List Of Healthy Life Terms

Saccharin - a zero-calorie synthetic sweetening agent. Saccharin, the oldest of the intense manmade sweetening agents, is currently produced from purified, synthetic methyl anthranilate, a chemical substance naturally found in grapes. Saccharine is 300 times more sweet when compared to sucrose, heat stable, and does not promote dental caries. Saccharin is durable under storage, although it has a faintly bitter aftertaste. The human body does not metabolize saccharine or accumulate it, but excretes it rapidly as urinary waste.


Food Preservatives - natural or synthetic chemicals added to foods to prevent adverse changes. All preservatives prevent spoilage, either by discouraging the development of microorganisms that live on foodstuff or by keeping the food out of direct contact with oxygen. Antimicrobics are food preservatives that protect foodstuff by fungi (antifungal activity). Antioxidants are food preservatives that protect food by delaying or preventing the process of oxidation. Crunch - strength-training exercise used to target only the abdominal muscles while, concurrently, eliminating unwanted action from the iliopsoas (the muscle group that bends the hips and reducing the risk of exerting too much pressure on the lower back. This abdominal exercise, which is performed while lying on the back with knees bent and curling the shoulders up toward the pelvis, is the chosen workout for abdominal training over sit-ups.


Amino Acid Score - a computation of the actual quantities of separate amino acids present in a food, or in the diet in proportion to the need for the amino acid. This score does not gauge whether the amino acid is digestible.


Fructosamine - a glycated protein, similar to glycosylated hemoglobin (hemoglobin with glucose and other sugars chemically bound to it), which keeps track of the level of glucose in the blood over the last 2-3 weeks. Diabetic Coma - a critical medical emergency when a person becomes comatose because of extremely high or low blood sugar levels. When the blood sugar level is excessively low, the diabetic patient is suffering from hypoglycemia; if the glucose level is dangerously high, the person has hyperglycemia and could develop ketoacidosis.


Waist Circumference - measurement of the waist. Fat in the waist region (around the abdomen) increases the danger of obesity-related health ailments or illnesses. Women who have a waist measuring over 35 inches, or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) have a higher danger of developing obesity-related ailments or illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.


Nutritionist - an expert who has particular qualifications in the field of nutrition and who has the skill to provide guidance regarding food and drink choices available to consumers. Also known as a `dietician`.


Gestational - denoting the term of pregnancy from the time the embryo is conceived to the time the child is born. Polyphagia - excessive hunger; an indication of diabetes. People with this great craving for food often undergo weight loss.


Catechins - a class of bioflavonoid found in tea, which provides the health advantages of negating the adverse effects of free radicals and perhaps decreasing the health risk of malignancies.


Phentermine - pharmaceutical preparation to reduce the appetite, which disrupts the transmission of signals from the neurotransmitters and is prescribed to treat obese individuals.


Beta Oxidation - the process by which saturated fatty acids are synthesized to form Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP).


VO2 Max - The highest volume of oxygen an individual is able to expend while exercising. This figure is often used as a predictor of potential in endurance sports.


Alpha Cells - endocrine cells in the pancreas located in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas, that secrete glucagon, a hormone which, in its turn, causes a rise in blood sugar (glucose) levels.


ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) - a high energy-yielding phosphate molecule involved in the generation and storage of energy. This is the chemical that is converted by the body into ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) so the body can use it for energy.