Glyconutrients: Rebuilding Your Body's Communication System

Also known as polymannans, these are complex sugars consisting of two mannose molecules and one-glucose molecule.

When connected together, they are scientifically known as mannose, a polymannose beta 1, 4 molecules.
These polymannans are composed of many lengths, weights, and sizes. Lengths vary from short, medium, long to very long. Within these parameters, each size molecule performs it own unique function in the body.

Short Chain Length - Small Molecular Weight. Reduces inflammation, which is involved in such diseases as ulcerative colitis, arthritis, and gastric reflux. Also helps with the reduction of blood sugar with both type I and II diabetes.

Medium Chain Length - Medium Molecular Weight. Vitamins and minerals can only function outside the cells, but polysaccharides are very effective intracellular antioxidants and free radical scavengers - very important in preventing and treating arteriosclerosis, heart disease and Parkinson�s disease. With the ever increasing pollution on the planet and loss of nutrients in the soil, the increase in free radicals and loss of cellular oxygen will only become worse with time. This makes polysaccharides even more important than ever.

Large Chain Length - Large Molecular Weight. Has a direct anti-bacterial and anti-viral effect. Important with all the new infectious diseases cropping up and the older ones becoming more virulent from long term use of antibiotics.

Very Large Chain Length (Acemannan Fraction*) - Very Large Molecular weight. The very large molecules are immune modulating, which have a powerful healing effect on AIDS, cancer and many different immune system disorders. It is also this large molecule the causes the body to produce a natural chemical, tumor necrosis factor, which functions to shut off blood supply to tumors. (Dr. Ivan Danhof, M.D., Ph.D.)

Think of mannans as the pearls in a necklace, ranging from lightweight short necklaces with small pearls to very long, heavy weight strands with large pearls. The heavier, longer in length, and larger the pearls are, the more valuable the necklace becomes. As with mannans, the heavier and longer the chain of polymannose (glyconutrients), the more vital and valuable the function it performs within the body.

What Do Long Chain Glyconutrients Do in the Body?

Science now supports the concept that the very long chain mannans have specific immune functions in the body. The immune system is the master system of the body : every other system relies on a properly functioning immune system in order to optimally function themselves.

To illustrate how polymannans and the immune system function together to support the rest of the body�s physiology, think of the body's communication system like talking on a cell phone. If you are far from a cell tower, or the tower is down, you will send and receive garbled messages.

These polymannan glyconutrients repair and rebuild the "cell towers" on the surface of your cell walls, allowing good communication between your body's systems. This means your immune system can perform much better, because it gets more accurate information!

Glyconutrients are Disappearing from our Diet

Polymannans are not as readily available in our diet as they were even half a century ago. As the industrial age came to an end, the technological age began ushering in faster and cheaper agricultural practices at the expense of our soil and produce. Grains, fruits, and vegetables grown today yield fewer nutrients with every new crop generation. Also, with the practice of food processing and its growing popularity in the Standard American Diet, we are now becoming the victims of our own success.

In decades past, we would be receiving glyconutrients through the consumption of wheat and rice. In the last 50 years hybrid seeds were developed to strengthen crop resistance to fungus and other parasites, insects, pests, drought, heat and the many other perils of farming. We got bigger crops, however we sacrificed the most important value of the product - nutrition.

To make matters worse, poor farming practices such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides further lowered our seeds' nutrient value. Even if these products are organic, the amount necessary to eat would not meet your immune system�s mannose requirement. Is it any wonder why our Immune related diseases are on the rise in epidemic proportions? Through the nutritional supplementation of polymannose, there is hope.

Aloe�s Glyconutrient Molecules and Characteristics

Aloe vera has a wide range in the size of the polysaccharide molecules. The Aloe Polysaccharides are composed of individual mannose and glucose sugar molecules connected together. The different size molecules are measured by how long is the molecule length and molecular weight is and the measurement is rated by daltons. These very large molecules referred to the �Acemannan� fraction of aloe polymannans.

The Mannatech company is the largest single supplier of glyconutrient supplements, but I have found that Aloe Immune, from 4R Hhealth Products, is a much more potent formula, and at a fraction of the cost.

They offer 2 doses of the Aloe Immune formula, as well as Nopalacrin to help pancreatic function (high blood sugar levels), and Flora Immune (Lactobacillus sporogenes), a robust probiotic formula that helps restore balance to your digestive tract.

Aloe Immune is a nutrient-dense, concentrated whole food that should be introduced to the body in small amounts, and spread out over time. This allows a "listening process" to take place between the mind and body. How each of our bodies receives Aloe Immune will vary from person to person.

Dosage suggestions
For optimum results, it is suggested that you start out slowly and begin with the 150 mg. Aloe Immune capsules. Over time, you will want to gradually increase to at least 6 capsules a day. Once you've reached six 150 mg. capsules per day, then begin taking the 500 mg. capsules.

Day 1: Take 1 capsule at bedtime.
Day 2: Take 1 capsule at breakfast, 1 capsule at lunch and 1 capsule at bedtime.
Day 3: Take 1 capsule at breakfast, 1 capsule at lunch, 1 capsule at dinner, and 1 capsule at bedtime.
Day 4: Add 1 capsule between meals.

Remember: gradually replace the 150 mg. capsules with the 500 mg. capsules. If possible, for maximum absorption, open the capsule and take the powder straight in a glass of purified water or juice. You may want to maintain this same protocol for 3 to 6 months.

Each person has different health objectives and tolerance levels. Therefore, listen to your body and go at your own speed. You may notice an increased amount of energy, or you may immediately experience signs of detoxification.

What is detoxification?
Detoxification is a necessary cleansing process that allows tissues to repair themselves. When the body completes this process, your reward is restored health.

Detoxification is nothing more than toxins being released from the cells, circulating through the bloodstream, and finding their way to an eliminative channel (skin, lungs, eyes, ears, etc.). On occasion, a temporary onset of symptoms may occur if the body needs to go through this process. Symptoms may include:

Elimination or disposing of the body�s waste products is a natural process the body experiences everyday. However, when the focus is on healing, the body�s reaction may feel a bit distressing while this detoxification process takes place.

Reducing the intensity of detoxification
Allow your body to adjust by starting with a lower milligram serving and then increase the amount slowly over time. If detoxification symptoms occur, reduce dosage to that of the previous day, and then increase the next day or several days.

For example: On Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3, no unusual symptoms are experienced; however, on Day 4, you experience a detoxification symptom. What to do?

Simply cut back to the dosage you were taking before the symptom occurred. Pay attention to your body and gradually increase the dosage over time, to the amount the body can handle.

Minimizing detoxification symptoms
Increase your water intake! Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day. This additional water is necessary for flushing toxins out of the system.