General Interest Articles

General Interest articles are designed to appeal to everyone, whereas our collection of articles from the Scientific Literature will more likely resonate with those who like to get their teeth into much heavier topics.

We hope you enjoy this collection and welcome your feedback and requests for other topics.

Cell-Logic Bulletin – Christine Houghton PhD Copyright – 2010

The Benefit of Reviewing Part 1 –  One of the most misunderstood topics in Nutritional Medicine  is  that  of  so-called  ‘Antioxidants’.   In  Part  1, we  looked at how ‘antioxidants’ are classified  as Primary and  Secondary  and  highlighted  the  differences  between  the  typical  ’antioxidant  vitamins’  and  the  endogenous  Antioxidant Enzymes such as Superoxide dismutase, Glutathione peroxidase and Catalase.  Where typical  ‘antioxidants’ such as vitamin C, E and beta-carotene are  capable  of  quenching  one  free  radical  per  antioxidant molecule,  the  Antioxidant  Enzymes  can  quench  several million free radicals per minute1. This little-known fact may  help explain why so many clinical trials using ‘antioxidant’ vitamins have failed.  What’s most exciting about the new understanding of the power of the Antioxidant Enzymes is that  specific  phytochemicals  can  ‘switch  on’  that  part  of  the  DNA  which  codes  for  these  and  other  cell-protective endogenous compounds.  We are indeed on the cusp of a new paradigm in Nutritional Medicine as we use Nutrigenomics  to  optimise  cellular  function  and  cellular defences.

Antioxidants — time to reconsider the principles? Part 2
Cell-Logic Bulletin – Christine Houghton PhD Copyright – 2010

The Benefit of Reviewing Part 1 –  One of the most misunderstood topics in Nutritional Medicine  is  that  of  so-called  ‘Antioxidants’.   In  Part  1, we  looked at how ‘antioxidants’ are classified  as Primary and  Secondary  and  highlighted  the  differences  between  the  typical  ’antioxidant  vitamins’  and  the  endogenous  Antioxidant Enzymes such as Superoxide dismutase, Glutathione peroxidase and Catalase.  Where typical  ‘antioxidants’ such as vitamin C, E and beta-carotene are  capable  of  quenching  one  free  radical  per  antioxidant molecule,  the  Antioxidant  Enzymes  can  quench  several million free radicals per minute1. This little-known fact may  help explain why so many clinical trials using ‘antioxidant’ vitamins have failed.  What’s most exciting about the new understanding of the power of the Antioxidant Enzymes is that  specific  phytochemicals  can  ‘switch  on’  that  part  of  the  DNA  which  codes  for  these  and  other  cell-protective endogenous compounds.  We are indeed on the cusp of a new paradigm in Nutritional Medicine as we use Nutrigenomics  to  optimise  cellular  function  and  cellular defences.

Antioxidants — time to reconsider the principles? Part 2
‘Health is Wealth’ Series – Christine Houghton PhD Copyright – 2009

For decades, food has been considered the source of nutrients essential to the biochemical processes which sustain life. The concept of recommending minimum levels of each nutrient to prevent deficiency diseases has prevailed.

Whilst this view still holds true, research into other chemical properties of plant foods has revealed that plant foods hold new secrets to health. Such knowledge is providing valuable keys to our understanding of how different cultural dietary practices affects various aspects of health of whole populations.

To pharmacists, the notion of plants having therapeutic  effects should not be unfamiliar.   Many of  the  world’s most valuable drugs have had their origins in plants.

Cell-Logic, Food, Herb or Medicine C-L
‘Health is Wealth’ Series – Christine Houghton PhD Copyright – 2009

For decades, food has been considered the source of nutrients essential to the biochemical processes which sustain life. The concept of recommending minimum levels of each nutrient to prevent deficiency diseases has prevailed.

Whilst this view still holds true, research into other chemical properties of plant foods has revealed that plant foods hold new secrets to health. Such knowledge is providing valuable keys to our understanding of how different cultural dietary practices affects various aspects of health of whole populations.

To pharmacists, the notion of plants having therapeutic  effects should not be unfamiliar.   Many of  the  world’s most valuable drugs have had their origins in plants.

Cell-Logic, Food, Herb or Medicine C-L
Published 16 February, 2016

Bids to ‘stop mandatory vaccination’ will need a better argument than the time-worn mercury scare-mongering, supported by an image of a cute baby! FDA’s 2014  comment follows: “Since 2001, no new vaccine licensed by FDA for use in children has contained thimerosal and all vaccines routinely recommended by CDC for children younger than 6 years of age have been thimerosal-free, or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal, except for some formulations of influenza vaccine. Sep 9, 2014.   Nor has thimerosal been used in Australia since 2000.

