Glyconutrients/Saccharides for Pets

What in the world are Glyconutrients?

Glyconutients are are special carbohydrates (monosaccharides) that provide the building blocks that enable the cells within the body (animal or human)to communicate effectively. They are known to form the "name tags" of the cells so that the cells can recognize which cells are good or bad, and which cells are lacking in certain nutrients. There are over 200 known sacharrides however, 1Harper's Biochemistry college textbook identifies 8 as essential for the cellular communication and recognition.

Fucose (not to be mistaken for fructose)
Galactose
Glucose
Mannose
N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)
N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)
N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac)
Xylose

Glyconutrients are not vitamins, minerals, amino acids or even enzymes, but are in a class of their own as nutritional supplements that are derived from plants. Glyconutritional supplements are formulated based on new understanding in the biochemistry of how the body maintains health at the cellular level. Healthy cells lead to healthy tissue - healthy tissue leads to healthy organs - and healthy organs lead to healthy bodies. Makes sense, right?

Despite the relatively recent discovery of glyconutrients and their functions, medical doctors and the general public are becoming increasingly aware of their importance in treating underlying causes of disease and in maintaining good health. A glyconutritional approach is a more "holistic" approach as it gets at the root cause rather than treating only the symptoms.

These important glyconutients and saccharids are seriously lacking in our pets (and our own for that matter) modern diet of cooked and/or processed foods. Our dogs and cats ancestors -- have spent thousands of years eating wild and natural foods, and let's face it, this is what their systems are designed for. It has only been in the last several decades that they -- along with us, their owners--have been exposed to commercially prepared/processed foods, as well as the chemicals these foods now tend to contain - chemicals that their bodies cannot tolerate. In addition, artificial ingredients in these commercially processed foods can and very often do trigger an immune response that, quite literally, can make our pets sick.

Every disease is brought on by:
a deficiency of vital nutrients
free radical damage to cells
a malfunctioning immune system

There are less and less phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in the soil which nurish the grasses and plants that are used to feed the animals being used for food available at the local market and in commercial pet foods. This of course effects our pets health (as well as our own) due to the lack of vital nutrients including glyconutrients.

Glyconutrients have been called "the most nutritionally dense food on the planet". Glyconutrients contain high levels of saccharides and adaptogens which are known to increase energy and stamina by improving our dog's (and cat's) ability to consume and use the vital element, oxygen. Adaptogens improve cardiovascular health by strengthening the heart and circulation, and continue to work over time while your pet is resting by supporting muscle growth and repair.

As a Veterinary Naturopath I will often suggest that my clients look into adding glyconutients to their pet's diet who are looking to care for their pet in a natural way.

Arthur Young DVM, a Certified Homeopathic Veterinarian, uses glyconutrients/saccharides in his practice on all animals from birds to horses. He always advises his clients to add glyconutrients to their pets diet. Decades of consuming nutritionally questionable commercial pet food products, the proven harmful effects of over vaccination, combined with the unfortunate dependency on steroids and antibiotics have, according to many reliable sources greatly contributed to a national decline in animal health. The innate ability of our pet's body to heal itself has been seriously compromised. The wonderful thing about Glyconutrients is they are compatible with any type of treatment prescribed by both conventional and alternative practitioners. These essential carbohydrates strengthen the body�s inner environment which, in turn, enhances the energy that stimulates the immune system, as well as a process called �cell communication�. This communication network results in all of the organs working with one another in an orderly sequence of body reactions. Without these activities, good health is impossible to attain. Although most formulations of glyconutrients are generally produced for human consumption at this time, holistic veterinarians and veterinary naturopaths have also recognized the importance of glyconutrients in supporting the handling of health challenges in animals. (Credit goes to G�Blobel, M.D., Ph.D. (Rockefeller University), winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize for Medicine "for the discovery that (glyco) proteins have intrinsic signals that govern their transport and localization in the cell.")



Healing Glyconutrients - Optimum Cell-to-Cell Communication
Dr. Hugo Rodier M.D. - "Most of the Nobel prizes in Medicine and Biology have been awarded to the concept of �cell communication,� which is how our 100 trillion cells get their metabolic function coordinated (J. Science, November 26th, 2004.) They do this through a system of �messages,� which are well-known molecules like hormones, neurotransmitters, enzymes, etc. They form a vast network of communication, which should have never been separated into different components."

