Optimized Cellular Health
"All diseases are disturbances at the cellular level" -- Rudolph Virchow
WHY CELLULAR CARE IS SO IMPORTANT
When we speak of optimized cellular health, we’re talking about getting the right amount of vital energy in the cells--the right vitality. The body is incredibly smart, and incredibly good at regulating itself. However, living in today’s obesogenic and stress-filled environments requires you (and all of us) to listen more closely to the body’s signals. When you give your body what it needs, you help manage your energy transfer processes to create a healthier ecosystem.
We believe that cellular care is important because of the methylation cycle. This cycle is a process of molecule bonding and probably the most important of the metabolic pathways. The methylation cycle manages or contributes to many of the body’s most important functions, such as detoxification, cell repair, and energy production. Adding a few key nutrients, such as folate, B vitamins, and choline, can help support your body’s methylation cycle and reduce incidence of disease.
When your cells hum with vitality, you feel more than good -- you feel amazing! That’s always what we’re aiming for at Almeda.
CELLS GONE WILD
Allow us this one -- slightly silly -- analogy. When you’re young and in school, it may seem like a good idea to get drunk and eat hot dogs and pizza before watching a game. However, if you choose to spend your time hiking and eating a snack of, say, apples and almonds, before studying, you’re likely to do better on tests and earn better grades. You can learn from your bad decisions and work to do better… but there comes a point when it is too late. The sooner you start to take the healthy path, the better you will do in life.
The same is true of cells. Healthy vital cells will help you respond to the demands of life and feel energized, while unhealthy cells are the basis for disease. Your cells are constantly reproducing and adapting, but you’ve got to help get them what they need to not only survive but thrive.
We want everyone to experience what it feels like to feel fantastic -- completely embodied. Once you have that feeling, your body calibrates in a way to recognize healthier choices. Optimal cellular health decreases the temptation to make poor choices, naturally, because your body is in harmony.
ALL ABOUT CELLULAR HEALTH
You probably know that true health starts at the cellular level, but did you know that cells comprise the most basic structural units of our body? That's why we say cell function is at the core of health and happiness. Cells make up all living tissues. And we have literally trillions of cells inside us.
Metabolism is made up of cellular tasks. As part of your metabolism, your cells respirate, absorb nutrients, circulate fluids (like blood), get rid of waste, and reproduce themselves (as all cells come from other cells).
Cellular functions allow us to focus, regulate energy and mood, and work to prevent disease. Basically, cells optimize your ability to function.
GET TO KNOW YOUR CELLS
While sometimes illustrated as a circle and a dot (representing the cell wall and the nucleus), cells are actually incredibly complex. And there are many types of cells.
Each cell contains 24 known organelles -- molecules and chemicals that are responsible for "getting things done."
Some major organelles are:
-Mitochondria
-Ribosomes
-Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
-Golgi complex
-Lysosomes
Specialized cells include:
-Muscle cells
-Fat cells
-Nervous Cells
-Blood cells
-Bone cells
-Epithelial cells (including goblet cells)
-Immune cells
-Sex cells
-Stem cells
These cells can be round, flat, cubed, long, star-shaped. Or they can be shapeless, like amoebas!
Our trillions of cells are grouped into 200 major types. We won’t go into all those here, but just let us say… your cells are a pretty big deal.
Each cell contains all of the same complementary nucleotide sequences of DNA that exist in the human genome. We are learning more about stem cells and DNA today following The Human Genome project that lasted from 1990-2003. In that project, researchers around the world collaborated to map the DNA sequence of the human genome, which represents the complete set of nucleic acid sequences for humans, encoded as DNA.
Basically, recent discoveries are helping us to better understand deep health through the lens of cellular health and genetics. That’s probably why you are hearing more about cells and cell health now than ever before.
WHEN GOOD CELLS GO BAD -- Mutations and Oxidative Stress.
Cells are constantly replicating themselves. But sometimes when they reproduce the DNA inside mutates, which leads to complications. Mutations to the genes inside of cells can lead to diseases -- such as cancer or birth defects. Some mutations are inherent in the genes, but others come from lifestyle factors -- like eating processed meats, getting too much sunlight, or smoking.
Scientists have found that oxidative stress underlies many genetic mutations and contributes to aging. Oxidative stress has been described as, “a state where oxidative forces exceed the antioxidant systems due to loss of the balance between them.” That’s what we’re thinking about when we talk about living a life in balance, or in harmony. And it’s why we believe antioxidants are so important to your health. Since all disease starts at the cellular level, Almeda exists primarily to help you take great care of your cells, and yourself.
WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR CELLS
Cell care is self-care, as we like to say… so now that you know what your cells do for you, what are you going to do for your cells?
You know know that you can actually encourage 'cellular fitness' through good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. So be sure to nourish yourself with the right food and supplements. Ensure you’re getting enough antioxidants and supporting your cells with folate, B-vitamins, and all the nutrients they need.
We also encourage making the “mind-body connection” through meditation, acupuncture, and other forms of relaxation. This kind of restorative downtime can support the natural mechanisms that help your body rest, repair, and ultimately heal itself at a cellular level.
Want to do more to improve your cell health? We’ve got you.