There are eight saccharides clustered under the heading of "Glyconutrients:" mannose, glucose, galactose, xylose, fucose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, and N-acetylneuraminic acid. These Glyconutrients, described as being the basis for multicellular intelligence, apparently form molecular components known as glycoproteins. Glyconutrients are attributed with many benefits. Those individuals who support their use make claims that Glyconutrients heal cancer and the skin, improve memory, treat diabetes and memory loss, and a number of other wonderful things. These varied claims appear to be a scatter-gun approach to marketing, in an effort to attract people to the use of Glyconutrients. What is the truth about Glyconutrients and their benefits? Is there any truth to the claims being made, or are they all simply fiction?
What is known about Glyconutrients? The sugars that proponents of Glyconutrients talk about are real compounds. They are actual nutrients found in many foods, some of which are not pure sugars, but, rather, are carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables. The compounds that are attributed with the healing effects do have an effect in building the systems that glyconutrient proponents claim these substances boost or heal. Some of these compounds are also necessary for combating the illnesses or disorders that proponents claim that they do. Some studies have been done in regard to the medical efficacy of glyconutrients. However, these studies were not run with live subjects; rather, they were performed in a laboratory using animals. Some benefits associated with glyconutrients were observed in animals under controlled conditions. Glyconutrient Claims are impressive.
As stated in the opening paragraph, glyconutrient proponents make many claims about their medical benefits. People who state that these nutrients are beneficial state that most people lack glyconutrients in their diets, stating that only two of these essential eight are available in today's foods. The claim being made is not that supplements made with these glyconutrients are miracle drugs; rather, it is that the presence of these glyconutrients is needed in the body to combat certain illnesses and disorders. Each one of these nutrients is responsible for combating a particular disease or disorder, with one combating respiratory tract infections, another fighting tumor growth, and a third promoting brain development.
Where we are now? The claims about glyconutrients appear to be largely based on anecdotal evidence. It is not entirely clear what food sources provide the nutrients that the supporters claim to be beneficial, because these compounds exist within some carbohydrates as well as in pure sugars. Currently, little science exists for many of the claims being made. In addition, there is no commonly accepted operational definition of the term "glyconutrient" at this time, although, as with research, that situation might change in the future. All of these factors make it difficult to know precisely how effective they are and in what aituations. It is also difficult to determine the risks connected with glyconutrients or how safe they are without setting these parameters or doing more research. Regardless, however, glyconutrients remain and interesting addition to dietary science. It will be interesting to see where all the claims lead down the scientific path.
The recent debate over illegal immigration in America has generated a lot of talk about freedom. Political pundits have taken center stage on nightly news programs to champion reasons for and against why illegal immigrants should enjoy the same freedoms generations of Americans have fought to ensure. But all this talk about freedom has failed to raise one crucial question: are we, citizens of what many consider the freest nation on earth, really as free as we think we are? The short answer, of course, is yes. The Constitution guarantees certain freedoms, such as those of assembly and speech. The long answer, however, is more complicated.
Like most things worthwhile, real, authentic freedom requires work. At its most basic level, freedom requires us to make choices. But it also endows us with a civic duty, the duty to learn and examine as much as we can about issues which affect us so that we make the best choices possible. In order to make sound choices, however, we must have information, factual, uncensored information that examines and exposes all sides of an issue. Simply put, freedom of the mind promotes creativity in thinking. Citizens who do not access or do not have access to all aspects of a given issue or situation do not have full choice about what they come to understand about the issue or situation. So while they may be free in theory, in reality, they are not unlike slaves, forfeiting their right to ask questions and receive truthful answers about current issues and ideas, opting, instead, to view issues and ideas through the lens of the nation's power and information brokers.
Consider the issue of Iraq. The now four-year old occupation of the tiny Middle Eastern country is fodder for nightly newscasts, but if one were to ask most Americans the reason for this occupation, their answers would, at the very least, be full of factual inaccuracies (wrong names and dates, for example). Very likely, their answers would reveal an undercurrent of suspicion linking all Iraqis and other Middle Easterners to terrorists. But is this any surprise, considering the words and pictures, the textual imagery, through which Iraq and the War on Terror are covered in the news media?
From the very beginning of the conflict, the media have portrayed Iraq and its people as barbarians and terrorists, perpetrators of 9-11 who harbored weapons of mass destruction; as rogues desperately in need of liberation and democratization. Even after United Nations inspectors failed to find any evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the media and current American administration continued to present that country in such negative, uni-dimensional light. The Administration even went so far as to frequently issue color-coded terrorist alerts to warn Americans of impending danger; these warnings were often issued without any discussion about the reasons for the alert. The only thing the warnings did was to strike fear in American citizens, perpetuating the negative textual imagery of Iraq and its people.
What was missing from this onslaught of media images were the voices of innocent Iraqis, pictures of the suffering, video montages of lives blown apart at the seams by a war many now believe was senseless. As an Iraqi who visited my country after the war's outbreak, and as one who witnessed firsthand the needless suffering and loss of so many, including my own family, I can't help but wonder if Americans would ever have supported the invasion had they been given a chance to hear the voices at the center of the conflict? Would they have challenged some of the legislation spawned by the War, such as passage of the Patriot Act and subsequent intrusions into telephone and library records it allows? Would they have demanded that the nation's power brokers be accountable for upholding the freedoms that more than two-thousand United States G.I.'s have so far shed their blood to protect?
I think so. After all, it is the license to question and debate, to expect truthful answers from those in authority, and to choose those paths one feels would be most beneficial, that prompted America's forebears to call this the "land of the free." As citizens of this land, we wouldn't be earning our keep, or performing our civic duty, if we exercised anything less than this basic freedom.
Both Jerry Cahill & Judi Lynn Lake are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jerry Cahill has sinced written about articles on various topics from Food and Drink, Air Filters and Health. Jerry Cahill, publisher and webmaster. He has developed several health related web sites. Check out his glyconutrients work at . Jerry Cahill's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
Judi Lynn Lake has sinced written about articles on various topics from Education Toys, Health and Health. Iraqi-American Dr. Amaal V.E. Tokars holds a Phd. in education and is the author of the upcoming book, America & Iraq: Seduced By Fear. Dr. Tokars has committed much time and research to topics related to leadership and policy. Learn more of Dr. Tokars at. Judi Lynn Lake's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.