The Psycho-Neuro-Immune-Endocrine system of cell communication to coordinate our metabolism is now considered to be the cornerstone of health and function in cutting edge research (�The intricate interface between the immune system and metabolism,�

J. Trends in Immunology 2004;25:193.)

Where Do I find Glyconutients and/or saccharides for my pets?
Chinese wolf berries or Goji (Lycium) berries are a rich source of saccharides/glyconutrients
Wolf Berries (Goji) -
Rock-solid scientific evidence discovered at major universities around the globe back up the historical usage of the Wolf (Goji) berry with 71 different studies now published proving its benefits. One of the most exciting things about the ongoing research is that more and more studies on the Goji berry are being published each year, including 11 published in 2004, 9 published in 2005 and 4 more published in 2006! These studies cover many aspects of health including the brain, vision, immune system enhancement, and many others. You can view abstracts of these studies by going to www.pubmed.org, the United States Government sponsored Website, and typing in the Latin name for the Go-ji berry, "Lycium barbarum".

Wolf (goji) Berries contain 22 Polysaccarides or phytonutrient compounds, that work in the body as directors and carriers of the instructions that cells use to communicate with each other. These polysaccharides are �Master Molecules� that command and control many of the body�s most important defense systems. The Wolf Berry (Goji) exhibits a balanced polysaccharide profile and a uniquely potent Spectral Signature.

Dr. John Axford, MD, leading expert in this new field of glycobiology and President of Clinical Immunology, Royal Academy of Medicine, stated at a health conference in 2005, �Sugars are going to be the molecules of the next decade. Glycobiology is one of the last frontiers of science to be conquered and it�s going to be at the cutting edge of a large number of discoveries and therapies over the next decade.�

Called "Goji" by Native Chinese, Wolfberries Have Been Used in Traditional Folk Medicine for Over 5,000 Years.
Ancient Chinese medical texts extolled wolfberries for strengthening the eyes, liver, and kidneys as well as fortifying the "qi" (chi) or life force. An early medical work, Shen Nung Ben Tsao (475-221 B.C.), noted wolfberry benefits ranging from replenishing vital essences to strengthening and restoring major organs. The physician's handbook, Ben Cao Gang Mu, written during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) reported, "taking in Chinese wolfberry regularly may regulate the flow of vital energy and strengthen the physique, which can lead to longevity."

Arthur Young, DVM - "Pets are commonly afflicted with stubborn allergies that are a source of much distress--and expense--for their owners. And, very commonly--just as with their owners--medical interventions that mainly focus on treating the symptoms are quite ineffective. The findings of Glycobiology suggest that this prevailing approach may be barking up the wrong tree, so to speak, and that a nutritional intervention that, instead, supplies the body with crucial micronutrients that are lacking is likely to be far more effective. Glycobiology has now established that every cell in the mammalian body requires eight essential saccharides molecules in order to function effectively. These sugars combine with protein and fat molecules into glycoforms that attach themselves to the surfaces of every cell in the body. Under an electron microscope, they look like weird trees growing on the cell surface. One of their most important functions there is to allow cells to communicate effectively with each other. To the degree that these saccharides are deficient, cell-to-cell communication tends to break down and some form of illness starts to develop. An insufficiency of these saccharide molecules is particularly disastrous for the immune system, because it causes the cells of the immune system to become, in effect, partially blind. These cells can then become over-reactive in attacking allergens of all kinds and even in attacking the tissues of the body; on the other hand, ironically, they may become under-reactive in attacking true pathogens that are serious threats to the body."

The benefits of glyconutrients/Saccharides for animals cover various types of animals and a variety of disease conditions, similar to their effects in humans.

NingXia Red Juice is a rich source of glyconutrients/saccharides.

Experts say that NingXia Red's high levels of adaptogens increase energy and stamina by improving your animal's ability to consume and use oxygen. Adaptogens also improve cardiovascular health by strengthening the heart and circulation, and continue to work overtime while your pet is resting by supporting muscle growth and repair.

For more information and testimonies on Ningxia Red go HERE

1 Harpers Biochemistry, is the definitive reference for medical students and contains the latest information in the field of Biochemistry. Chapter 56, entitled Glycoproteins is devoted to glycoscience. This textbook has been educating healthcare professionals about Glyconutrients and their role in health and healing since 1996

Acta Anatomica ~ Glycosciences, Issue 161/1-April 1998 International Journal of Anatomy, Embryology and Cell Biology

Fisher Institute for Medical Research
Fisher Institute for Medical Research seeks to promote wellness by providing research into the benefits of glyconutrients, phytochemicals, and functional foods.

Note: Dietary supplements are designed to improve nutrition rather than to treat disease

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