Cell-Logic, The anti-vaccine lobby will need a better argument than this!
Published 16 February, 2016

Bids to ‘stop mandatory vaccination’ will need a better argument than the time-worn mercury scare-mongering, supported by an image of a cute baby! FDA’s 2014  comment follows: “Since 2001, no new vaccine licensed by FDA for use in children has contained thimerosal and all vaccines routinely recommended by CDC for children younger than 6 years of age have been thimerosal-free, or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal, except for some formulations of influenza vaccine. Sep 9, 2014.   Nor has thimerosal been used in Australia since 2000.

Cell-Logic, The anti-vaccine lobby will need a better argument than this!
Cell-Logic Bulletin – Christine Houghton PhD Copyright – 2010

In this series, we break down all you need to know about antioxidants, with Part 2 last week looking at where the antioxidant story began. This week, in Part 3, Cell-Logic’s Senior Scientist Dr Christine Houghton explores the new ‘Nutrigenomics’ era and the changing trends in nutritional medicine. We now understand that free radicals and ‘antioxidants’, together with a range of other endogenous compounds and food-derived biomolecules, are all actors in a cellular script that is constantly changing to adapt to the environment in which the cell finds itself. What’s so exciting from a clinical standpoint is that many of the intracellular signalling pathways can be influenced by food-derived biomolecules.

Antioxidants – time to reconsider the principles? Part 3
Cell-Logic Bulletin – Christine Houghton PhD Copyright – 2010

In this series, we break down all you need to know about antioxidants, with Part 2 last week looking at where the antioxidant story began. This week, in Part 3, Cell-Logic’s Senior Scientist Dr Christine Houghton explores the new ‘Nutrigenomics’ era and the changing trends in nutritional medicine. We now understand that free radicals and ‘antioxidants’, together with a range of other endogenous compounds and food-derived biomolecules, are all actors in a cellular script that is constantly changing to adapt to the environment in which the cell finds itself. What’s so exciting from a clinical standpoint is that many of the intracellular signalling pathways can be influenced by food-derived biomolecules.

Antioxidants – time to reconsider the principles? Part 3
Part 2 of The ‘Health is Wealth’ Series – Christine Houghton PhD Copyright – 2009

In Part  1,  we  looked  at  the  Mediterranean  diet  as  a possible prescription for good health and longevity.  The Greeks living on Crete and consuming their traditional diet can boast the lowest rates of heart disease in the world.

Not only are the Greeks relatively free of cardiovascular disease but they are also far freer of the other diseases of civilization – cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, menopausal abnormalities,  gall  bladder  disease  and  diverticulitis  to name the most common. What  is  so  curious  about  this  is  that  the  Greeks  would appear  to  break  all  of  the  “rules”  which  we  in  Australia hold  up as   icons  for  cardiovascular  disease  prevention.

This anomaly may explain why you may occasionally hear of a person who has been to his doctor and been given a “clean  bill  of  health”.   Secure  in  this  apparent reassurance, there is great surprise and shock when the individual suffers a heart attack soon after.  Many modern nutritionists are asking whether we are measuring disease risk in the right way.

Cell-Logic, Mediterranean Diet HIW Part2
Part 2 of The ‘Health is Wealth’ Series – Christine Houghton PhD Copyright – 2009

In Part  1,  we  looked  at  the  Mediterranean  diet  as  a possible prescription for good health and longevity.  The Greeks living on Crete and consuming their traditional diet can boast the lowest rates of heart disease in the world.

Not only are the Greeks relatively free of cardiovascular disease but they are also far freer of the other diseases of civilization – cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, menopausal abnormalities,  gall  bladder  disease  and  diverticulitis  to name the most common. What  is  so  curious  about  this  is  that  the  Greeks  would appear  to  break  all  of  the  “rules”  which  we  in  Australia hold  up as   icons  for  cardiovascular  disease  prevention.

This anomaly may explain why you may occasionally hear of a person who has been to his doctor and been given a “clean  bill  of  health”.   Secure  in  this  apparent reassurance, there is great surprise and shock when the individual suffers a heart attack soon after.  Many modern nutritionists are asking whether we are measuring disease risk in the right way.

Cell-Logic, Mediterranean Diet HIW Part2

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