Nutritional planning involves balancing macronutrients, understanding calorie formulas, and identifying the functional properties of whole foods to manage weight and chronic conditions effectively.
L-tyrosine and L-dopa are two substances that differ slightly in their chemical structure and biological function but are linked by the processes your body uses to convert one substance into another to meet its needs.
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Relief for your throbbing head or aching back may be just a pill or two away. Non-prescription acetaminophen and naproxen sodium are over-the-counter pain relievers found in pharmacies and convenience stores. Both work by blocking the production of the hormone-like chemicals known as on prostaglandins.
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Many products you can buy have similar-sounding names and ingredients, but are quite different in their use and safety. Sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride, or table salt, have the sodium atom in common. Both are used to prepare food. Both have health and household applications.
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The mineral calcium is essential for the proper development, function and health of your bones and teeth, your nervous and circulatory systems and your muscles. You can get all the calcium your body needs from dairy products, vegetables and fortified drinks, but some people choose to take calcium supplements.
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A diet high in fiber can contribute to your health and overall sense of well-being. Learn how psyllium fiber and methylcellulose, two soluble fiber products, help with constipation, weight loss, and cholesterol reduction.
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GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is such an important neurotransmitter that your brain would rather make it itself rather than bring it in from the outside. Nature has erected a barrier between the central nervous system and the bloodstream that limits what may cross over.
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Coenzyme Q10 is a natural, vitamin-like nutrient used to treat or prevent a variety of medical conditions. Coenzyme Q10--also known as Ubiquinone or CoQ10--is found in every cell of the body.
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Caffeine is a naturally occurring psychoactive stimulant. In humans, caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and the body’s metabolism, and also has a mild diuretic effect. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists caffeine as both a drug and a food additive.
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The yohimbe tree is native to the West African nations of Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Traditionally, West Africans used yohimbe bark as an aphrodisiac. The active ingredient in yohimbe tree bark is yohimbine. In the U.S., extracted and purified yohimbine is available by prescription.
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A dish of ice cream, a tube of toothpaste, some laundry detergents and artificial teardrops all rely upon the synthetic gum, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose for their creamy taste, squeezability, soil-lifting strength and lubricating effect.
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Proponents of apple cider vinegar for household purposes use it to kill weeds, eliminate gnats and fleas, remove tough stains and clean brass.
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The human brain controls your body by orchestrating the highly complex and delicate interaction between neurons, neurotransmitters, hormones and electrical signals. Natural and man-made substances can impact this balancing act.
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Your brain controls your body by synchronizing and directing the interaction between sensory organs, nerve cells, neurotransmitters and hormones. The medicines you take and the foods you eat may enhance or derail this complex balancing act.
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Good health depends on a complex interplay between chemicals that is precise and sometimes very subtle. Your body makes neurotransmitters using ingredients it manufactures or takes from your diet. Dietary supplements may promote or upset this complex process.
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