remedied the spread of infection, irreversible cellular damage or death are all possible consequences. A good example of this is the progression of atherosclerosis. Frequently referred to as the silent killer, the progressive narrowing of the arteries is painless yet is linked of the leading cause of death in America.
Another way the immune system defends the body is through the use of antibodies. These proteins are able to recognize antigens, foreign invading proteins found on microbes such as viruses and bacteria. When the pathogen enters the blood its antigens are tagged by the body's antibodies for destruction. To isolate and destroy the invading species the inflammatory response is activated. The pathogen is digested and deactivated by specialized immune proteins and excreted from the body. This is an efficient pathway to remove pathogens before they have an opportunity to spread infection and cause cellular damage. However, when an incorrect protein is identified as foreign the inflammatory response is activated unnecessarily. This type of condition is called an autoimmune disease. These diseases are lifelong due to the fact that once the body synthesizes an antibody for a particular antigen it will always recognize it as pathogenic. The cause is unknown but their is a growing body of evidence to support the theory that permeable tissue that lines the gastrointestinal wall allows undigested proteins into the bloodstream. Once in the blood the body does not recognize the protein as itself and tags it with an antibody. Unfortunately, some of these proteins are similar in structure to the host's proteins and the immune system begins to identify its own self as a foreign invader. The immune system launches the inflammatory attack on its own tissue.
It is imperative that the counter attack from the immune system be acute and timely. The body's tissues are very temperature and pH sensitive and if not controlled cellular destruction will occur. This is important because the systems in place to protect the body, can also create free radicals. When the body is under a system wide attack, as with a viral infection or sepsis, it will respond by inducing a fever. This slight rise in temperature is the body's attempt to destroy the invading pathogen's proteins. Proteins are only able to function within specific temperatures ranges. When the environment becomes too hot the protein is denatured and unable to preform its function. The virus's proteins are destroyed by the heat and their ability to spread infection is weakened. However, the body's proteins are also temperature sensitive and will succumb to destruction if the fever is elevated too high. If the body's proteins are destroyed the inflammatory response is accelerated and further tissue damage can ensue. If the body loses its ability to maintain its pH balance (acid/ base concentration), usually seen in respiratory and kidney disorders, tissue damage followed by the inflammatory response is inevitable.
Chronic inflammation creates free radicals in its attempt to repair cellular damage. In the presence of high concentrations of free radicals the probability of DNA damage increases as does the risk of cancer cell formation. When inflammation is continuously present, larger areas of cells are impaired and the loss of tissue function begins to occur. Cancer cells devote their resources to replication and often times lose their ability to preform their biological role as well. Another degenerating symptom induced by inflammation is the hindrance of oxygen delivery. In order for cells to make energy oxygen must be present. When cells become hypoxic (oxygen deficient) a signaling cascade is initiated to self destruct. This process is called apoptosis and is in place to protect the body from malfunctioning cells. However, in instances where oxygen is denied to the cell because of chronic inflammation cells are forced into this cellular suicide as a result. As local cells begin to die loss of function begins to manifest followed by a shift from homeostasis.
The initiation of disease begins when specialized cells are no longer able to perform their function and contribute to maintaining homeostasis. The location of the inflammation dictates the specialized function that will be lost initially. If the pancreas is inflamed blood sugar control and digestion will become inefficient. And because the bodily systems are interdependent, other systems will also begin to lose functionality and succumb to disease. If the pancreas is no longer producing and releasing digestive enzymes then food will not be broken down and absorbed. This denial of nutrients will effect all cell's functionality. Disease is a sequential and also simultaneous progression away from homeostasis. It is instigated by chemicals or invading pathogens, progresses through chronic inflammation and actuated by loss of metabolic function. Because normal metabolic function creates free radicals and the body is continuously under attack from external invaders, it is imperative that it is provided with adequate nutrients that maintain homeostasis.
The process of disease occurs in response to cellular damage caused initially by adverse contact with varying chemicals and pathogens. The body is continuously exposed to an array chemicals often referred to as toxins which have the capability to interact with and alter normal metabolic function. Chemicals can come from the external environment and are found in air pollution, water pollution, alcohol, skin products, drugs, pesticides and processed foods. They can also be made in the body. These chemicals are by-products of normal metabolic reactions. This means that vital metabolic pathways, such as the production of energy, synthesizing new tissue and destroying old tissue, will produce chemicals that can harm the body. The word toxin is mostly used to describe harmful chemicals from the external environment but it is important to recognize that the body produces its own destructive chemicals as well. Many of these internally produced toxins only become destructive when their concentrations are not kept within normal ranges. What unites these toxins is the way in which they interact with tissue, cells and DNA. Many of these chemicals act as, or stimulate, the production of free radicals. A free radical is a chemical molecule that is very unstable and highly reactive. To neutralize itself it reacts with stable molecules within cells and DNA. This interaction not only damages the cell but initiates the exponential propagation of more free radicals and continuous damage.
A further complication that can arise from free radicals is damage to the DNA. If DNA is unable to be repaired within a certain cell all the following daughter cells will also have mutated DNA. Other chemicals can innervate into the DNA and form what's called an adduct. These two undesirable chemical interactions inhibit the ability of the DNA to transcribe the protein coded in the damaged gene. If the protein is not correctly transcribed it will be unable to perform its function. For example, if an adduct occurs on a gene that codes for a DNA repair protein, that protein will not be synthesized and the cell will be unable to repair any future DNA damage. All the following cells that are produced from this parent cell will carry the identical DNA error. If anyone of these cells suffers another damaging event it will not have the capability to repair itself. This is dangerous because if an injury occurs to a gene that codes for proteins involved with slowing replication (making new cells), it will increase the risk for tumor proliferation. Because these cells are unable to repair themselves, due to the initial DNA damaging event, they may begin to reproduce at an accelerated rate with each new cell carrying the same mutated DNA sequence. The aggressive propagation of these mutated cells begin to form tumors within the local tissue and eventually can spread throughout the body.
