CALCIUM: The body's most abundant mineral. Its primary function is to help build and maintain bones and teeth. Calcium is also important to heart health, nerves, muscles and skin. Calcium helps control blood acid-alkaline balance, plays a role in cell division, muscle growth and iron utilization, activates certain enzymes, and helps transport nutrients through cell membranes. Calcium also forms a cellular cement called ground substance that helps hold cells and tissues together.

CANCER: A group of diseases involving unregulated cell growth.

CAPILLARY: Any of the smallest blood vessels connecting arterioles with venules and forming networks throughout the body.

CARCINOGEN: A cancer-causing substance.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart and its associated vessels.

CARNITINE: A compound found in skeletal and cardiac muscle and certain other tissues that functions as a carrier of fatty acids across the membranes of the mitochondria. Carnitine has been used therapeutically in treating angina and certain deficiency diseases.

CAROTENOID: A group of red, orange and yellow pigments found in plant foods and in the tissues of organisms that consume plants. Carotenoids have antioxidant activity and some, but not all, can act as precursors of vitamin A. Studies have shown that several carotenoids other than betacarotene are potent antioxidants that provide profound health benefits. Because of this, the scientific community has now recognized the importance of natural mixed carotenoids including beta carotene.

CAT'S CLAW: An herb (Uncaria tomentosa). This herb is grown as a vine commonly known as Cat's Claw and has been used traditionally for thousands of years. Recently, several of the alkaloid chemical constituents of the plant have been isolated and available in standardized amounts. These alkaloids have been shown to have profound beneficial properties affecting immune function. Harvesting the inner bark, which contains all the beneficial compounds, avoids killing the plant thus, protecting the Peruvian rainforest.

CATALYST: A substance that causes a chemical reaction to go faster, but is not itself changed during the reaction.

CATARACT: A disorder in which the lens of the eye becomes partly or completely opaque as a result of the precipitation of proteins.

CAYENNE: An herb (Capsicum frutescens) (Capsicum annuum). Cayenne is also referred to as Capsicum, chili pepper or red pepper and comes from the family Solanaceae. These plants have been highly valued as spices and are extensively cultivated, which results in peppers widely differing from one another in size, shape and pungency.

CD4: A symbol for glycoprotein expressed on the surface of most phytocytes and some lymphocytes, including Helper T cells. Human CD4 is the receptor that serves as a docking site for HIV viruses on certain lymphocyte cells. Binding of the viral glycoprotein gp120 to CD4 is the first step in viral entry, leading to the fusion of viral and cell membrane.

CHAMOMILE: An herb (Matricaria chamomilla). Chamomile is a member of the Asteraceae or daisy family and yields a blue-colored volatile oil. There are two types of chamomile. The first consists of the flower heads of Matricaria recutita and is commonly known as German or Hungarian chamomile. The second consists of the flower heads of Chamaemelum nobile and is commonly referred to as Roman or English chamomile. Often taken in a tea form, chamomile is most effective in whole extracts or preparations containing quantities of the volatile oil.

CHLORELLA: An herb (Chlorella Pyrenoidosa). Chlorella is a green, single celled micro-algae that has been at the base of the planetary food chain for over 2.5 billion years. Chlorella is one of the most widely and intensely researched therapeutic foods available today. Literally hundreds of scientific papers have been presented documenting its efficacy in human nutrition. Chlorella contains a broader spectrum of significant nutrients than any other known food source. It is the world's highest source of chlorophyll, much higher than spirulina.

CHOLINE: A lipotropic substance sometimes included in the vitamin B complex as essential for the metabolism of fats in the body. Precursor to acetylcholine, a major neurotransmitter in the brain. Choline prevents the deposition of fats in the liver and facilitates the movement of fats into the cells. Deficiency leads to cirrhosis of the liver.

CHROMIUM: Chromium is a mineral that becomes a part of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF). Chromium aids in insulin utilization and blood sugar control. By controlling blood sugar, chromium helps prevent the damage caused by glucose, which is called glycation. Chromium helps maintain normal cholesterol levels and improves high-density lipoprotein levels. Chromium is also important in building muscle and reducing obesity.

COBALAMIN: (Vitamin B-12) Essential for the normal functioning of all body cells, especially those of bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system. It is also necessary for the formation of red blood cells. It also prevents pernicious anemia and is necessary to a healthy nervous system. In addition, it is involved in synthesis of genetic material (DNA).

COD LIVER OIL: A pale-yellow, fatty oil extracted from the fresh livers of the codfish and other related species. A rich source of fat-soluble vitamins A and D.

COLLAGEN: A protein in connective tissue and the organic substance found in teeth and bones.

COPPER: An essential mineral that is a component of several important enzymes in the body and is essential to good health. Copper is found in all body tissues. Copper deficiency leads to a variety of abnormalities, including anemia, skeletal defects, degeneration of the nervous system, reproductive failure, pronounced cardiovascular lesions, elevated blood cholesterol, impaired immunity and defects in the pigmentation and structure of hair. Copper is involved in iron incorporation into hemoglobin. It is also involved with vitamin C in the formation of collagen and the proper functioning in central nervous system. More than a dozen enzymes have been found to contain copper. The best studied are superoxide dismutase (SOD), cytochrome C oxidase, catalase, dopamine hydroxylase, uricase, tryptophan dioxygenase, lecithinase and other monoamine and diamine oxidases.

CRANBERRY: An herb (Vaccinium mactocarpon). The American cranberry has been shown to provide an undesirable growth medium for bacteria in the urinary tract. Specifically, it has been shown that cranberry constituents appear to inhibit the ability of bacteria to adhere to the cell wall that lines the urinary tract.

CRUCIFERS: A family of plants that includes cabbage, collard greens, cauliflower, broccoli and others.

CYSTEINE: A nonessential amino acid but may be essential for individuals with certain diseases or nutritional concerns. Cysteine is a sulfur-bearing amino acid with antioxidant properties. It is important for keratin synthesis, a protein found in skin, hair and nails and is a component of coenzyme A and glutathione.

CYSTINE: A nonessential amino acid but may be essential for individuals with certain diseases or nutritional concerns. Cystine is a structural component of tissues and hormones. Interconvertible with l-cysteine.

CYTOPLASM: The inner substance of a cell contained within the cell membrane other than the nucleus.

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