While enzymes are essential to metabolic function they are not all needed at the same time, in the same amounts nor in the same cell. Therefore biological systems must regulate them so that they are available when and where they are needed. Several mechanisms are responsible for enzymatic activity. Feedback Inhibition Enzymes may be controlled […]
A carbohydrate is a macro-nutrient. It is called “macro” because it is needed in large proportions in the diet. Carbohydrates have the basic formula Cn(H2O)n, hence they are considered hydrated carbons. They fall in four major categories. Monosaccharides Disaccharides Oligosaccharides Polysaccharides Let’s take a closer look at each of these. Monosaccharides These are the smallest […]
Nutrition is the scientific study of food and how they affect the body and influence health. As bricks are to a building, so is food to our body. Without proper diet, our body will fail to remain in balance, leading to sickness, disease and death. A study of nutrition requires a thorough understanding of the […]
Every moment we are under attack by various disease-causing agents that could make us sick. Hence to stay alive and to thrive, the body is equipped with an immune system. The immune system consists of many parts including white blood cells (leucocytes), antibodies, bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus and the tonsil. Here is a […]
One of the ways that we normally judge how healthy we are, is by looking at our body weight. A strong muscular figure for men, and the curvy model-like figure for women are the looks to die for these days. But are we pushing ourselves to unrealistic expectations? What really is a healthy weight? This […]
Iron Most (two-thirds) of the iron that we have in our body is bound up in heme i.e. hemoglobin or myoglobin. Remember that hemoglobin carries oxygen in the blood and myoglobin takes oxygen from the red blood cells and carries it to tissues that need it. Therefore, iron is very important as an oxygen carrier when in the heme form. […]