The body is also under constant attack from viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. These opportunistic microbes infect the cells in varying ways. Viruses insert themselves into the DNA and are reproduced and spread throughout the body. This strategy allows for the virus to spread and mutate the functionality of the body's own cells. Bacteria, fungi and parasites utilize cellular recourses to live and reproduce within the host. These microbes utilize the body's resources in a non-symbiotic manner leading to cellular damage.
To address the cellular damage from microbes, tumor cells and chemicals the immune system activates the inflammatory response. This bodily reaction works by stimulating vasodilation (dilation of the blood vessels), pain, swelling and heat within the infected area. The vasodilatation allows for immunoprotiens, proteins that will help repair the cells and attack invading species, to have access to the damaged area. This action gives rise to the characteristic redness and edema. In some instances pain is associated with the inflammatory response. The swelling, caused by the inward flow of fluid, applies pressure on pain receptors giving the sensation of pain. However, not all tissue is innervated with pain receptors and often times inflammation goes undetected. Pain is uncomfortable and even excruciating but its evolutionary role is vital. It's purpose is to signal a warning to initiate an appropriate response to alleviate the ailment. If the issue is not remedied the spread of infection, irreversible cellular damage or death are all possible consequences. A good example of this is the progression of atherosclerosis. Frequently referred to as the silent killer, the progressive narrowing of the arteries is painless yet is linked of the leading cause of death in America.
Another way the immune system defends the body is through the use of antibodies. These proteins are able to recognize antigens, foreign invading proteins found on microbes such as viruses and bacteria. When the pathogen enters the blood its antigens are tagged by the body's antibodies for destruction. To isolate and destroy the invading species the inflammatory response is activated. The pathogen is digested and deactivated by specialized immune proteins and excreted from the body. This is an efficient pathway to remove pathogens before they have an opportunity to spread infection and cause cellular damage. However, when an incorrect protein is identified as foreign the inflammatory response is activated unnecessarily. This type of condition is called an autoimmune disease. These diseases are lifelong due to the fact that once the body synthesizes an antibody for a particular antigen it will always recognize it as pathogenic. The cause is unknown but their is a growing body of evidence to support the theory that permeable tissue that lines the gastrointestinal wall allows undigested proteins into the bloodstream. Once in the blood the body does not recognize the protein as itself and tags it with an antibody. Unfortunately, some of these proteins are similar in structure to the host's proteins and the immune system begins to identify its own self as a foreign invader. The immune system launches the inflammatory attack on its own tissue.
It is imperative that the counter attack from the immune system be acute and timely. The body's tissues are very temperature and pH sensitive and if not controlled cellular destruction will occur. This is important because the systems in place to protect the body, can also create free radicals. When the body is under a system wide attack, as with a viral infection or sepsis, it will respond by inducing a fever. This slight rise in temperature is the body's attempt to destroy the invading pathogen's proteins. Proteins are only able to function within specific temperatures ranges. When the environment becomes too hot the protein is denatured and unable to preform its function. The virus's proteins are destroyed by the heat and their ability to spread infection is weakened. However, the body's proteins are also temperature sensitive and will succumb to destruction if the fever is elevated too high. If the body's proteins are destroyed the inflammatory response is accelerated and further tissue damage can ensue. If the body loses its ability to maintain its pH balance (acid/ base concentration), usually seen in respiratory and kidney disorders, tissue damage followed by the inflammatory response is inevitable.
Chronic inflammation creates free radicals in its attempt to repair cellular damage. In the presence of high concentrations of free radicals the probability of DNA damage increases as does the risk of cancer cell formation. When inflammation is continuously present, larger areas of cells are impaired and the loss of tissue function begins to occur. Cancer cells devote their resources to replication and often times lose their ability to preform their biological role as well. Another degenerating symptom induced by inflammation is the hindrance of oxygen delivery. In order for cells to make energy oxygen must be present. When cells become hypoxic (oxygen deficient) a signaling cascade is initiated to self destruct. This process is called apoptosis and is in place to protect the body from malfunctioning cells. However, in instances where oxygen is denied to the cell because of chronic inflammation cells are forced into this cellular suicide as a result. As local cells begin to die loss of function begins to manifest followed by a shift from homeostasis.
The initiation of disease begins when specialized cells are no longer able to perform their function and contribute to maintaining homeostasis. The location of the inflammation dictates the specialized function that will be lost initially. If the pancreas is inflamed blood sugar control and digestion will become inefficient. And because the bodily systems are interdependent, other systems will also begin to lose functionality and succumb to disease. If the pancreas is no longer producing and releasing digestive enzymes then food will not be broken down and absorbed. This denial of nutrients will effect all cell's functionality. Disease is a sequential and also simultaneous progression away from homeostasis. It is instigated by chemicals or invading pathogens, progresses through chronic inflammation and actuated by loss of metabolic function. Because normal metabolic function creates free radicals and the body is continuously under attack from external invaders, it is imperative that it is provided with adequate nutrients that maintain homeostasis.
